BIOGRAPHY

As a perfect Sagittarius, I went through the years with a suitcase in my hand, and a mike in the other. As I wrote in one of my songs: «…always waved by emotions, my life is an open door »…( My Life ).

I never got married because I had no children and thought marriage was not necessary. I had 3 very long and important relashionships but I am a single.

I am French ( a rockin’ froggie ! ) and I had a golden infancy in the best Parisien society. Paris “ La ville lumière” is an extraordinary city, that offers everything.

I was already on stage every night, with my mother singing in my Grandfather's Orchestra Felix VERRECCHIA, before my birth on December 16 like Beethoven.

MY STUDIES :

UNIVERSITY OF NANTERRE ( Paris ), Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences

INDEPENDENT CINEMA CONSERVATORY OF PARIS, section : Film Direction

Classic and Modern Dance

Piano since 5 years old

“Excellent student, but very unruly !”

I am a song writer, I write lyrics in 4 languages, english, french, italien and spanish. I WROTE THE LYRICS of all my recordings,apart Black is Black, and many musics, I also write for other people, I translated into french Eddy Cochran's "Summertime Blues" and also other songs of his. Plus I wrote all the lyrics for the artists of the Weyman Productions. I have many many new fantastic songs in store for me or who asks me.

Eddy BARCLAY liked my songs and he offered me a recording deal with BARCLAY RECORDS, in January 1963.

As a singer, I've always being a rocker, and rock and roll is the thread driver of all my career , and it still will be.

First songs “yé-yé” … «Best song of the week» on the main radio station, everything was just fine, BUT I loved Rock n’ Roll, only with my 4^th EP my career as a rocker was launched! Useless say I was very often singing at the GOLF DROUOT, the Paris rock n’ roll temple!

LA LOCOMOTIVE another rock club, tours, and mainly, being the only French female rock singer, I did extraordinary openings in 1965 in Paris :Golf Drouot and La Locomotive : The Who, Theatre de la Mutualité : The Kinks, THEATRE DE L’OLYMPIA ( the Paris Music temple up to now): THE ROLLING STONES ( 3 concerts), The Animals , P.J. Proby

PARIS PALAIS DES SPORTS STADIUM : THE BEATLES ( 2 concerts)

The Rolling Stones with Brian Jones , the first time that I got a musical shock! For the Beatles concerts, I had Bobbie Clarke on drums, with his Bobbie Clarke Noise, a tremendous band! he knew The Beatles since way back and introduced me to them. The audience hysteria……! You couldn’t hear a thing! On the 2^nd concert, I listened to them backstage!

I never felt stage-fright, I am, what it’s called “a stage animal!“ Stage is home to me! In the 60’s the audiences would throw all kinds of vegetables on stage, specially tomatoes, and eggs, or whistle you off ……That never happened to me, on the contrary, they would throw me little dolls, fluffies or flowers .

The 2 singers who really influenced me are Ray Charles and Tina Turner. I have always been compared to Janis Joplin, I liked her very much, BUT she started after me !

I made my first TV show in Italy at Campione d’Italia with Gianni Ravera, in 1965, dressed Mary Quant, I wore the first mini-skirt in the Italien TV and received Gina Lollobriggida’s compliments.

In 1966, we moved to Rome, the weather and the way of life were so cool, we used to work a lot but feeling like being in a constant holiday.

Right away I made myself lots of friends, RCA was the biggest records company and had most of the best artists, like Barclay had the best in France, there was a huge lounge with an immense bar, and the most comfortable sofas, artists would often meet there in the afternoons, ideas and songs were flowing as well as new projects. I was on RCA VICTOR label with my friends Dalida and Luigi Tenco.

I recorded a version of « Good Golly Miss Molly » which started right away to be noticed, « disco giallo a Bandiera Gialla » (best song of the month) and an italian version of « keep on running » : « l’abito non fà il beatnik », it was the Beatniks time. Albert rejoined me in Rome with Vigon et les Lemons, in Italy there were no big tours like in France, we would play one-night stands or for 1 or more weeks in clubs, that gave us the time to make lots of new friends and to enjoy the places, specially gastronomy… we were always treated like Kings !

Albert did his first production for « Domani il mondo sarà nelle nostre mani » and played it with the Lemons who soon returned to France. Albert formed a new band, Christian Vander on drums. I was the Titan Club’star, antagonist of the Piper Club’s Patty Pravo, « La guerra delle prime donne », it was hip ! Beatles-Rolling Stones, The Rokes-Equipe 84, etc…

From San Francisco came the Flowers Children time, and all the folklore that went with it, we would paint flowers in our faces, wear flowers in our hair, carnaval all year long, it was fun!

The « Swinging London », so much music, weird fashion, no hang-ups, freedom! In London you don’t get criticized, people mind their own business, that’s what I like best about England. In the other hand I could never get used to the weather, too cold for me! But I was enthousiastic about the music scène : so much live music!

I joined a few bands, and really improved my singing and found my real musical direction. I do love jamming, and in the famous “Marquee”, it was great to be on stage with the cream of British musicians, and have a pint of beer in the “Ship”, the musicians pub in Soho

In 1970 , colour TV appeared, and the first time I watched it, was in a pub for the Soccer World Cup final: Italy vs Brasil ! It was like being there!

I met Barry Dean , Brian Auger's Oblivion Express bass-player , Barry and I lived together for 5 years . Alex Ligertwood ( ex- Pyranas lead vocalist) was then singing with Brian. In 1973 Brian with Oblivion Express produced me “ Long, long time “. Also the ex- Pyranas drummer Steve Ferrone came over to join Oblivion.

Brian Auger's Oblivion Express 1972

In 1975, I recorded in the famous Abbey Road studios ( the Beatles “home” ) “Get back on your feet” produced by my brother. At that time he was writing film soundtracks. Then came the black-out, London wasn’t swinging any more, shops had lights and heating only half-day. Most of my friends musicians were moving to the U.S. and one day, in 1976, I got a phone call from Italy……..

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In 1976, I was about to sign with RCA UK, or again with BARCLAY ( France), when my brother Albert phoned me up in London, and suggested to become indipendent producers, he wanted to record a dance version of BLACK IS BLACK, I got a real kick out of his idea, and I said “ yeeaaah! Great!

I went back to Rome. Albert spent 2 months writing the arrangements, and the scores for the Orchestra. 2 days before we started the recordings, Albert, who was at the piano, called me to listen to a song he just wrote… I was knocked out ! He wrote the arrangements in 2 days, and me, the lyrics. This song was MISS BROADWAY!!!!!!!! OUR MAJOR HIT! Funny how things happen.

Plus, in the hurry, he wrote the scores in his key, once recorded, I realized it was 3 tones higher. I was surprised, but I have no problems with my vocal extention. That again is a sure reason of its success.

First continental group to hit N°1 in the UK with Black is Black. The BBC used to call me every morning in Rome, for interviews. When I was there! We could never go live on British TV because of the musicians union, our TV shows were recorded in Holland, my friends surely thought I had forgotten them! And Miss Broadway N°15 in the USA!

After our n°1 in the UK, the album went all around the world, including Eastern countries, where we were very sollicited as a non american, non british international group.... on my remark about Marcia being american, I was answered they considered american blacks as dissidents!!!!!!!!!!!!

In BELLE EPOQUE, I had 2 couloured backing vocalists, JUSY FORTES (Portuguese from Capo Verde) and MARCIA BRISCOE (American, from Atlanta, Giorgia) but the girls kept changing with circonstances.

It was too early for videos, so we were travelling all the time from one country to another, even 3 foreign countries the same week, for TV promotion, that did not leave us much space for concerts, the only thing I really love! And only one 3 weeks holiday in 4 years !

Life was a big mixture of everything : song-writing, rehursals, coreographies for the girls, photo sessions, TV shows, and travels. We really had great promotion staffs in every country, so nice to us and I want to thank them all, once again! Obviously we would be back at the hotel earlier in Hamburg than in Madrid…

From Disco music to hard rock.

In 1982 I went back solo.

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In fact I keep recording under the 2 names, Belle Epoque or Evelyne Lenton.

1983 ALBUM "OPERATOR" and "TU M'FAIS DE LA PEINE" (Evelyne Lenton) , for RCA

In 1985, I signed a new deal in London with Ann Munday and Terry Ellis (Jethro Tull producer), for Shibumi Music. I recorded with Barry Blue.

From 1987 untill 1992, I slowed down with music productions and I opened the Belle Epoque Club, a wine bar with gastronomy and music, and I went around cellars to taste their “jewels”. I made many “jolly good friends”! Gastronomy and good wines are pure art, like music.

In 1992 I signed with WEA France, and we recorded the album “SUNSHINE E.”. (Belle Epoque)

Later I recorded with Joe T. Vanelli, remixes of Black is Black (Belle Epoque)

Then the Miss Broadway remixes. (Belle Epoque)

The super single with «QUE DOLOR» in Spanish, and «VIVA LA VIDA».(Evelyne Lenton)

«ON LINE WITH YOU», techno (Evelyne Lenton)

You can also find “BLACK IS BLACK”, “MISS BROADWAY”, “BAMALAMA” And other BELLE EPOQUE songs in many compilations, in various countries.

I finally bought a PC, and started giving my own sounds to my songs.

2002 My first production «RISING SUN BLUES», (The House of the Rising Sun), a song I always wanted to sing. Now I am working at many new songs, so Keep Rockin’on with me!

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