Hollywood pays tribute to Charles Aznavour Thursday: the legendary singer-songwriter has finally received, at 93 years of age, his star on the “Walk of Fame”, in the middle of a constellation of other stars.
“I am French and Armenian, the two are inseparable like milk and coffee,” said Aznavour, in English, to the cheers of hundreds of fans upon his arrival on the Hollywood Boulevard.
A few minutes before the ceremony, a poster at the top of the theatre, Pantages, dedicated to musicals, announced in large letters that the musician and actor franco-Armenian was going to see his star, the 2 618ème of the Walk of fame, inaugurated and cemented on the forecourt.
Several hundreds of fans, many Armenians, but also people from France, Belgium and west Africa – have warmly welcomed the singer, who arrived in a blue suit and tinted glasses, with her guests.
“I’m a fan but this is mostly for my parents that I am here, I am going to send them photos. It is a great singer he has toured a lot in Africa. I like his songs Hes and La Bohème,” and John Hode, a man of 38 years old came to settle in Los Angeles since the Benin
Baydsar Thomasian, a member of the team of california state senator Kevin de Leon, who represents Hollywood which has a very large Armenian community, has taken the initiative to request that a star in the name of Aznavour is shining, finally, on the famous “Walk of Fame”.
“As Armenians, we are extremely proud to make it known to the world. Of course, he is French, but we have the feeling that he is also Armenian and we want to share this honor with the entire world,” explained to the AFP Mrs. Thomasian during the preparations for the ceremony a few days ago.
Shahnourh Varinag Aznavourian, his real name, “has written hundreds of songs that are very known. It has received lots of awards for his work, and it’s still going up on stage at his age, it’s beautiful… You really feel that it deserves,” said Ana Martinez, producer of the ceremonies on the “Walk of Fame”.
The one who has been declared by a poll from CNN and Time, in 1998, the “singer of variety the most important of the 20th century”, ahead of icons such as Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, and Frank Sinatra, has sold over 180 million records, written 1 300 songs in multiple languages, and played in over 60 films.
Born in Paris of parents armenians, and became one of the most ardent champions of the Armenian diaspora, he came to Hollywood last year to receive an honorary degree.
“I come to Hollywood for years, I’ve worked a lot in the United States because (…) the country of the “show business”, this is America,” he declared to the AFP.
The author and performer of “La Boheme”, “Take me” or “My Grief” is part twenty of the “persons born French and honoured on the Walk of Fame. And there are also, of course, of the Americans with French roots. In 2009, we gave a star to Leslie Caron… It is located next to that of Louis Jourdan at the far end of the street,” said Ana Martinez.