4 July 2003: André Claveau dead



France can be proud of their earliest Eurovision winner, André Claveau. 'Dors mon amour' has proved to be a timeless Eurovision classic, which you'll find out if you listen to the song below. Unfortunately, he passed away 14 years ago today.

André Claveau was born on 17 December 1911. He was the only son of a tapestry maker and decided from an early age to become a craftsman. He studied woodwork and cabinetmaking, but then started working as a graphic designer and jewelry designer. His career as a singer began in 1936, when he participated in a talent show - and won. During World War II his voice and charisma allowed him to become the host of a variety show on Radio Paris 4. After the war, he started appearing in numerous films. On 7 February 1958, André was one of the candidates of the French national selection for the third edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. The song Dors, mon amour was chosen and, performed by André, it won. He became the first male artist to win the contest.

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