In the sixties there were dozens of groups in France who tried to emulate the British pop scene. At the same time there were a few singers who all wanted to be the French Elvis Presley, such as Johnny Hallyday (who later became God), Eddy Mitchell (now an actor), and Dick Rivers. Of that trio, the latter was closest to the Anglophone scene. He personally knew Elvis Presley and Gene Vincent, and also the two boys who introduce him in this ’65 clip:
Dick Rivers never became as rich and famous as Hallyday and Mitchell, so he is still obliged to perform across France. And, according to these pictures, he is also still a Frogsmoker.
Left: Johnny Hallyday, Dick Rivers and Eddy Mitchell in the sixties. Right: Dick today.
I remember fondly his cover of John Denver’s “Country Road”. It was so bad it endeared the man to me forever. Someone who stubbornly goes on year after year performing this kind of tripe has the inner flame nurning.