Edith Piaf
Edith Piaf, (1915-63). French singer, born Edith Giovanna Gassion. Her small stature earned her the nick-name Piaf, which is Parisian slang for ‘sparrow’. She toured with her father, an acrobat, and at 15 began singing in the streets of Paris. She later became a cabaret star and in 1945 acted in the play Le Bel Indifferent, which was written for her by Jean Cocteau. Her songs, which often reflect the miseries of her early life, include ‘La Vie en Rose’ (1945) and ‘Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien’. She wrote the words and music of several of her famous songs and published an autobiography (1958). Her early death was caused by addiction to drugs and alcohol.
