Live At Montreux 1988

Johnny Hallyday

Johnny Hallyday (born Jean-Philippe Smet) is often referred to as the French Elvis, for his brooding, full-lipped good looks and rakish singing style, and for the powerful sway he had on young females of his home country in the early 1960s. He sang love ballads, rockers, and novelty pop ("Itsy Bitsy Petit Bikini"), and also starred in many European movies from the '60s all the way through to the new millennium. Although he has never stopped recording or performing, his musical career took an upswing in the '00s, when he began a series of highly successful European tours and scored a number one hit in France in 2005. Still, he is largely unknown by non-French-speakers.