Willy DeVille leaves us at 55. Too early, far too early of course, but also at the end of a career full of happiness shared with its audience.
The punk of the seventies and eighties, without losing anything of its strength and inventiveness, had turned into a kind of hero of cloak and sword, with the false airs of Errol Flynn Latino.
He enjoyed to multiply the incursions, always happy, in the most varied musical territories, from soul music to salsa, through rhythm'n blues or Cajun accents. His mariachi version of "Hey Joe", a classic of rock, shows how he was a master of this delicate art of mixing.
He was a great admirer of Edith Piaf, a crazy lover of Paris where he had recorded his unforgettable album, "Le chat bleu". He loved France and we loved him.
Paris, 7 August 2009