Roland Gerbeau

Roland Gerbeau was born on November 12, 1919 in Vincennes, France. He lost his father at the age of 13 and began work as a printer's apprentice. But something happened to set him on the path to a different career: he won a singing competition at Le Poste Parisien and decided to become an artist. He first joined Richard Blareau's orchestra, which enabled him to perform in Paris. During the Second World War, he was mobilized and sent to the Chantiers de jeunesse. He resumed his singing tours in Paris and was spotted by Charles Trenet, who offered him the chance to open for him at the ABC. Trenet even wrote him a song, "Douce France", composed by Léo Chauliac. Roland Gerbeau recorded it in February 1944, while Charles Trenet did the same in 1947. He made it a huge success. Roland Gerbeau did the same with "La Mer " at the end of 1945, which Charles Trenet immortalized a few months later, even though he had already conceived it in 1943. After the war, he left for the United States, where he toured with Joséphine Baker and then Édith Piaf, before moving on to Latin America. In 1960, he returned to France. He published Roland Gerbeau Chante les Grands Succès de Paris. At the same time, he became press attaché for Pathé Marconi. At a time when his musical career seemed to be behind him, he composed, wrote and performed the song "Sainte-Rita", named after a Nice church he used to attend. It proved to be a great success. The singer died on December 28, 2012 in Évreux, at the age of 93. Four years later, Mes Chansons d'Hier et d'Aujourd' hui, a compilation of his most emblematic songs, was released.

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