Singer, Songwriter. He received fame as an early 20th-century French singer and prolific songwriter, who is credited with composing lyrics and music for nearly 1,000 songs in his over 60-year career. Besides being a singer and songwriter, he was a poet and an actor. Born Louis Charles Augustin Georges Trenet, the three-year-younger of two sons, his parents separated early and were divorced by 1920. His father, who was a veteran of World War I, was a lawyer and an amateur violinist, whereas his mother was a refined lady, who abandoned him for a time during the divorce. Like his mother's education, he was sent to a Roman Catholic boarding school in Beziers, where he became a brilliant student. He hated the school and had behavioral problems. A bout with thyroid fever gave him the opportunity for recuperation with rest and time to write poetry, especially the pain of his parents' separation. Following graduating from school, he went to Berlin and Paris to study art. After coming to Paris in the mid-1930s, he began to write the lyrics for songs, and later by 1937, was composing the music as well. He and the Swiss pianist Johnny Hess made their first records in 1934. The two musicians' successful compositions were influenced by scandalous jazz, songs from American musicals, and George Gershwin's swing, which was a new style for the French audience. The two musicians performed together in cabarets until 1936. With a pending invasion of France by Nazi Forces, he was called to military service in October of 1936 for a short time, but never saw combat. During World War II, he made six musical films along with performing for the Nazi military upon request, yet wrote songs of hope for the French. While Paris was being occupied by Nazi Forces with their antisemitic agenda, he was mistaken by Gestapo for a rabbi's grandson. His mother's second husband was Jewish. Fearing being sent to a concentration camp, he had to prove his genealogy was not Jewish for two centuries. His patrilineal ancestry was traced back to his sixth great-grandfather, Noël Trenet. Later, he received a gunshot wound in his leg after an incident with the Gestapo, and was limping on stage while performing. At the end of the war, he was found guilty of collaboration with the Nazi yet there were no consequences. His collaboration was basically staying alive through this ordeal. Early in his career, he was given the nickname as "the singing fool" as he had jovial personality and loved to sing. After the war, he traveled to New York City touring his way to Hollywood, then touring Canada, Mexico, Japan, and Brazil. His constant touring impacted his ability to compose songs. "La Mer" or "Beyond The Sea," which was recorded in 1946, was probably his most famous song internationally. The loosely-translated English jazzy version of "Beyond the Sea" was recorded by American artist Bobby Darin in 1959, and his 2004 biographical film was titled "Beyond the Sea." Brook Benton also covered the English version. His 1946 song "Que reste-t-il de nos amours ?" was translated to English as "I Wish You Love" and recorded by Dusty Springfield, Sam Cook, and Frank Sinatra. On July 13, 1963 he and a couple of colleagues were arrested for breaking an "obscurity law" for "corrupting the morals of four young men" who were age 19. One source has him being sentenced to a year in prison and a 10,000-fracs fine, yet another states the charges were dropped with him serving less than a month in jail. Whichever, the public learned more about his altered life style from the newspaper coverage of the ordeal. After being in semi-retirement following his mother's death, his career rallied at age 75. He was awarded the Legion d'Honneur in 1989. Recognizing his accomplishments in theater, he received an Honorary Molière Award in 2000. His last concert, in November of 1999, was a sell-out. At this performance, he said, "Anyone who comes to my performance will be excused from attending my funeral." Following two heart attacks, he died while being hospitalized of a cerebral vascular accident at the age of 87. In 2021 a two-hour television documentary "Portrait of Charles Trenet" aired.

Singer, Songwriter. He received fame as an early 20th-century French singer and prolific songwriter, who is credited with composing lyrics and music for nearly 1,000 songs in his over 60-year career. Besides being a singer and songwriter, he was a poet and an actor. Born Louis Charles Augustin Georges Trenet, the three-year-younger of two sons, his parents separated early and were divorced by 1920. His father, who was a veteran of World War I, was a lawyer and an amateur violinist, whereas his mother was a refined lady, who abandoned him for a time during the divorce. Like his mother's education, he was sent to a Roman Catholic boarding school in Beziers, where he became a brilliant student. He hated the school and had behavioral problems. A bout with thyroid fever gave him the opportunity for recuperation with rest and time to write poetry, especially the pain of his parents' separation. Following graduating from school, he went to Berlin and Paris to study art. After coming to Paris in the mid-1930s, he began to write the lyrics for songs, and later by 1937, was composing the music as well. He and the Swiss pianist Johnny Hess made their first records in 1934. The two musicians' successful compositions were influenced by scandalous jazz, songs from American musicals, and George Gershwin's swing, which was a new style for the French audience. The two musicians performed together in cabarets until 1936. With a pending invasion of France by Nazi Forces, he was called to military service in October of 1936 for a short time, but never saw combat. During World War II, he made six musical films along with performing for the Nazi military upon request, yet wrote songs of hope for the French. While Paris was being occupied by Nazi Forces with their antisemitic agenda, he was mistaken by Gestapo for a rabbi's grandson. His mother's second husband was Jewish. Fearing being sent to a concentration camp, he had to prove his genealogy was not Jewish for two centuries. His patrilineal ancestry was traced back to his sixth great-grandfather, Noël Trenet. Later, he received a gunshot wound in his leg after an incident with the Gestapo, and was limping on stage while performing. At the end of the war, he was found guilty of collaboration with the Nazi yet there were no consequences. His collaboration was basically staying alive through this ordeal. Early in his career, he was given the nickname as "the singing fool" as he had jovial personality and loved to sing. After the war, he traveled to New York City touring his way to Hollywood, then touring Canada, Mexico, Japan, and Brazil. His constant touring impacted his ability to compose songs. "La Mer" or "Beyond The Sea," which was recorded in 1946, was probably his most famous song internationally. The loosely-translated English jazzy version of "Beyond the Sea" was recorded by American artist Bobby Darin in 1959, and his 2004 biographical film was titled "Beyond the Sea." Brook Benton also covered the English version. His 1946 song "Que reste-t-il de nos amours ?" was translated to English as "I Wish You Love" and recorded by Dusty Springfield, Sam Cook, and Frank Sinatra. On July 13, 1963 he and a couple of colleagues were arrested for breaking an "obscurity law" for "corrupting the morals of four young men" who were age 19. One source has him being sentenced to a year in prison and a 10,000-fracs fine, yet another states the charges were dropped with him serving less than a month in jail. Whichever, the public learned more about his altered life style from the newspaper coverage of the ordeal. After being in semi-retirement following his mother's death, his career rallied at age 75. He was awarded the Legion d'Honneur in 1989. Recognizing his accomplishments in theater, he received an Honorary Molière Award in 2000. His last concert, in November of 1999, was a sell-out. At this performance, he said, "Anyone who comes to my performance will be excused from attending my funeral." Following two heart attacks, he died while being hospitalized of a cerebral vascular accident at the age of 87. In 2021 a two-hour television documentary "Portrait of Charles Trenet" aired.

Bio by: Linda Davis