Gaston Ghrenassia known by his stage name Enrico Macias (born December 11, 1938 in Constantine, then French Algeria) is a Jewish-French international singer and musician originating from Algeria. He is popular throughout the world and has travelled extensively for 5 decades starting in the early 1960s to the present.

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Early Years

He was born to a Jewish family in Constantine, then French Algeria, and played the guitar since childhood. His father, Sylvain Ghrenassia was a violinist in an orchestra that played primarily maalouf , Andalo-Arabic music. Gaston started playing with the Cheikh Raymond Leyris orchestra at 15.

He pursued a career as a school teacher, but continued practicing the guitar. In 1961 the Algerian War of Independence was raging, and the situation became untenable for the French residents of Constantine. Of immense effect on Gaston Ghrenassia was the assassination in 1961 of his father-in-law and musician Cheikh Raymond Leyris by the National Liberation Front (FLN) and Gaston went into exile in mainland France leaving Algeria with his wife, Suzy on 29 July 1961, eleven months before the end of the Algerian War of Independence.

Career

First living in Argenteuil, France he eventually moved to Paris, where he decided to pursue a career in music. At first, he tried translating the maalouf numbers that he already knew into French. Later on he developed a new French repertoire that he performed in cafés and cabarets. He remained though a popular interpreter of Arab-Andalusian music and Judeo-Arab songs and a champion of the Pied-Noir in France.

He adopted the name Enrico Macias. Enrico comes from him being called "petit Enrico" when he joined Cheikh Raymond's orchestra. Macias comes through an error of the record label he would eventually sign. When asked about his family name on the phone he said "Nassia" (Ghrenassia), but the receptionist misheard the name and wrote Macias. Thus the name Enrico Macias.

He made his first recording in 1962 after a meeting with Raymond Bernard of Pathée. The result was recording of "Adieu mon pays," which he had composed on the boat to France. He appeared on French television and became an overnight sensation. This led to a first tour in 1963 as a second act with Paola and Billy Bridge. His daughter Jocya was also born that year.

In the spring of 1964, he performed in the first half of the Compagnons de la Chanson show at the Paris Olympia in spring and then undertook a successful tour of the Middle East performing with great success in Lebanon, Greece, and Turkey and where he still his to date a huge following. In Turkey many of his wongs were translated and interpreted by Turkish artists. ^[1] In 1965 he was awarded the Prix Vincent Scotto and the following year, he sang before 120,000 people at the Dinamo Stadium in Moscow, performing concerts in more than 40 other Soviet cities. He also toured Japan, where he was impressively successful. He recorded records in Spanish and Italian and was popular in both countries.

His American debut at a sold-out Carnegie Hall took place on February 17, 1968. He continued to tour the United States singing in Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles and in Canada and Quebec where he was warmly welcomed as a francophone artist.

In 1971, he returned to the Paris Olympia, then went to the Royal Albert Hall in London, and to back to Japan, Canada, Italy and Spain. and a second US tour culminating in a concert at Carnegie Hall in 1972. In 1974 he gave ten shows at the Uris Theater in Broadway, and also at the Olympia for the sixth time since his début.

He toured France and went twice to Israel in 1976 and 1978. He was invited to Egypt by Egyptian President Anwar El Sadat to sing for peace. This came after Enrico Macias being banned from Arab countries for many years, despite keeping his popularity with Arab and ethnic audiences in the Middle East and North Africa. In Egypt he sang in front of 20,000 people at the foot of the Pyramids. After Sadat's assassination, he wrote a song dedicated to the late president entitled "Un berger vient de tomber" .

In 1988 he had a big hit "Zingarella" particularly in Israel and Turkey upon his tour in both countries in addition to South Koreea.

In April 1992 he tried acting with a play adapted from English called "Quelle nuit". He also had a role as a local judge in French TV film "Monsieur Molina" .

Albums and Singles

Of great popularity were his 1960s Oriental-influenced songs like J’ai quitté mon pays , Les filles de mon pays , l'Orientale , Entre l'orient et l'occident and tribute sogs like Le violon de mon père to his father and Mon chanteur préferé , a tribute to his father-in-law Cheikh Raymond).

He is also popular with French interpretation of Oh guitare, guitare and Spanish El Porompompero and Solenzara .

Big Fremch hits include Paris, tu m'as pris dans tes bras , La femme de mon ami , Non je n'ai pas oublié , La France de mon enfance , Les gens du nord , Les filles de mon pays .

He has sang in a big number of languages French, Italian, Spanish, Hebrew, Arabic and all its many dialects, primarily Algerian Arabic Turkish, Greek, Armenian

Albums

• 1983: Deux ailes et trois plumes
• 1984: Générosité
• 1987: Enrico
• 1989: Le vent du sud
• 1991: Enrico
• 1992: Mon chanteur préferé
• 1993: Suzy
• 1994: La France de mon enfance
• 1995: Et Johnny Chante L'amour
• 1999: Aie Aie Aie Je T'Aime
• 1999: Hommage à Cheikh Raymond
• 2003: Oranges amères produced by his son, Jean-Claude Ghrenassia. He has a great song called "Enfant de Tous Pays".
• 2005: Chanter
• 2006: La Vie populaire

Live Albums / Compilations

• 1989: ''Olympia 89
• 1990: Disque d'Or
• 1992: ''Le plus grand bonheur du monde
• 1996: ''La Fête à L'Olympia
• 2003: Les Indispensables de Enrico Macias
• 2003: Concerts Musicorama
• 2006: Olympia 2003
• 2006: Les Concerts Exclusifs Europe

Singles

(in alphabetical order)

• Adieu mon pays (1962)
• Ami, dis lui (1965)
• L'ami fidèle (1965)
• L'amour c'est pour rien (1964)
• Au cœur de la Camargue (1963)
• Aux talons de ses souliers
• L'amour n'est jamais fini
• A Suzy
• Au nom des droits de l'homme
• Ami dis-lui
• Après moi
• Avec les pins du bord de l'eau
• Aux quatre coins du monde
• Aime-moi je t'aime
• Aie aie aie
• A ceux qui m'ont béni
• Un berger vient de tomber
• Bresil
• Beyrouth
• Chanter (1966)
• Chiquita (1962)
• Constantine (1962)
• Come on bye bye
• C'est ça l'amour
• C'est une femme
• Chanson pour l'auvergnat
• C'est vrai
• C'était le bon temps
• Chanter
• Compagnon disparu
• Constantina
• Deux ailes et trois plumes
• Deux femmes a Dublin
• Enfants de tous pays (1962)
• Est-il un ennemi (1965)
• Enfant de mon enfant
• Entre l'orient et l'occident
• El Porompompero
• La femme de mon ami (1962)
• Les filles de mon pays (1965)
• La France de mon enfance
• Les gens du nord (1967)
• J'ai peur (1967)
• J'appelle le soleil (1966)
• J'en ai plein mon cœur des souvenirs (1966)
• Je t'aimerai pour deux (1966)
• J'ai quitté mon pays
• Jamais Deux Sans Toi
• Je Vois Sur Ton Visage
• La lavande (1967)
• Luther King
• Le violon de mon père
• Le fusil rouillé
• Ma maison, ma maison (1962)
• Ma patrie (1964)
• Ma raison de vivre (1964)
• Malheur à celui qui blesse un enfant (Enrico Macias et Jacques Demarny) (1975)
• Maya (1964)
• Le mendiant de l'amour (1981)
• Mon ami mon frère (1963)
• Mon cœur d'attache (1966)
• Mon chanteur préféré (1986)
• Les millionnaires du dimanche
• Mélisa
• Ne doute plus de moi (1964)
• Non je n'ai pas oublié (1966)
• Notre place au soleil (1965)
• Noël à Jérusalem (1967)
• N'oublie jamais d'ou tu viens
• Oh guitare, guitare (1962)
• L'Oriental (1962)
• Où est donc la vérité (1966)
• Ouvre ta main et donne (1963)
• Omparere (1975)
• Ouvre-moi la porte (1980)
• Orange améres (2001)
• Par ton premier baiser (1962)
• Paris s'allume (1969)
• Paris tu m'as pris dans tes bras (1964)
• La part du pauvre (1966)
• Les pins du bord de l'eau (1964)
• El porompero (1963)
• Pour ton mariage (chantée avec sa fille)
• POÏ POÏ (1963)
• Quand les femmes dansent (2001)
• Quand les hommes vivront d'amour (at Olympia in 1989 with Les Petits Chanteurs d'Asnières
• Qum Tara avec Cheb Mami
• Sans voir le jour (1965)
• S'il fallait tout donner (1964)
• Sois fidèle à ton amour (1974) with Ilanit
• Solenzara (1967)
• Souviens-toi des noëls de là bas (1963)
• Sous le ciel de Paris (2005)
• Un amour, une amie (1990) with Ginni Gallan
• Un soir d'été (1963)
• Vagabonds sans rivage (1962)
• Va-t'en (1962)
• La vie populaire (2005)
• Vieille terre (1965)
• Vous les femmes (1965)
• Le Voyage (2001)
• Le vent du sud (1989)
• Les yeux de l'amour (1967)

Achievements

• In 1965 he was awarded the Prix Vincent Scotto
• He received a gold disc in 1976 for Mélissa .
• He was named Singer of Peace by UN Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim in 1980 after he donated the proceeds of his single "Malheur à celui qui blesse un enfant" to the Unicef
• In 1997, Kofi Annan named him Roving Ambassador for Peace and the Defence of Children.

Collaborations

He has collaborated with tens of artist and his songs have been interpreted in many languages.

• He sang Melissa as a duet with Turkish singer Ajda Pekkan
• In 1991, he had a duet with Ginni Gallan entitled "Un amour, une amie" .
• In 2003, he sang Koum Tara with Cheb Mami featured in the latter's album "Du Sud au Nord" and again a live version this time on Cheb Mami's 2004 album ''"Live au Grand Rex"'
• In Turkey, many artists have interpreted his songs with Turkish lyrics including Ajda Pekkan, Basar Tamer, Berkant, Engin Evin, Ferdi Özbegen, Gökben, Gönül Yazar, Hümeyra, Ihsan Kayral, Juanito, Kamuran Akkor, Mavi Çocuklar, Nilüfer, Ömür Göksel, Selçuk Ural, Semiramis Pekkan, Seyyal Taner, Sezer Güvenirgil, Sibel Egemen, Tanju Okan, Yeliz

Controversies

Despite a prosperous French and international career, it must be said that Enrico Macias is still, for French people, representative of the culture of the Pieds Noirs. This image no doubt what prevents Macias from appealing to a younger public. His repertoire has hardly changed to appeal to a wider French audience.

His decision to play concerts in Algeria resulted in huge controversy because of his Jewish origins and despite his immense popularity with Algerians. After the cancellation of a proposed tour in Algeria in 2000, he wrote a book Mon Algérie (Editions Plon in October 2001) marketed as a "veritable love story between one man and his homeland".

On 14 February 2007, he announced his support of Nicolas Sarkozy for the French presidential elections. He confirmed his political convictions of the left, but said could not support the Socialist candidate Ségolène Royal although would have supported if Laurent Fabius or Dominique Strauss-Kahn had been the candidates.

He attempted again unsuccessfully to visit Algeria in November 2007 accompanying French president Nicolas Sarkozy, but was faced with fierce resistance from several Algerian organizations and individuals, including Algerian Prime Minister Abdelaziz Belkhadem, due to his support of Israel. ^{[2] [3] [4]}

References

1. Turkish artists interpreting Enrico Macias songs including Ajda Pekkan, Basar Tamer, Berkant, Engin Evin, Ferdi Özbegen, Gökben, Gönül Yazar, Hümeyra, Ihsan Kayral, Juanito, Kamuran Akkor, Mavi Çocuklar, Nilüfer, Ömür Göksel, Selçuk Ural, Semiramis Pekkan, Seyyal Taner, Sezer Güvenirgil, Sibel Egemen, Tanju Okan, Yeliz
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3. Algeria mulls visit by pro-Israeli French singer
4. Enrico Macias gives up his Algeria visit on advice from Pt Sarkozy