#OBITUARY: Guy Bonnet of France has died

French singer songwriter Guy Bonnet has died aged 78. The representative of France as a performer at two Eurovision Song Contests, and the writer of a third song, he passed away in the French city of Montpellier.

His first attempt as a singer was in 1970, when the contest was held in Amsterdam. He performed a song he’d co-written with André-Pierre Dousset called Marie-Blanche. He’d won a four-song French national final. In Amsterdam he finished fourth.

In 1983 he tried again, after having won a 14-song French national final with the song Vivre he’d co-written with Fulbert Cant. Again he was sat at the piano for his performance at the contest in Munich/München. He opened the contest at the Rudi-Sedlmayer-Halle and finished in eighth place

Before he took to the stage as a performer, he’d made his name as a song-writer. In 1968 in London, he co-wrote the French entry La source for Isabelle Aubret. Ironically he beat her in both national finals he won as a performer, but Isabelle had already won the 1962 contest.

Guy even recorded a version of La source. Here’s the audio.

Eurovision Ireland’s thought are with Guy Bonnet’s family at this time.

Author: John Stanton

Source: Eurovision Ireland