Person Open DS/UK/8537 Aznavour; Charles (22 May 1924-1 October 2018); French-born Armenian singer songwriter, actor, diplomat Aznavour Charles 22 May 1924-1 October 2018 French-born Armenian singer songwriter, actor, diplomat Male (cisgender) Shahnour Vaghinag Aznavourian Paris, France (born)

Mouriès, France (died)

Armenian French Musician; Singer Songwriter Actor Political Figure | Diplomat White No known disability No known religious affiliation Son of Michael Aznavourian (Armenian immigrant) and Knar Baghdasarian (Armenian from Smyrna) Spouse of Ulla Thorsell Former spouse of Megan Rugel and Evelyn Plessis Heterosexual Charles Aznavour; born Shahnour Vaghinag Aznavourian, was a French-Armenian singer, lyricist, and diplomat. Aznavour was known for his distinctive tenor voice: clear and ringing in its upper reaches, with gravelly and profound low notes. In a career as a composer, singer and songwriter, spanning over 70 years, he recorded more than approximately 1,200 songs interpreted in 9 languages. Moreover, he wrote or co-wrote more than 1,000 songs for himself and others. Aznavour sang for presidents, popes and royalty, as well as at humanitarian events. In response to the 1988 Armenian earthquake, he founded the charitable organization Aznavour for Armenia along with his long-time friend impresario Levon Sayan. In 2009, he was appointed ambassador of Armenia to Switzerland, as well as Armenia's permanent delegate to the United Nations at Geneva. During the early stages of his career, Aznavour opened for Edith Piaf at the Moulin Rouge. Piaf then advised him to pursue a career in singing. In 1974, Aznavour became a major success in the United Kingdom when his song "She" was number 1 on the UK Singles Chart for four weeks during a fourteen-week run. His other well-known song in the UK was the 1973 "The Old Fashioned Way", which was on UK charts for 15 weeks. Awards, Honours and Legacy: In 2004, Aznavour received the title of National Hero of Armenia, Armenia's highest award. Aznavour was awarded the 2,618th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2017. During the German occupation of France during World War II, Aznavour and his family hid “a number of people who were persecuted by the Nazis, while Charles and his sister Aida were involved in rescue activities.” Their work was recognized and in 2017, Charles and his sister were awarded the Raoul Wallenberg Award for sheltering Jews during World War II. Activism and Views: Charles was an early supporter of LGBT rights. His 1972 album, Idiote je t'aime..., contained among others, one of his classics, "Comme ils disent" ("As They Say", the English version of which is titled "What Makes a Man"). The song, the story of a transvestite, was revolutionary at a time when talking about homosexuality was a taboo. Since the 1988 Armenian earthquake, Aznavour helped the country through his charity, Aznavour for Armenia. Together with his brother in-law and co-author Georges Garvarentz he wrote the song "Pour toi Arménie", which was performed by a group of famous French artists and topped the charts for eighteen weeks. In 1995 Aznavour was appointed an Ambassador and Permanent Delegate of Armenia to UNESCO. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Aznavour (2020) International Standard Archival Authority Record for Corporate Bodies, Persons and Families - ISAAR(CPF) 2nd edition - ICA 2004 ISBN 2-9521932-2-3 National Council on Archives, Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997 Yes RAHhbaulcombe 10/28/2013 RAHAKirkbride 10/10/2022 bde27c0b-5042-488f-a0e5-ca452fba475b