Ferre Grignard

Ferre Grignard
Ferre Grignard
	Grignard (1966)
Background information
Birth name	Fernand Grignard
Born	13 March 1939; Antwerp
Origin	'The Muze', Antwerp
Died	8 August 1982 (aged 43); Antwerp
Genres	Blues, skiffle, folk
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter, painter
Instruments	Guitar
Years active	1958–1980
Labels	Fontana, Philips, Barclay, Major Minor, Disques Motors

Ferre Grignard (13 March 1939 – 8 August 1982) was a Belgian skiffle-singer from Antwerp who surprised the world in 1965 with his international hits "Ring Ring, I've Got To Sing" and "My Crucified Jesus".

Biography

Ferre Grignard renounced his middle-class origins and at the end of the 1950s he went to the Antwerp art academy. He was unsuccessful as a painter, but he could play the guitar and sing the blues and his performances in "De Muze", a famous Antwerp jazz café, made him well known in the Antwerp artists' world.

The young generation accepted him as the first Belgian protest singer, because of his hippie-like appearance and the content of his songs. In 1965 he performed at the first "Jazz-festival" at Bilzen. He was discovered by Hans Kusters (the same man who owned the record company HKM that is now producing the music of the Belgian band Clouseau). His "Ring Ring, I've Got To Sing" and "My Crucified Jesus" conquered the world with their mixture of skiffle, folk music and blues. At the height of his career he even performed at the Paris Olympia. The Belgian artist George Smits was a member of Ferre Grignard's band around that time.

After the ensuing international success, things started to go wrong. He went to live in a mansion, where he made music, painted and partied with the 20 friends who lived with him. He also refused to fill in his tax-forms, so after a while all royalties went directly to taxes. He neglected his career and was soon forgotten by his fans. A comeback in the seventies failed.

He died in Antwerp of throat cancer in 1982. At that time he was living in an attic without heating, surrounded by empty bottles. Ferre Grignard lies buried at the Schoonselhof cemetery, among many of Antwerp's most important citizens.

Discography

Albums
Year	Title	Label	Cat. No.
1966	Ring, Ring, I've Got To Sing	Fontana	858 088 FPY
1968	Ferre Grignard	Philips	12837
1969	Captain Disaster	Barclay	920 117
1972	Fērrē Grignard	Disques Motors	MT 44011
1978	I warned you!	Philips	6320 042

EPs
Year	Tracks	Label	Cat. No
1968	Yellow You, Yellow Me / Close Your Noses … If La, Si, Do / Old Joe Clarck	Barclay	71 199

Compilations
Year	Title	Label	Cat. No
1991	The Best of Ferre Grignard	Philips	845 5442
1997	Het beste van Ferre Grignard	Polygram	536 0332
2002	Lost Tracks	Nijgh & Van Ditmar	21311
2014	Integraal	Universal	4702435

Singles
Year	A-side	B-side	Label	Cat. No.
1965	Ring, Ring, I've Got To Sing	Maureen	De Muze	S 50116
1966	Hash Bamboo Shuffle 1702	Drunken Sailor	Philips	319 880
1966	My Crucified Jesus	She's Gone	Philips	319 875
1966	Ring, Ring, I've Got To Sing	We Want War	Philips	319870 bf
1966	Drunken Sailor	Hash Bamboo Shuffle 1702	Philips	319 880
1967	A Worried Man	Maureen	Philips	319 892
1968	Captain Disaster	Tell Me Now	Barclay	60 956
1968	La, Si, Do	Yellow You, Yellow Me	Barclay	60 847
1969	Close Your Noses … If	Old Joe Clarck	Barclay	60 868
1969	Yama, Yama, Hey	I Won't Have A Dance	Barclay	61 044
1971	Railroad Bill	Maybe Tomorrow	Disques Motors	6013 909
1972	Lazy John	She's Back	Disques Motors	4022
1973	Knockin' Me Down	When I'm Down	Ssm	001
1978	I Warned You	All Right	Philips	6021 095

External links

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