*
***First meeting***
*
It was 1964, in Arcachon, South West of France, 60 Kilometers from
Bordeaux, on the Atlantic coast. I was 18,  and I thought I was going to
be the next discovery of the world!!! I could see it already,
people buying my albums, sold-out concerts, etc...
Meanwhile,  in the real world, my idol, my "mentor", had just released another
masterpiece, during his concert at the Olympia: Amsterdam;
and of course Amsterdam became another of the songs added to
my "Jacques Brel Repertoire".
In August of that year, Jacques Brel was scheduled for a concert in town.
No need to say that I had somehow saved the money for my ticket, and
persuaded even  my Mother to join me...
In August of that year, the city of Arcachon was about to be
inaugurated the new cultural center for the youth...
Known as a performer with some kind of a talent, I was asked by
the director to be the main event of the evening by giving
a concert before the inauguration banquet.
I was already known as the biggest ham in the world, when I was 18,
so there I was on stage, singing 15 songs,  5 of which were
Jacques Brel' s. I even took a chance with
"Amsterdam" at the end.
I had a standing ovation, after telling the public how great
Jacques Brel was, and not to miss his concert the next day.
I was back stage, pretty proud of myself, when the director came to
congratulate me before dropping a bomb on my head:
"Because of the nature of the event (opening of a Cultural Center)",
and because he had a concert in town the next day, they had managed
to invite Jacques Brel and Francois Rauber as guests of
honor, and both were in the audience during my
performance.

The purpose | Brel | Dray | The tribute
A word from another Poet
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Last revised, August 10 2003

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