Jean-Jacques Goldman is one of the most popular French singers and songwriters. He reached his highest fame by 1995. The album he recorded with Celine Dion became the best-selling French-language disc in history.
Jean-Jacques Goldman began recording in the mid-seventies of the last century. His songs were performed by Patricia Kaas, Garou, Johnny Holliday, Ray Charles.
Time of childhood and adolescence
Jean-Jacques Goldman was born in Paris 1951 on October 11. His parents were Polish Jews, members of the Resistance. They emigrated to France in the thirties.
In the family of Alter and Ruth, the child was the third of four. The childhood of the future celebrity passed first in the capital, and then in its suburbs. To play the guitar, violin, piano Jean-Jacques began to study early. At the age of fourteen he began to sing in the Montrouge church choir.
The teenager played organ and guitar, helped to record records for Father Dufourmantel, who directed the choir. The famous hit of Aretha Franklin "Think" became a real shock for the boy.
Since 1968 Jean-Jacques left classical music and began to seriously study the guitar. He played at discos and balls with various groups, even performed at the Golf Drouot.
The future famous singer did not abandon his studies. He became a bachelor in 1969. The parents recommended that their son study commerce. Jean-Jacques studied at the Lille School of Higher Business Sciences for three years.
During this time, he brought his guitar skills almost to perfection and became interested in Jimi Hendrix.
The path to recognition
After receiving his diploma, the graduate returned to Paris. He completed his military service in aviation and decided to study music. The aspiring performer learned the basics of singing and writing. The meeting with Vietnamese musicians living in France, Khan and Tai was decisive.
They were looking for a musician for their band. Goldman agreed to perform with the Taï Phong ensemble, in French the Vietnamese name was translated as "big wind". Later, the line-up was supplemented by keyboardist Jean-Alain Garde and drummer Stephane Cassarier.
In 1975, the first hit was released in the first album of the musicians. The slow pop "Sister Jane" was the impetus for the release of the new album "Windows" in 1977. The band disbanded a couple of years later, completing their third CD, "Last flight".
After the collaboration, Goldman began composing songs in a small home studio. He decided to offer his creations to other singers. One of the compositions was noticed by the young producer Mark Lumbroso in 1981.
The song "Il suffira d'un signe" delighted the radio station. In total, about half a million copies were sold. The aspiring composer has signed a five-album deal with Epic.
Finding yourself
The author decided to select eleven songs for the Démodé album. But the collection came out without a title, since the author's version did not suit the record company.
The next edition of Quelque chose de bizarre went almost unnoticed. But he was the last disappointment for the musician Goldman. Epic management convinced the author of the need to translate his creations into foreign languages.
The singer wrote the German-released "Just a little sign", the Spanish "Como tu". However, the marketing course did not give results. In 1982 Goldman released a new disc and again without a title.
The very first song "Quand la musique est bonne" achieved a resounding success. The singer's voice and melodies have become his hallmark. But the fans also liked the lyrics. The main reason for the success was the sincerity of the performer.
One of the best creations of the composer 1982 "Comme toi" is called the most beautiful composition about love. But in fact, this song is about the Holocaust, about the war. Dedicated the work of Goldman to his five-year-old daughter Caroline.
The idea of writing was suggested by looking through the old album. According to legend, Jean-Jacques came across a picture of a girl strikingly similar to his daughter.
"How are you …" was a comparison of the happiness that fell to Carolina with the terrible time in which Sarah, the girl with the photo, lived. There are no direct reminders of the war in the work. But there are piercing words and an aching tenderness of the violin. The creation earned the creator the Diamond French Song Award.
Success
After "Au bout de mes rêves" the composer was recognized as the new value of the national song. Goldman made a tour from late March to May 1984, during which he performed at Olympia.
In 1984 the album "Positif" was released. This time, the producers were completely satisfied with the title. After selling the millionth copy, the disc became a diamond in 1995.
The famous composer and performer took part in a fundraiser in 1985 to save Ethiopians from hunger, performed in a concert organized against racism, and recorded songs for a charity helping the homeless.
1986 turned out to be quite eventful. Tours followed one after another. At the end of November, Goldman received the Victoria Music Prize for professionals.
The 1988 tour was unprecedented. The musician performed in concerts in Paris, managed to attend the French song festival in La Rochelle, traveled throughout the country and across West Africa.
In a trio with Michael Jones and Carol Fredricks, the CD Fredericks - Goldman - Jones was released in 1990. Until 1992, the performer was on a world tour, releasing the album "Sur scène" in a wrought metal sleeve.
In 1993, under various pseudonyms, works were written for Mark Lavoin, Patricia Kaas. 1995 was the release date for "D'eux", a CD with Celine Dion.
And the arrangements, and the words, and the music were written by Goldman himself. Confirmation that the singer has become the ideal performer of Jean-Jacques' songs was the new compilation "S'il suffisait d'aimer".
Living in the present
Collaboration with Khaled was a huge success. On February 11, 1997 he received "Victoria" for his "Aïcha", which he wrote with the French star, recognized as the song of the year.
The singer and composer protects the peace of his family with all his might. They live in the Parisian suburb of Montrouge.
The limited circle of acquaintances and friends helps Goldman maintain the status of a national star.
He got married in 1975. Catherine gave her first child, daughter Caroline, to her husband in 1977. Two years later, the couple had a son, Mikael. The youngest, Nina, was born in 1984. In 1997, after a little over two decades of joint years, the family broke up.
In 2001 Jean-Jacques remarried. His chosen one was twenty-two-year-old Natalie, a native of Marseille. In 2001, the family was replenished with her daughter Maya, in 2004 her sister Kimi appeared, and in 2007 the youngest girl, Rose, was born.
