Ringo (singer)
Encyclopedia
Ringo in Toulouse
, France
, also known as Ringo Willy Cat is a French pop
–singer, who became famous in the seventies. According to Billboard magazine he "enjoyed a huge amount of sales" with various hits. Ringo was cited by Billboard as an example of a French artist having a big impact in exporting French songs to the international arena and creating international hits despite the existing language barrier
which the French artists face abroad. He was married to Sheila
, a female French singer. Ringo's career ended in the mid–'80s.
as well as literary works by other authors. He also wrote and performed songs and played the guitar. As a composer he was influenced by the American music of the era. In the late '60s he met musician Pierre Groscolas and the two formed the group Chœurs. After some initial success in Toulouse, the group decided to go to Paris.
who suggested to the young artist that he appear in one of his magazines. It was during a photo shoot at Padovan's magazines that Ringo met his future wife, Sheila. Meeting her led to his being introduced to Claude Carrère, who became the manager of his musical career.
Carrère, a pioneer, who at the time, was France's most successful independent producer, launched Ringo's career in 1971. His first big hit under Carrère's management was Elle, je ne veux qu’elle. Carrère wanted to capture the teenage market before they were attracted by established stars. Carrère augmented his distribution network by entering into a deal with Sonopresse
in 1972. Under the deal, he released his first two discs under the Sonopresse label, one of which was Trop Belle Pour Rester Seule by Ringo. At the time, he also sang Help, Get Me Some Help in French, selling over one million records in France. He also sang a rendition of the international hit, Mammy Blue
, by Los Pop Tops
.
Both Ringo and Sheila were managed by Carrère. In a 1974 interview to Billboard, Carrère mentioned that the wedding of Sheila and Ringo was attended by 15,000 people at the city hall and "resembled a royal wedding". In the 1970s, Ringo sold 30 million records with hits such as Elle, je ne veux qu'elle, Ma jalousie, Les Oiseaux de Thaïlande, Rosanna fille sauvage and Goodbye Elvis. In 1973, his single Ma jalousie was featured in Billboard's Hits Of The World in Belgium's and Switzerland's top 10 at No. 7, while his LP Ringo was at No. 8 in Belgium. With his then-wife Sheila, he also recorded a duet
, Les gondoles à Venise, which became a big hit. In 1980, he discontinued his asssociation with Carrère and produced Allô à l'OVNI, followed by L'ange exterminateur (L'Antéchrist) in 1982. These were followed in 1983 by J'ai toujours besoin d'amour, with Une star s'endort ainsi on the flip–side, his last records.
To this date, there has been no compilation of his hits in CD format.
, which closed in 1993. Soon after, he left France for Florida
and then after some years he returned to Toulouse, where in 2001 he opened an American-nostalgia themed restaurant named Jim Mc Mahon's world famous cafe with his current wife Annick who also functioned as the acting artistic director of the place at the time. Ringo planned to decorate the restaurant with iconic artifacts from the 1950s such as a likeness of Marilyn Monroe
in the subway scene, the Creature from the Black Lagoon
and the X-19 experimental aircraft, which he wanted to import from the United States. The Toulouse restaurant was to be part of a national chain. In early 2000 this restaurant closed as well.
.
Toulouse
Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, also known as Ringo Willy Cat is a French pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
–singer, who became famous in the seventies. According to Billboard magazine he "enjoyed a huge amount of sales" with various hits. Ringo was cited by Billboard as an example of a French artist having a big impact in exporting French songs to the international arena and creating international hits despite the existing language barrier
Language barrier
Language barrier is a figurative phrase used primarily to indicate the difficulties faced when people who have no language in common attempt to communicate with each other...
which the French artists face abroad. He was married to Sheila
Sheila (singer)
Sheila is a French pop singer, who became successful as a solo artist in the 1960s and 1970s and later fronted a disco act called Sheila and B. Devotion. Sheila has sold over 24,000,000 copies of records in France and was the top selling artist in France in the 1960s and 1970s...
, a female French singer. Ringo's career ended in the mid–'80s.
Early life
Ringo, during his high-school years in Toulouse, enjoyed reading Albert CamusAlbert Camus
Albert Camus was a French author, journalist, and key philosopher of the 20th century. In 1949, Camus founded the Group for International Liaisons within the Revolutionary Union Movement, which was opposed to some tendencies of the Surrealist movement of André Breton.Camus was awarded the 1957...
as well as literary works by other authors. He also wrote and performed songs and played the guitar. As a composer he was influenced by the American music of the era. In the late '60s he met musician Pierre Groscolas and the two formed the group Chœurs. After some initial success in Toulouse, the group decided to go to Paris.
Music career
Ringo was discovered in Paris by Mario Padovan, a photographer and publisher of teen-girl magazines Nous Deux and Télé PocheTélé Poche
Télé Poche is a weekly television listings magazine published by Mondadori France. Envisioned by the Franco-Italian editor Cino Del Duca , Télé Poche was launched on 12 January 1966 by the Mondiales branch of the Cora-Révillon group...
who suggested to the young artist that he appear in one of his magazines. It was during a photo shoot at Padovan's magazines that Ringo met his future wife, Sheila. Meeting her led to his being introduced to Claude Carrère, who became the manager of his musical career.
Carrère, a pioneer, who at the time, was France's most successful independent producer, launched Ringo's career in 1971. His first big hit under Carrère's management was Elle, je ne veux qu’elle. Carrère wanted to capture the teenage market before they were attracted by established stars. Carrère augmented his distribution network by entering into a deal with Sonopresse
Sonopresse
Sonopresse is a French record label and distribution company founded in 1958. It was acquired by EMI in 1977. The label released records for Electric Light Orchestra and Kate Bush in France. Sonopresse reported $11 million in sales and 15% of the French record distribution market in 1971.-...
in 1972. Under the deal, he released his first two discs under the Sonopresse label, one of which was Trop Belle Pour Rester Seule by Ringo. At the time, he also sang Help, Get Me Some Help in French, selling over one million records in France. He also sang a rendition of the international hit, Mammy Blue
Mammy Blue
"Mammy Blue" - aka "Mamy Blue" - is the title of an international hit from 1971-72 chiefly via a version by Los Pop Tops.The song was originally written with French lyrics in 1970 by veteran French songwriter Hubert Giraud; he conceived the song in his car waiting out a Parisian traffic jam and had...
, by Los Pop Tops
Los Pop Tops
Los Pop Tops were a vocal/instrumental band formed in 1967 in Madrid, Spain and consisting of José Lipiani, Alberto Vega, Ignacio Pérez, Julián Luis Angulo, Enrique Gómez, Ray Gómez plus lead singer Phil Trim ....
.
Both Ringo and Sheila were managed by Carrère. In a 1974 interview to Billboard, Carrère mentioned that the wedding of Sheila and Ringo was attended by 15,000 people at the city hall and "resembled a royal wedding". In the 1970s, Ringo sold 30 million records with hits such as Elle, je ne veux qu'elle, Ma jalousie, Les Oiseaux de Thaïlande, Rosanna fille sauvage and Goodbye Elvis. In 1973, his single Ma jalousie was featured in Billboard's Hits Of The World in Belgium's and Switzerland's top 10 at No. 7, while his LP Ringo was at No. 8 in Belgium. With his then-wife Sheila, he also recorded a duet
Duet (music)
A duet is a musical composition for two performers. In classical music, the term is most often used for a composition for two singers or pianists; with other instruments, the word duo is also often used. A piece performed by two pianists performing together on the same piano is referred to as...
, Les gondoles à Venise, which became a big hit. In 1980, he discontinued his asssociation with Carrère and produced Allô à l'OVNI, followed by L'ange exterminateur (L'Antéchrist) in 1982. These were followed in 1983 by J'ai toujours besoin d'amour, with Une star s'endort ainsi on the flip–side, his last records.
To this date, there has been no compilation of his hits in CD format.
Business career
In 1985 he opened City Rock Café in ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, which closed in 1993. Soon after, he left France for Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
and then after some years he returned to Toulouse, where in 2001 he opened an American-nostalgia themed restaurant named Jim Mc Mahon's world famous cafe with his current wife Annick who also functioned as the acting artistic director of the place at the time. Ringo planned to decorate the restaurant with iconic artifacts from the 1950s such as a likeness of Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe was an American actress, singer, model and showgirl who became a major sex symbol, starring in a number of commercially successful motion pictures during the 1950s....
in the subway scene, the Creature from the Black Lagoon
Creature from the Black Lagoon
Creature from the Black Lagoon is a 1954 monster horror film directed by Jack Arnold, and starring Richard Carlson, Julia Adams, Richard Denning, Antonio Moreno, and Whit Bissell. The eponymous creature was played by Ben Chapman on land and Ricou Browning in underwater scenes...
and the X-19 experimental aircraft, which he wanted to import from the United States. The Toulouse restaurant was to be part of a national chain. In early 2000 this restaurant closed as well.
Personal life
In 1975, he and Sheila had a son named Ludovic Chancel, who became a writer. After the couple were divorced in 1977, Ringo rarely, if ever, saw his son. In 1981, Ringo married Annick, his second wife. In 2005, Chancel published an autobiography entitled Fils de in which, among other things, he relates the details of his upbringing and his relationship with his parents. In 1982, Ringo sold his biography to France DimancheFrance Dimanche
France Dimanche is a French weekly celebrity newsmagazine published by Hachette with a circulation of about 450,000.-Sources:*...
.
Discography
- Elle, je ne veux qu'elle (1971)
- L'Homme (1971)
- Juges (1971)
- Ma jalousie (1972)
- Trop belle pour rester seule (1972)
- Les Gondoles à Venise (1973) (with SheilaSheila (singer)Sheila is a French pop singer, who became successful as a solo artist in the 1960s and 1970s and later fronted a disco act called Sheila and B. Devotion. Sheila has sold over 24,000,000 copies of records in France and was the top selling artist in France in the 1960s and 1970s...
) - Lady Banana (1973)
- Tentation (1973)
- Une bague, un collier (1973)
- Une heure, une nuit (1973)
- Accepte-moi (1974)
- Érotisme conjugal (1974)
- Remets ce disque (1974)
- Chica salvaje (1975)
- Fille sauvage (1975)
- Obsession (1975)
- Rossana(1975)
- La Rupture (1975)
- L'amour et la loi (1976)
- C'était comment? (1976)
- Cynthia (1976)
- L'Enfant de Frisco (1976)
- Little duck (1976)
- Noël, c'est Noël (1976)
- Les Oiseaux de Thaïlande (1976)
- La fille que j'aime (1977)
- Goodbye, Elvis (1977)
- Une rose en enfer (1977)
- Les violons de Verlaine (1977)
- Darlin (1978)
- Ma Pompadour (1978)
- Je suis un vagabond (1979)
- Ma Pompadour (en concert) (1979)
- Medley (en concert) (1979)
- Qui est ce grand corbeau noir? (1979)
- Tentation (en concert) (1979)
- Allô à l'ovni (1980)
- Marilyn no se quiere casar (1980)
- Le Macho des canapés (1981)
- L'ange exterminateur (L'antéchrist) (1982)
- Drapeau (1982)
- Lolita paprika (1982)
- Michaël (1982)
- My baby avait raison (1982)
- Parano Man (1982)
- La voix du magnétophone (1982)
- J'ai toujours besoin d'amour (1983)