Singer Frankie Jordan, beloved for a string of hits from the 1960s, has died.
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The French singer passed away on June 3 at the age of 86, his family confirmed per French outlet Le Parisien. The artist, whose real name was Claude Benzaquen, succumbed to an unspecified cancer in Neuilly-sur-Seine (Hauts-de-Seine).
Jordan was born in Oran, Algeria, and grew up in Casablanca, Morocco. He has a deep passion for jazz, blues, and rock ‘n’ roll emerging from the United States.
While studying to become a dentist, Jordan started playing piano in clubs, inspired by the style of Fats Domino. In 1960, he was discovered by Daniel Filipacchi of Decca Records and recorded his first single, “Tu parles trop,” a French version of Joe Jones’s “You Talk Too Much.”
Arranged by Eddie Vartan, it became one of the first successful rock and roll songs in French.
In 1961, he sang two duets with Bulgarian-French singer Sylvie Vartan, “J’aime ta way de faire ça” and “Panne d’essence,” which helped launch her career.
Frankie Jordan Performed at an Iconic French Concert
In June 1963, he took part in the iconic Nuit de la Nation concert, where 150,000 people gathered at Place de la Nation in Paris, drawn largely by the magnetic presence of French singer Johnny Hallyday.
In 1966, he was also featured in the iconic “Photo of the Century” for the magazine Salut les copains. This legendary image showcased nearly fifty of the most successful singers of the 1960s, including Johnny Hallyday, Claude François, Serge Gainsbourg, Sheila, Eddy Mitchell, Hugues Aufray, and many others.
However, Jordan’s singing career didn’t progress much further, as he returned to his original plan of becoming a dental surgeon. He went on to practice dentistry for around 50 years, treating a number of celebrity patients.
Although his singing career was brief, he was honored as a Chevalier in the Légion d’honneur in 1996. Jordan also became an Officer in the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 2005.