Alain Chamfort

Born Alain Le Govic in Paris in 1949, French pop veteran Alain Chamfort performed in several bands, including jazz outfit the Dreamers and rock band Murator, before embarking on a solo career. Initially taken under the wing of Claude François, he signed to the Fleche label in 1971 and scored several hits in his homeland, but he achieved his biggest success after he parted company with his mentor over "creative differences" and began working with Serge Gainsbourg, who wrote his 1979 million-selling single, "Manureva." Chamfort found it tough to compete with younger upstarts during the '90s, but he staged a successful comeback with his 2003 album, Le Plaisir; a 2010 tribute to Yves Saint-Laurent; and an alternative 2012 hits collection, Elles & Lui. ~ Jon O'Brien