Died On This Date (October 9, 1978) Jacques Brel / Belgian Singer-Songwriter
themusicsover Jacques Brel
April 8, 1929 – October 9, 1978
Jacques Brel was a Belgian singer-songwriter who came to prominence in Europe during the 1950s. And although he wrote and sang exclusively in French, many of his songs have been covered in English by such notable performers as Ray Charles, David Bowie and Dusty Springfield. He has sold over 25 million albums worldwide. His career started modestly in the cabarets of Paris, but by the mid ’50s, his talent could not be denied, so he began touring Europe and beyond. He also made a name for himself in film. A longtime smoker, Brel was diagnosed with lung cancer in 1973 and died from it five years later at the age of 49.
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