Allain Leprest was born in Lestre, in the Cotentin region of Normandy, on June 3rd 1954. Allain came from a modest working-class background - his father was a local carpenter - but from an early age, Allain aspired to a musical career. He grew up to be a passionate music fan, listening to the radio whenever he could and discovering the wonderful world of music-hall. The young boy soon went on to become an avid fan of French chanson (his favourite singers were Georges Brassens and Léo Ferré).

At the age of 17 Allain began training to become a painter and decorator, but he did not renounce his musical ambitions. On the contrary, the talented young teenager began to devote all his spare time to songwriting. Unfortunately, Allain was soon sent off to do his military service with a paratroop regiment, so his spare time was cut down to an absolute minimum. Needless to say the budding young songwriter did not adapt well to army life - his rebellious nature and his openly defiant attitude led to inevitable clashes with army discipline.

When he finished his military service, Allain threw himself back into writing, publishing a collection of poems entitled "Tralahurlette" in 1981. (The French singer Henri Tachan, who had met Allain earlier in his career and encouraged him with his writing, wrote a preface to the book). Allain was proud to have his poetry published, but he still dreamt of launching a singing career and setting his texts to music.

Over the next few months Allain went on to earn a living through a variety of jobs (including working in education). But in 1982 he finally achieved his dream of launching a singing career, moving up to Paris to perform on the cabaret circuit. Life in the capital was not always easy, however. Allain managed to get a few gigs at the Caveau de la Bolée and Chez Georges and his performances went down well with regular audiences. But he was far from hitting the big time.

Leprest Makes His Name at the Printemps de Bourges

Then in 1985 Leprest was invited to appear at the Printemps de Bourges festival in the "Best Newcomers" category. Leprest's performance not only proved a huge hit with the festival audience, it also won over representatives from a number of major record companies, who were talent-spotting at Bourges at the time. Impressed by the young singer's poetic lyrics and his incredible voice, music industry professionals hailed Leprest as a major new talent on the French music scene.

Shortly after appearing at the Printemps de Bourges, Leprest signed to Meys (the label owned by French chanson star Jean Ferrat and Gérard Meys) and in 1986 he went into the studio to record his début album "Mec". Leprest also continued his songwriting career, writing material for a number of French stars including Juliette Gréco, Isabelle Aubret (whom he supported when she performed at the Olympia in 1986) and Romain Didier. Didier, who went on to become one of Leprest's closest friends, composed the music for several tracks on Leprest's début album and also wrote a number of musical arrangements on the singer's second album "Ton cul est rond" (released in 1988).

Following the release of his second album, Leprest went on to perform at a number of major music festivals including the Festival de la Chanson Française in Sarrebrück and the Festival du Val-de-Marne. The singer also became a regular guest star at the Fête de l'Humanité - the annual festival organised by the French Communist Party. Leprest, who was himself a committed Communist, had been a regular festival-goer for many years. Indeed, he had met his African wife, Sally, at the Fête de l'Humanité. (Sally, who was born in Mauritania, would soon go on to become the mother of Leprest's two children).

At the end of the 80's Leprest's career went through a difficult period, following a major dispute between the singer and record company boss Gérard Meys. Leprest would then go on to spend two years in the recording wilderness, before meeting up with Pierre Barouh (director of the Saravah label). Fortunately, Leprest's collaboration with Barouh gave a whole new impetus to his career and the singer soon returned to the studio to begin recording a new album with legendary French jazz accordionist Richard Galliano.

Galliano's soulful accordion-playing proved to be the perfect complement to Leprest's husky tones and the pair's joint album "Voce a mano" (released in 1992) went on to become a huge hit with the critics. Indeed, the press showered "Voce a mano" with rave reviews and the album went on to earn Leprest and Galliano the prestigious Prix de l'Académie Charles-Cros. In April 92 the pair performed a series of concerts at the Théâtre Clavel in Paris which also proved a huge success.

The following year Leprest concentrated on his solo career, performing at the Théâtre Dejazet in Paris (in March 93), then going on to appear at a number of major music festivals including the famous Francofolies in La Rochelle.

In 1994 Leprest turned his attention to his songwriting career once again, penning the lyrics for "Al dente", the new album by the popular "Rive-Gauche" style singer Francesca Solleville. He then returned to the studio to record a series of new songs himself (these featured on a new untitled album released on the Saravah label later that year). In March 94 Leprest kicked off another concert tour, performing a three-week stint at the Théâtre d'Ivry. He then embarked upon a hectic summer schedule, appearing at L'Estival d'Aubervilliers (in June) and the Francofolies de la Rochelle (in July) and the annual Fête de l'Humanité (in September). Leprest would round off the season with a rousing performance at the Festi'Val-de-Marne in October.

Leprest Gives a Memorable Performance at the Olympia

One of the highlights of Allain Leprest's career came on 20th February 1995 when the singer gave a special one-off concert at the Olympia (the most prestigious venue in Paris). Accompanied on stage by just three musicians, Leprest brought the house down. The critics showered him with praise, comparing his vocals and his amazing body language to the legendary Jacques Brel. The atmosphere of this exceptional concert was captured on an excellent live album which was released later that year.

Leprest returned to the media spotlight earlier this year with a brand new album entitled "Nu" (Naked). Released on the Night & Day label, "Nu" features musical contributions from a host of talented French music stars (Kent, Higelin, Gilbert Laffaille, Yves Duteil and Leprest's old friend Romain Didier writing the melodies on the singer's new album). Leprest was responsible for the carefully-crafted lyrics, of course. Many of the poetic songs on "Nu" were inspired by events in the singer's personal life ("Madame" was written for Leprest's daughter and "la Courneuve" evokes the place where he first met his wife). But other tracks also raise important social issues ("SDF", for example, is a hard-hitting track about the homeless). Leprest is undoubtedly at his best live on stage and, after bringing the house down at the Francofolies music festival in La Rochelle in July, the singer went on to perform at L'Européen (a small, intimate music venue in Paris) between 10 and 17 October.

Leprest did not reappear in Paris until January 2000 when he returned to the capital to perform at "Le Limonaire" where fans flocked to see him in concert every Tuesday night.

On 16 & 17 October, Allain Leprest took to the stage again, to perform two dates in Castres. The full extent of his live charm and charisma was captured on this occasion on a live album, "Je viens vous voir" (released in 2002). 

In 2004, Allain Leprest celebrated 25 years in the music business. He marked the occasion with two special one-off concerts at L'Européen, in Paris, in June.

Fans had to wait until 2005, however, before the singer made a comeback on the recording front, releasing a new studio album entitled "Donne moi de mes nouvelles." The album was produced by Didier Pascalis and Thierry Garcia and the arrangements assured by Leprest's loyal collaborator, Romain Didier. "Donne moi de mes nouvelles" included two songs which he had originally written for Francesca Soleville ("Le Chagrin" and "Les P'tits enfants d'verre"). The twelve-track album, featuring themes that veered between deeply serious and upbeat comic, was given a certain coherence by Leprest's distinctive vocals, as raw-edged and husky as ever. Guest stars included the French actor Philippe Torreton (on "C'est à la fin du bal") and young up-and-coming singer Olivia Ruiz who duetted with Leprest on "Etes-vous là ?"

Following the release of his album, Leprest took to the stage again for a mini-run of concerts at the Théâtre Silvia-Monfort, in Paris (2 - 6 November).

The French Minister for Culture commissioned Allain Leprest (author) and Romain Didier (composer) to produce a cantata on the theme of the Mediterranean. The result, “Cantate pour un cœur bleu” was successfully presented at the Fez Festival of Sacred Music in Morocco, with participation from Romain Didier, Enzo Enzo and a Franco-Moroccan chorus. A CD came out three years later.

During that time, Allain Leprest was bravely fighting lung cancer. He was very weak and his fans and family feared the worst, yet he surprised them all by getting back onto the stage at the end of 2007 with a new album “Chez Leprest”. To produce it, he invited a bunch of artists (Michel Fugain, Olivia Ruiz, Jacques Higelin, Daniel Lavoie, Nilda Fernandez, Enzo Enzo, Loïc Lantoine, etc.) to sing his own repertoire with him. He managed to get the same big family together to perform an emotion-filled, one-off concert at the Bataclan on 12 March 2008. Daniel Lavoie sang “Nu”, Agnès Bihl sang “Le Copain de mon père”, Jean Guidoni “J’ai peur” and Nilda Fernandez “Donne-moi de tes nouvelles”.

2008: "Quand auront fondu les banquises"

The unassuming poet brought out his tenth opus, “Quand auront fondu les banquises” on 1 December 2008. It comprised fourteen songs set to tunes by Romain Didier, Daniel Lavoie, Lionel Suarez and Jehan, focusing on ecology, death and the end of the world, without ever slipping into pathos.

On 7 December 2009, Allain Leprest repeated the “Chez Leprest” experience when he produced a second volume. Clarika, Adamo, Kent and la Rue Kétanou lent their voices to his songs. A DVD of the Bataclan concert (2008) came out at the same time as volume 2. Allain Leprest was awarded the Sacem Grand Prix de la Poésie on 14 December.

Many of the artists who appeared on the album performed alongside Allain Leprest at the Casino de Paris on 8 March 2010.

In mid-July 2011, Leprest was guest of honour at the Jean-Ferrat Festival, an annual event at Antraigues-sur-Volane in Ardèche. On 15 August, the singer took his own life in the same town, where he had stayed on for a holiday. The death was announced by his producer, who told the press that an album had been scheduled for the end of 2011 along with a string of concerts. A heavy sadness hung over the artist’s colleagues, including Richard Galliano, Loïc Lantoine and Christian Olivier from Les Têtes Raides.
 
Frédéric Mitterrand, France’s Minister for Culture, paid tribute to an “immense and rare” artist, who was “one of the best representatives of the rich French tradition of chanson with its finely thought-out lyrics.” Leprest, who had sung in “Pacifist inconnu”: “I would like to be buried dressed/ in my posthumous best”, was buried in the Monmousseau cemetery in Ivry-sur-Seine just outside Paris. The ceremony took place in the presence of his friends and family, including his children Fantine and Mathieu, and a crowd of anonymous fans sad to see the end of such an unusual artist.
 
August 2011

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