CHARLES AZNAVOUR - FRENCH SONGWRITER DELANOE DIES

FRENCH SONGWRITER DELANOE DIES

Songwriter PIERRE DELANOE, who wrote lyrics for dozens of French singers from EDITH PIAF and CHARLES AZNAVOUR to rocker JOHNNY HALLYDAY, has died. He was 88. He suffered a cardiac arrest on Tuesday night (26DEC06), according to a spokesman for the composers' and authors' group Sacem. Delanoe, a tax inspector-turned-lyricist, also helped JOE DASSIN reach international fame with the 1969 hit LES CHAMPS ELYSEES and songs such as L'ETE INDIEN, and ET SI TU N'EXISTAIS PAS. He also won praise for MICHEL FUGAIN'S 1960 hit JE N'AURAI PAS LE TEMPS and MICHEL SARDOU's LES LACS DE CONNEMARA.