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Trenet, Charles

Born: 1913 AD
Died: 2001 AD, at 87 years of age.

Nationality: French
Categories: Singer, Songwriter


1913 - Charles Trenet was born in Narbonne (in the South of France) on May 18th.

1920 - At the age of seven Charles was sent to boarding school in Béziers, but he returned home just a few months later, suffering from typhoid fever. It was during his convalescence at home that the young Charles developed his artistic talents, taking up music, painting and sculpting.

1922 - The Trenet family moved to Perpignan and Charles was sent to a new school, this time as a day pupil.

1927 - He hated maths with a passion but passed his "baccalauréat" with flying colour.

         - After leaving school he set off for Berlin where he began studying art.

1930 - Charles had returned to France, promising his mother that he would enroll at the "Ecole des Arts Décoratifs" in Paris. Instead of continuing his studies the young man landed a job at the Joinville film studios where he worked as a props man and assistant to the director.

1932 - Led to Trenet taking up a music career rather than devoting his talent to writing.

1936 - The "Charles and Johnny" act was brought to a halt by Trenet’s military service. But a year later, towards the end of his military service, Trenet returned to the stage when Maurice Chevalier invited him to perform as part of his show at the "Casino de Paris".

1938 - Charles Trenet had become the idol for a whole generation.

1951 - On September 14th, Trenet returned to Paris and made a triumphant comeback at the "Théâtre de l’Etoile".

2001 - He died in the early hours of 19th February at the Henri-Mondor hospital in Créteil in the suburbs of Paris.


Page last updated: 3:23pm, 02nd Apr '07