Bernard LAVILLIERS

With the body of a bouncer, the looks of a movie star, and a low, sensual voice, Bernard Lavilliers started as a left-wing singer following in the footsteps of Léo Ferré. This boxer-singer rose to stardom in France in the mid-'70s (other Francophone countries followed quickly) and became an icon of the free-thinking singer/songwriter, the conscience of the French bourgeoisie. A serious traveler and occasional reporter, Lavilliers has made long stays in many South American and African countries, always bringing back songs (and sometimes musicians) with him. He was one of the first French singers to make "world music."
Lavilliers (b. 1946) comes from a lower-class family. His father was a steel worker and unionist. Gifted with a solid frame and a resolute mind, the young Lavilliers was prompt to argue...