Gilbert Montagné - Le site officiel

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DECEMBER 1951

Gilbert Montagné was born in the 20th district of Paris. At the age of 5, Gilbert’s parents enrolled him in a special school for the blind where, along with the standard subject, he was taught music for five hours a day. He would continue these musical studies for thirteen years.

At 18, he left for the United States where he played in clubs and piano bars in New York and Florida to perfect his favorite genres: blues and rock.

He then returned to France, bringing his first hit, “THE FOOL”, a worldwide success (N°1 in twelve countries). Gilbert was 20.

1979

He gave us “BELIEVE IN ME” (250,000 record sold) and went on tour with Johnny Halliday.

1984

Release of the album “LIBERTE”, which he made with Darlo Farina. The lyrics were by Didier Barbelivien, Claude Lemeste and other, “LIBERTE” went multiple gold (around 400,000 copies sold in France). From the album: – “Musicienne”, “On va s’aimer”, “Le blues de toi”, “Les sunlights des tropiques”.

“On va s’aimer” went gold in 3 month and sold a total of more than a million copies in France. In Italy, Gilbert was one of the few foreign singers to reach the N°1 spot in the national charts. “JUST FOR TONIGHT”, the English version, rose to a strong position in German charts.

He subsequently gave two sensational concerts at the Paris “Olympia” in 1985 and 1986, and performed at many galas throughout France and South Africa, and in France’s overseas territories. RMC, EUROPE1, LE TOUR DE FRANCE, RTL and M6 tours. Then other albums: – “Quelques notes de musique”, “Je veux tout”, “Plus fort la vie”, “Perdu dans New York”, “Le Coeur en sursis”.

1993

Release of the album “RIEN QU’UNE AMITIE”, with lyrics from his inseparable writers, Didier Barbelivien, Guy Florian, Jean Pierre Lang, Alain Zakman.

1995

Release of his compilation “LE MEILLEUR”. The album very quickly went gold, then, soon after, platinum

He recorded a new CD in Belgium at the end of the year: “COMME UNE ETOILE”

FEBRUARY 1996

Release of the album, written by Didier Barbelivien (Gilbert also worked on some of the lyrics). “COMME UNE ETOILE” went gold.

APRIL 1996

Gilbert whipped up a storm at the “Casino de Paris”. He then went on a tour of around fifty venues in France, Belgium, and Switzerland, lasting until July 1996.

JULY 1996

A second single in summer shades: “MA CHERIE”.

JANUARY 1997

Release of his first single from album, “HISTOIRE DE FEMME”, and his autobiography, “LES YEUX DU COEUR”.

1997

Release of another compilation, “LES PLUS BELLES CHANSONS”, which soon went double gold. 700,000 copies sold for the two compilations, i.e. “LE MEILLEUR” and “LES PLUS BELLES CHANSON”.

1998

Release of the fist single. “ELLE VIT LA SALSA”, taken from his forthcoming album, “MELANGE DE COULEURS”, released in May 1998. Apart from writing all the music, Gilbert wrote the lyrics on 5 of his songs. At the start of summer, release of the second single, a duel with his partner Nikole, entitle “SI TU TE SOUVIENS”.

SEPTEMBER 1998

Gilbert was at the Paris OLYMPIA.

FEBRUARY 1999

Release of a double live CD, “ON VA S’AIMER”, recorded at the stunning Olympia concert.

MAY 1999

Release of the first videocassette of Gilbert in concert, distributed by TF1 Vidéo and co-produced by Gilbert himself and TCV.

APRIL 2000

Release of a Karaoke DVD and VHS co-produced by Gilbert and TCV. The first aimed at all audiences, since the DVD options are vocal, making it a first and a guideline for industry.

Gilbert also toured France and a few European countries all through the summer of 2000, giving 50 concerts to massive applause. While giving one-off concert throughout the year, Gilbert wrote.

Also, in March 2001, his official Internet site went on line: gilbertmontagne.com presenting audio and video extracts and other surprises (site entirely accessible for sighted persons and the blind).

MAY 2001

A few television appearances to announce the summer concerts he would give until the end of September. Release of an anthology of 3 CDs remastered in high definition, as well as a compilation of “THE ESSENTIALS”.

DECEMBER 2001

Release of a single, “UN VRAI NOEL”, with profits going to the victims of the AZF Toulouse disaster. This song was also included on a new compilation, “L’ESSENTIEL”, released in the same month.

OCTOBER 2001

Gilbert recorded his new album: “RIEN SANS TON AMOUR” Gilbert wrote most of the songs, but there were new partnerships including 3 tracks co-written with Eddie Barclay. Another surprise: two of his children (Eric Montagné and Julien Assayah) co-wrote two tracks with Gilbert. He is particularly fond of them: “c’est le fun ce soir” and “I’ll always be here”.

A new lyricist friend : Thierry SFORZA and Gilbert’s long time friend Claude LEMESLE will join him.

Gilbert will co-produce this album with a very talented team GSP who produced numerous hit albums such as G.SQUAD, TRIBAL JAM, OPHELIE WINTER , etc.

A 3D video clip is released from the first single “ENTENDRE TON SOURIRE”.

And for this song Gilbert will surprise us by dancing along with five gorgeous girls in a real nice choreography for t-v shows.

JUNE 2002

Release of the album “RIEN SANS TON AMOUR”.

Gilbert starts touring Europe but more than this…

AUGUST 2002

Gilbert greets his fans from Lebanon for an unforgettable concert in Beirut.

OCTOBER 2002

After a few TV shows Gilbert heads for the Indian ocean and the Reunion Island where he brings a smile to more than fifteen thousand faces each night.

NOVEMBER 2002

Gilbert is in Brazil and sings for the world final of the famous top model agency.

At the end of the same month, Gilbert responds at the request of the European Commission for him to be the good will ambassador for the year 2003 : (European Year of the Disabled).

JANUARY 2003

Launch of the European Year for handicap people.

Gilbert is in Athens for his first speech as an Ambassador.

He is very well received by all the political figures there and will end the night by singing a song specially written for the event and the words of this song will be simultaneously shown on a big screen for all the hearing impairs people..

During the last week of may 2003, Gilbert joins a reality t-v show where him and all the characters will share their different ways to see, live and enjoy life.

A week latter, Gilbert releases a live DVD concert and as a world premier makes it accessible for blind people by making all menus and pages talk just by using the remote control box of the dvd player.

By doing this Gilbert wants it to be a normal thing in every DVD in the world.

SUMMER 2003

Gilbert is on the road.

SEPTEMBER 2003

Gilbert leaves for Hong Kong and will perform there for a charity to help all the sars victims.

On the fun side Gilbert and his wife Nicole will visit on a romantic escapade for their 4^th wedding anniversary..

The year 2004 has been filled of a lot of t-v shows in France and else where as well as concerts and not to forget the writing of a musical project.

DECEMBER 2004

Gilbert answers the call of different blind people’s association and wins a battle with the help of the French news medias about the new coming law on the accessibility of the handicap people.

The secretary of state for handicap people assures him of all her support.

One of Gilbert’s long time goal is to demand that the first vocally accessible A.T.M machines would be in place in France for the year 2006.

MARCH 2005

Gilbert helps to conceive a new product “Kartelbraille” that will make easier for blind people to move about and feel more secure in hotels, public buildings etc…

Gilbert takes part with a lot of other artists in an album which all the funds will be donated for the people touched with aids in Africa, and there for, he will write the music and sing the song “LA MAISON DU BONHEUR” along with Manu Dibango.

JUNE 2005

Before his summer tour ; Gilbert leaves for Beijing where he starts recording a demo with a young chinease singer : Chen Ming for whom he specially wrote a song after listening to her through the net on a Beijing radio station.

They both plane to release the tittle soon and Gilbert will sing in chinease with Chen Ming.

Coming back from China, Gilbert received the highest decoration in France from Mister President CHIRAC June 2006 : the Legion of Honour.

DECEMBER 2005

Gilbert sees a long long time dream come true.

With the help of Diebold : A.T.M constructor and BNP ParisBas, the first vocally accessible A.T.M machines are launched in France on the December 20^th 2005.

Early spring 2006 Gilbert is just about to make an other dream come true by starting to record thirteen soul classic tracks which made him be alive in « possible » since he was a child.

For this project Gilbert is assisted by a Canadian team (JP. Isaac and R. Grignon) that will musically produce the album which also contains one original track in french « cette musique là » written by Thierry Sforza and Gilbert.

Gilbert will supervise the album that’s taking place between Montreal and Paris live via the net.

Are you ready for this? The album is called : Get ready to be released in NOVEMBER 2006.

The sound engineer for all of Gilbert’s vocal tracks is E. MONTAGNE Gilbert’s son witch whom Gilbert will have a lot of fun and complicity to work with.

JUNE 2007

Gilbert brings his support to Nicolas Sarkozy the new President of France to be elected and spontaneously addresses to a huge crowd of fifty thousand people. Gilbert asks the new to become president to pay special attention to the handicap people in need of recognition and integration for who they are.

In the same time through that meeting Gilbert will sing the same song he wrote especially for the year of the European disable people in 2003 cause he thought the meaning of the words would perfectly fit, it says “ together we are going to win”.

AUGUST 2007

The Minister of labour and social affairs in France Mr Xavier BERTRAND asks Gilbert to write a report on the situation of the visually impaired people in France and to come up with new ideas for a much better living of that population.

There for, Gilbert will travel through France, Belgium, Finland, Spain and Italy where he will audit various handicap people’s organisations.

DECEMBER 2007

Gilbert organizes a very important meeting where all the major actors in the field of multimedia and household appliances such as washing machines, TV, Microwaves etc… are going to take part.

The idea is to explain to all the participants that the major goal is to make all those products accessible for all from the start by the common use of the voice activated generalisation as you can see in any GPS on the market.

JANUARY 2008

Gilbert will bring the awaited report to the Minister and from that on a plan will be presented by the government in June the same year.

Mean while, Gilbert is still on the road.

SEPTEMBER 2008

Minister Xavier Bertrand asks Gilbert to supervise the governmental plan for the visually handicap population.

MARCH 2009

Gilbert accepts to be nominated as National Secretary of handicap affairs for the UMP party..

Through the summer, Gilbert will work on a new album

SEPTEMBER 2009

Gilbert is on national TV in France for a very special show called “Rendez-vous to an unknown land” where Gilbert was taken in the Himalayas (15000 feet high) the destination his hidden to the guest till the plane is up in the air. Gilbert is about to meet with a very remote and beautiful family right in the Zanskar region he will live with them and share their everyday lives.

This show promises to be in extreme conditions and full of emotion as well as learning.

DECEMBER 14^th, launching of Gilbert’s 15 greatest hits with videos in a unplugged version on the main web portals.

A new studio album is to come for summer 2010 but before that Gilbert gets involved for the regional elections in march for the region of Auvergne and especially in the district of Allier.

NOVEMBER 2010

Gilbert gives a memorable serie of concerts in the famous Salle Gaveau of Paris where his audience gave him out standing ovations right from the very first note of his performances.

JANUARY 19^th 2011, Release of a stunning book « J’ai toujours su que c’était toi » « I’ve always known it was you » where Gilbert reveals a family secret that is an incredible and real story that is, as we speak a true success.

SEPTEMBER 2011

Gilbert starts shooting a scene in a very promissing movie to be realeased next summer. Gilbert is very excited about his new life as an actor and wants to give it its best.

SEPTEMBER 28^th 2011 Gilbert is going to be granted by Mr Sarkozy in the promotion of National Merit Officer. This ceremony will take place at the Presidential Palace.

OCTOBER 2011

Gilbert had a lot of fun by writing a tv commercial for a proheminent business phone company Paritel.

JANUARY 2012

Gilbert gives his voice for the audio format of his book « j’ai toujours su que c’était toi ».