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Reuters

Entertainment

Brian Love

France mourns death of "French Elvis" Johnny Hallyday

French fan Andre Duval poses with a poster of late French singer and actor Johnny Hallyday in Marnes-la-Coquette near Paris, France, December 6, 2017. REUTERS/Charles Platiau

PARIS (Reuters) - Johnny Hallyday, whose death at 74 was announced by his wife and the French president on Wednesday, was a rock and roll giant in his native France, surviving drug use, family strife and near-death episodes to strut the stage for more than 50 years.

Known for his cowboy swagger, gravelly voice, abundant tattoos and leather biker jackets, the "French Elvis" had tens of millions of fans, above all in his native France, where he sold more records than any other singer.

A woman lights a candle in memory of the late French singer and actor Johnny Hallyday in Nice, France, December 6, 2017. REUTERS/Eric Gaillard

Hallyday died after a battle with lung cancer. His wife Laeticia phoned French President Emmanuel Macron at about 2 a.m. (0100 GMT) with news that triggered an outpouring of grief from fans, politicians and celebrities.

"For more than 50 years, he was a vibrant icon," read a statement by Macron, who this summer attended a concert Hallyday gave days after a dose of chemotherapy.

Later, during a visit to Algeria, Macron said: "Homage will be paid."

People place candles near flowers, balloons, and a sketch in memory of the late French singer and actor Johnny Hallyday in Nice, France, December 6, 2017. REUTERS/Eric Gaillard

Hallyday sold more than 100 million albums over the decades, mostly in the French-speaking world. He never quite conquered the United States, where he lived in Los Angeles in later years.

"I write these words without believing them. But yet, it's true. My man is no longer with us," his wife said in a statement.

Police were posted outside his house west of Paris.

FILE PHOTO: French singer Johnny Hallyday waves to fans attending a ceremony to promote his new album "Jamais seul" (Never alone) at the Virgin Megastore in Paris early March 28, 2011. REUTERS/Charles Platiau/File Photo

Broadcasters provided wall-to-wall coverage of the rocker's life, with reams of black-and-white film and song tapes tracing the history of a man regarded by many, non-fans included, as part of French national heritage.

Lawmakers in France's lower house of parliament paid their respects with a standing ovation.

French-Canadian singer Celine Dion took to Twitter to mourn the loss of "a true icon". American singer Lenny Kravitz posted a tweet saying: "Repose en Paix (Rest in peace). Your soul is pure Rock and Roll."

Flowers for Laetitia Hallyday, wife of late French singer and actor Johnny Hallyday, are delivered in Marnes-la-Coquette. near Paris, France, December 6, 2017. REUTERS/Charles Platiau

In Belgium, his father's birthplace, the underground railway authority said it would pipe his music into trains, while Brussels City Hall said his biggest hits would be aired over loudspeakers at the famous Grand Place square in an evening tribute.

ROCK STAR LIFE

Singer Line Renaud leaves the house of late French singer and actor Johnny Hallyday in Marnes-la-Coquette, near Paris, France, December 6, 2017. REUTERS/Charles Platiau

American newspaper USA Today once dubbed Hallyday "the greatest rock star you never heard of," but in France he was a monument known simply as "Johnny."

He drew huge crowds and sang to more than 750,000 at a free concert he held near the Eiffel Tower on France's Bastille Day national holiday in 2009.

Hallyday's 2011 album "Jamais Seul" went straight to number one despite his reputation among younger generations as passé.

A policeman lays down flowers brought by fans in memory of late French singer and actor Johnny Hallyday in Marnes-la-Coquette near Paris, France, December 6, 2017. REUTERS/Charles Platiau

A star who forged his career recycling rock gems such as The Animals' version of "House of the Rising Sun" or Jimi Hendrix's "Hey Joe", Hallyday also starred in movies and adverts.

He once claimed to have been born in Oklahoma and said his stage name Hallyday came from a doctor there who saved an acquaintance.

Born Jean-Philippe Leo Smet in Paris to Huguette Clerc and Belgian-born Leon Smet in 1943, Johnny was raised by his aunt when his parents split up.

Fans of late French singer and actor Johnny Hallyday react in Marnes-la-Coquette, near Paris, France, December 6, 2017. REUTERS/Charles Platiau

He spent his early years on the road with his cousins in an acrobatic dance troupe, taking to the stage himself at 12 and singing country songs dressed as a child Davy Crockett.

He changed style after seeing Elvis Presley in "Loving You". His first single, "T'aimer Follement" (To Love You Madly), came at age 16.

Wild stage antics sparked rioting at concerts. The Harley Davidson fan won a name for his hard-living streak as well as his chart-topping albums.

French fans Andre Thibert, left, and Andre Duval display a poster of late French singer and actor Johnny Hallyday as they talk to journalists in Marnes-la-Coquette near Paris, France December 6, 2017. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

Drugs, alcohol and Gitanes cigarettes, the latter apparently adopted on the advice of rocker Keith Richards, helped carve out the husky voice and craggy face that were trademarks before age too took its toll.

In 1965 he married pop singer Sylvie Vartan, with whom he had a son, David Hallyday, now a singer. Divorce in 1980 was followed by four other marriages, one that lasted 62 days and two to the same woman, Adeline Blondiau.

Hallyday's fifth marriage was to Laeticia Boudou in 1996, with whom he adopted two daughters, Joy and Jade.

Journalists work in front of late French singer and actor Johnny Hallyday's home in Marnes-la-Coquette near Paris, France December 6, 2017. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

After back surgery in 2008, he was put into an artificial coma to treat pain caused by an infection, which he had sought for weeks to keep at bay with ever-larger amounts of alcohol.

His daughter Laura Smet, by third wife Nathalie Baye, is an actress like her mother.

A woman arrives with a bouquet of flowers outside house of late French singer and actor Johnny Hallyday's in Marnes-la-Coquette near Paris, France December 6, 2017. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

(Additional reporting by Benoit Tessier, Jean-Baptise Vey, Ingrid Melander and Benoit Van Overstraeten in Paris, Alex Dobuzinskis in Los Angeles and Sandra Maler in Washington; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore, Richard Lough and Ken Ferris)