Singer Danny Boy died on August 7 at the age of 84 in Le Havre, where he had been hospitalized for several days. Claude Piron, whose real name is, began his career as a singer in the 1950s, after having worked as a fishmonger for some time. The young Norman performs in the casinos of Cassis, Bandol and La Ciotat. His artistic career took a turn when he met the chansonnier Henri Genès in 1956, who invited him to join his tour.
Everything accelerated in 1960, when he chose a stage name and founded the rock group Danny Boy et ses Pénitents, which were four musicians with the distinctive sign of wearing a balaclava. If other artists of the same register overshadow them - Johnny Hallyday in the lead - the five accomplices are very successful. The titles A necklace of your arms , Long ago or I don't want to be a dredger anymore are sold in tens of thousands of copies.
In 1961, Danny Boy and the Penitents accompanied the Pinder Circus for a tour of several months. The “ La piste aux étoiles ” show is performed in 284 cities and around 1.5 million people attend. At the same time, Danny Boy has a series of prestigious collaborations with the biggest names in French song. He performs on stage alongside Jean Ferrat, Hugues Aufray and Lény Escudero. Charles Aznavour wrote him a song, Ma solitude .
At the end of this golden decade, Danny Boy and his Penitents go their separate ways. The leader of the group gives up the glitter and returns to his Normandy regions, where he resumes his job as a fishmonger. But the call of the scene is too strong: he made his return in 2004 with a new group, Les Guitar Express. He also participates in the Rock'n'Roll Legend , Tender Age and Wooden Head and Hi Friends tours .
In the fall of 2019, Danny Boy released a new and final album, which he presented on stage in Pont-Audemer, his Norman stronghold. The title Every day , a duet with his partner Rosy Kikour, brings the career of this pioneer of French rock to a romantic end.
