	Home Brel Jacques 1929 - 1978 (49) QUOTES
	Jacques Romain Georges Brel (1929 - 1978) was a Belgian singer, songwriter, actor and director. Although he recorded most of his songs in French and occasionally in Dutch, he also influenced many English-speaking songwriters who performed his songs in English. Brel was born on April 8, 1929, in Schaerbeek, Brussels, to a Flemish family who had adopted the French language. His father worked for an import-export company, and later became the director of a cardboard company. Jacques went to a Catholic school and although he did not do well in many subjects, he showed a talent for writing. He helped create the school's drama club, taking on his first stage roles with great enthusiasm. He wrote short stories, poems and essays and in 1944, at the age of 15, he started playing the guitar. The following year he formed his own theater group with friends and began writing plays. In the spring of 1947, he wrote a short story entitled "Frédéric" for a school magazine. Despite his talent for writing, Brel was a poor student and failed his higher education exams. So at 18 he went to work in the factory run by his father. In June 1948, Brel enlisted to serve in the military and served as captain in the Belgian Air Force. In 1950 he got married and had 3 children. In 1952 he began writing songs and performing them at family gatherings and at the cabaret in Brussels. His family and friends did not support his wild lyrics and his emotional theatrical interpretations. That year he also appeared for the first time on a local radio station. In 1953, Brel appeared at the La Rose Noire cabaret in Brussels. In February he signed a contract with Philips Records, the talent scout at the record company invited him to move to Paris. Despite the objections of his family and the additional pressure as his second daughter had just been born, he left for Paris where he worked hard to take off his career. In July 1954, Brel made his first appearance at the famous Olympia Theater in Paris; later that summer, he embarked on his first French tour, and by the end of the year, he was releasing his first album. From 1957 it gained international fame. In 1963 he appeared at Carnegie Hall and later toured the United States and the Soviet Union. In the 1970s he starred as Don Quixote in the musical Homme de la Mancha (The Man from Mancha), and starred as an actor or producer in several other films; he also directed two films, one of which, Le Far West was nominated for a Palme d'Or at the 1973 Cannes Film Festival. For a long time he retired to the Marquesas Islands, in French Polynesia, and returned to music in 1977, with the album Les Marquises, again a great success. A year later, on October 9, 1978, he died of cancer in Paris. A year later, on October 9, 1978, he died of cancer in Paris.

Home

Brel Jacques 1929 - 1978 (49)

QUOTES

Jacques Romain Georges Brel (1929 - 1978) was a Belgian singer, songwriter, actor and director. Although he recorded most of his songs in French and occasionally in Dutch, he also influenced many English-speaking songwriters who performed his songs in English.

Brel was born on April 8, 1929, in Schaerbeek, Brussels, to a Flemish family who had adopted the French language. His father worked for an import-export company, and later became the director of a cardboard company. Jacques went to a Catholic school and although he did not do well in many subjects, he showed a talent for writing. He helped create the school's drama club, taking on his first stage roles with great enthusiasm. He wrote short stories, poems and essays and in 1944, at the age of 15, he started playing the guitar. The following year he formed his own theater group with friends and began writing plays. In the spring of 1947, he wrote a short story entitled "Frédéric" for a school magazine. Despite his talent for writing, Brel was a poor student and failed his higher education exams. So at 18 he went to work in the factory run by his father.

In June 1948, Brel enlisted to serve in the military and served as captain in the Belgian Air Force. In 1950 he got married and had 3 children. In 1952 he began writing songs and performing them at family gatherings and at the cabaret in Brussels. His family and friends did not support his wild lyrics and his emotional theatrical interpretations. That year he also appeared for the first time on a local radio station. In 1953, Brel appeared at the La Rose Noire cabaret in Brussels. In February he signed a contract with Philips Records, the talent scout at the record company invited him to move to Paris. Despite the objections of his family and the additional pressure as his second daughter had just been born, he left for Paris where he worked hard to take off his career.

In July 1954, Brel made his first appearance at the famous Olympia Theater in Paris; later that summer, he embarked on his first French tour, and by the end of the year, he was releasing his first album. From 1957 it gained international fame. In 1963 he appeared at Carnegie Hall and later toured the United States and the Soviet Union. In the 1970s he starred as Don Quixote in the musical Homme de la Mancha (The Man from Mancha), and starred as an actor or producer in several other films; he also directed two films, one of which, Le Far West was nominated for a Palme d'Or at the 1973 Cannes Film Festival.

For a long time he retired to the Marquesas Islands, in French Polynesia, and returned to music in 1977, with the album Les Marquises, again a great success. A year later, on October 9, 1978, he died of cancer in Paris.

A year later, on October 9, 1978, he died of cancer in Paris.