Stone et Charden

Stone et Charden

Stone et Charden in 2007
Background information
Origin France
Genres Pop, duets
Years active 1972-1976, reunion 1990
Labels AMI Records, Charles Talar Records
Members Éric Charden
Annie Gautrat (known as Stone)

Stone et Charden is a famous French musical duo made up of Éric Charden (born in Hai Phong, Vietnam on 15 October 1942, died on 29 April 2012) and his then-wife Annie Gautrat known as Stone (born in Paris on 31 July 1947)

Éric Charden was born during World War II, to a French father and a Tibetan mother.[1] In 1966, Annie Gautrat (Stone) was taking part in the "Miss Beatnik" competition where Éric Charden was a member of the jury. They were acquainted after the competition and got married the same year. Already having separate musical careers, they decided to form the duo known as Stone et Charden in 1971. They became hugely popular with "L'Avventura" in 1972 and with "Made in Normandie" in 1973. "L'Aventura" sold over one and a half million copies and was awarded a gold disc.[2] Soon artistic, mediatic and family tensions resulted in a divorce and break-up of the duo with each member pursuing a separate sole musical career.

The two came for a reunion in 1990 with some releases and remakes.

They also took part in 4th annual "Âge tendre et Têtes de bois" tour in 2009-2010. Other artists in the event that toured France, Belgium and Switzerland included Sheila (as main act) and Isabelle Aubret, Fabienne Thibeault, la Compagnie Créole, Bobby Solo, Frank Alamo, Michel Orso, Marcel Amont, Patrick Juvet, Claude Barzotti, Christian Delagrange and les Charlots. A live double CD of the show recorded in Dijon was released.

Both Éric Charden and Annie Gautrat (Stone) were decorated with the honorable Legion of Honour (in French Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur) on 1 January 2012 just months before the death of Charden.[3]

Discography

Albums

Singles

(Year followed by side A then side B, with peak position in French Singles Chart and record label in parenthesis)

References

  1. "Franse charmezanger Eric Charden overleden". De Redactie.be (from the VRT). Retrieved 2012-04-29.
  2. Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 321. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
  3. "Mort du chanteur Eric Charden". Lemonde.fr. Retrieved 2012-04-29.