© 2006/2009 Jacques Vaillant musique diffusion

Created by Pottok2000

JACQUES VAILLANT was born in Alsace (Strasbourg, France) in 1952. Pampered by his family, having fun with his little playfellows, he grows up enjoying a happy boyhood. His ‘Maritza’ is the Schnockeloch, the river that runs through Koenigshoffen.

During the summer of 1958, he has to overcome the ordeal of a serious accident which leaves him almost completely blind. In spite of this trial, life fortunately goes on.

When he is 9, JACQUES VAILLANT becomes a soprano in his school’s choir. It is a great revelation for him, an ever-growing passion which fills his little heart day after day. As years go by, he wants to know the real world and sail toward new horizons. Dreaming of his future, he already pictures himself singing onstage.

In 1968, he is a contestant in the French radio Europe 1's show, ‘Les numéro 1 de demain’, («Numbers 1 of tomorrow»), which is touring via Strasbourg. He attracts attention when interpreting a song from Johnny Hallyday, his idol at the moment. But he can’t reach the finals because he is not 16 yet, in accordance with the show rules. Never mind, he resolves from now on: « Some day, I will go to Paris».

In 1970, aged 18 and strong-minded, Jacques Vaillant travels throughout France, hitch-hiking and being a salesman for a living. He sings whenever he’s got the opportunity. He stops a while in Montpellier, and then in Marseilles. In this town, he meets Charles Humel, a French blind pianist and composer. Now deceased, the latter had composed the famous song ''Les plaines du far-west'' for Yves Montand. Next year, according to the promise he made, Jacques Vaillant arrives in the City of Light, Paris. He recalls:

« I decide to contact parisian publishers and phongraphical firms. Despite a few nice contacts, I’m still not in. In 1975, a guitar slung over the shoulder, in spite of a huge stage fright, I choose to go down in the  Paris Métro, at Trocadéro station, singing hits from JEAN FERRAT. The first coin falls into the guitar case and a voice tells me: « It's ORTF (French national radio and TV broadcasting at the moment) ». I answer back, smiling: « Already! ». When I think of that memory, it makes me laugh even now. After all, was is not a sign of fate? Trocadéro, République, Montparnasse stations: I gather bigger and bigger audience as days go by, in those labyrinthic corridors that hurried people run through.

« Month after month, my voice grew stronger and I felt ready for the big adventure of a professional career. An artistic director from Chappell Publishing introduced me to a pair of musical composers. So I spent up to my tiniest coins to have the song ‘Pourquoi piétiner les fleurs’ (‘Why trample on flowers’) recorded at the beginning of 1980. It was my second 45 rpm record, but it was the first to me, my genuine start point.

« Things began to move. My only concern: what would be the audience’s response toward this utterly-unknown record? For my first steps as a pro, I had only one thousand copies made and I hoped selling a few dozens to the fans that friendly supported me. It happened to be a plebiscite, for ten thousand where sold within six months! In the meantime, I met Claude Clément who worked with French TV channel TF1 and introduced me to host Ève Ruggieri. I was then invited in Ms. Ruggieri’s show ‘Le regard des femmes’ (‘Women’s glance’). I was encouraged by journalist Patrick Bourrat, who was to become a famous reporter, deceased so tragically.

« 1980 was also the year when Gilles Chomard, program director with Radio 7, agreed to add my song ‘Slow pour Alvina’  on his playlist. Thanks to him, this title was distributed in disc shops, under Carrère publishing. Jacky Gallois was the host of a morning week-end show on French radio EUROPE 1 and was one of the founders of radio station NRJ. He enjoyed my record and aired it on national radios. I wish to thank also Françoise Rivière, Maxi, Jean-Pierre Abraham, Françoise Coquet, Michel Drucker and Françoise Hamel, who greeted me at Europe 1. I met as well Anne Cauvin and Soizic Corne on TF1 TV, journalist Philippe Bouvard on Antenne 2 TV, humorist SIM in show ‘Cocktail maison’, and Danièle Gilbert in her famous show ‘Midi première’. The title ‘Slow pour Alvina’ was ranked first-place hit in charts for days in Belgium, Switzerland, Benelux and in french DOM-TOM. »

Unfortunately, Jacques Vaillant can't reckon up on a poor distribution:  finally, he goes back down in the Métro again. In these underground corridors, he will sell off 40 000 copies of his first vinyl album Correspondances, produced in 1983. Thirteen years later, enduring a family disaster, the singer gives way for a whole year. However, he keeps in mind a quotation from Victor Hugo: « Living is wrestling ». He is not accustomed to give up, isn’t he Valiant after all?

Henceforth, he writes poems and song texts, finding his inspiration in everyday life. After more than ten years of silence, Jacques Vaillant comes up again with his latest CD album, Paris Nostalgie, where he successfully mixes yesterday’s famous titles with brand new songs. This album was released thanks to Didier Orieux, Agnès Portal, Christian Lachenal, and remasterized  with talent by the Parelies studios in Paris. The artist also wishes to thank his brother Mich and PioupiouBB, who succeeded in brightening up his will of singing a new musical page especially for you.