Death of Charles Dumont, the composer who propelled Edith Piaf's career, at the age of 95

Charles Dumont, composer behind numerous hits for Edith Piaf, such as Je ne regrette rien, has died. He was 95 years old.

It was his wife who announced the sad news to AFP this Monday, November 18. Charles Dumont, composer then singer, died at the age of 95. His compositions marked the career of Edith Piaf, for whom he composed around thirty songs. He changed her life by offering her his hit I don't regret anything and remained close to the singer throughout his life. A great music enthusiast, he himself started singing and enjoyed some success. Charles Dumont was nicknamed the “jazzman of Cahors”.

Death of Charles Dumont: his compositions for Edith Piaf marked his career

Born on March 26, 1929 in Cahors, Charles Dumont had a true passion for jazz from a very young age. He took trumpet lessons and obtained a medal at the Toulouse Conservatory at the age of 18. But after tonsil surgery in 1949, he could no longer play the trumpet. He therefore began to learn the piano and discovered his vocation: composition. He met the lyricist Michel Vaucaire with whom he wrote songs for many artists. But in 1960, after three refusals, Edith Piaf agreed to receive the two men and their future changed. They offer him I don't regret anything and the Kid immediately sees the potential of the song and feels ready to go back on stage. In total, he composed around thirty titles before his death on October 10, 1963.

Death of Charles Dumont: a career in song

Marked by the death of Edith Piaf, Charles Dumont will slowly return to composition by creating music for soap operas or films, such as Traffic by Jacques Tati. But in 1967, he met Sophie Makhno, a songwriter who wrote him songs and pushed him to put himself forward. He thus became a singer and had several successes, notably with Your cigarette after lovea song thanks to which the duo won three gold records. It is thanks to these successes that Charles Dumont obtained the nickname of the jazzman of Cahors. A true star of the 1980s, he nevertheless remained humble until his last days.