Marc Ogeret

An interpreter of poets, Marc Ogeret was born in Paris on February 25, 1932, and died in hospital in Semur-en-Auxois (Côte d'Or) on June 4, 2018. Influenced by chanson réaliste, he took his first steps in the cabarets of the Left Bank, Chez Agnès Capri and La Colombe, in the late 1950s. In 1958, he made his first recordings for the G.E.M. label: a series of EPs devoted to the repertoires of Aristide Bruant, Guy Béart and Léo Ferré. He received the Grand-Prix de l'Académie Charles-Cros (1962) and the Prix de l'Académie de la Chanson (1963), and opened for Georges Brassens. In 1966, he recorded an album of poems by Louis Aragon, which brought him wider recognition. He remained faithful to the poet, who never left his repertoire. The events of 1968 led him to sing about political issues on the albums Autour de la Commune 1846-1888 and Chansons "Contre", which were highly topical at the time. He then changed registers and turned to sea chanteys(La Mer, 1970), before staging a musical based on Jean Genet's play Le Condamné à mort (1971), in which Hélène Martin took part. Between his personal albums of the following years and tours of French-speaking countries, he returned to his most beloved songwriters (Bruant, Aragon) and revolutionary songs. Made a Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 1983, he recorded Le Condamné à Mort (1984), then Berger de Paroles (1986) and Nous Ferons Se Lever le Jour (1987). In 1990, he released a collection of songs by Jean Vasca. His output expands until the album De Grogne et de Velours (1999), in which he covers Léo Ferré. His song "La Liberté des nègres" is included in the baccalaureate syllabus. Marc Ogeret, who died at the age of 86, will be remembered as one of the most fervent interpreters of realist, committed French chanson, despite his relative success.

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