Born on August 18: Hugues Aufray, a record of longevity and popularity

He was born in August 1929 in Neuilly-sur-Seine near Paris. At 96 years old, as a seasoned troubadour, he continues to perform throughout France and the Low Countries.

Appreciated for his velvety voice, barely veiled by the passing years, the singer who adapted Bob Dylan into French in 1965 with "Aufray chante Dylan" has become a staple of French song. Versus such as "Stewball" (echoing his ever-present passion for horses), "Le rossignol anglais," "Santiano" (adapted from a nursery rhyme dear to the hearts of sailors), and of course, "Céline" are still sung with the same fervor around campfires at Scout camps.

In a career spanning more than 65 years, Hugues Aufray has recorded some forty albums (including around thirty in the studio) but is now mainly content to refine more melancholic versions of his essential hits to adapt them to his current vocal performances.

Committed to the survival of the planet and ecology, he wrote "The Great Circle of Life" in 1993. In this song, he speaks of the interdependence of all living beings and respect for nature. A message that far too many world leaders, too preoccupied with their growth rates, have unfortunately not yet realized.

Always smiling beneath his slightly worn leather jacket, the singer sports a silver mane that makes him resemble a druid whose magic potion is emblematic refrains and whose cauldron is an acoustic guitar, a LAG Gran'Troubadour, or a Busato, depending on his mood of the moment.

Behind a consensual screen, Hugues Aufray clearly expresses his ideas on stage. Like Sting, he has always supported Chief Raoni's fight against deforestation in the Amazon and the construction of a gigantic dam that would encroach on his tribe's territory. Born into a traditionally Catholic family and baptized (although he claims not to be a practicing Catholic), he now spices his performances with spiritual references and philosophies. He no longer hesitates to state that he believes in God. A topic that continues to be debated in France, the singer supports the ADMD (Association for the Right to Die with Dignity).

Concerts: Throughout France starting in September, including November 9th at the Dôme de Paris.

(MH with Stéphane Soupart - Photo : © Music Belgium Photos)

Photo: Hugues Aufray on stage at the Cirque Royal in Brussels (Belgium) on November 3, 2024