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Johnny Hallyday Honored With Rock-Star Funeral (and Hundreds of Motorbikes) Johnny Hallyday Honored With Rock-Star Funeral (and Hundreds of Motorbikes)
(35 minutes later)
PARIS — Hundreds of motorcycles roared down the Champs-Élysées and crowds sang in union as tens of thousands of fans of Johnny Hallyday, the French rock star who died this past week, lined the streets of Paris on Saturday for his funeral procession. PARIS — Hundreds of motorcycles roared down the Champs-Élysées and crowds sang in unison as tens of thousands of fans of Johnny Hallyday, the French rock star who died this past week, lined the streets of Paris on Saturday for his funeral procession.
The fans gathered under vivid blue skies and in the blistering cold to bear witness to the singer, some holding pictures or homemade signs, some crying. Many had arrived from around the country in the early morning to secure a spot along Paris’ most famous avenue, hoping to catch a glimpse of the hearse carrying Mr. Hallyday’s coffin. The fans gathered under vivid blue skies and in the blistering cold to bear witness to the singer, some holding pictures or homemade signs, some crying. Many had arrived from around the country in the early morning to secure a spot along Paris’s most famous avenue, hoping to catch a glimpse of the hearse carrying Mr. Hallyday’s coffin.
In a tribute befitting a man who sold more than 100 million records and filled stadiums around the country and beyond in a career that spanned nearly 60 years, the day was both giant in scale and intimate in sentiment.In a tribute befitting a man who sold more than 100 million records and filled stadiums around the country and beyond in a career that spanned nearly 60 years, the day was both giant in scale and intimate in sentiment.
Mourning fans described to French television and radio networks their personal connections to the star.Mourning fans described to French television and radio networks their personal connections to the star.
“We lost someone, it’s family,” a choked-up fan identified only as Manu told the BFM-TV news channel as his 13-year-old daughter, Antonia, cried by his side. “She was brought up with Johnny. She named her first comfort toy Marie,” referring to one of Mr. Hallyday’s hits.“We lost someone, it’s family,” a choked-up fan identified only as Manu told the BFM-TV news channel as his 13-year-old daughter, Antonia, cried by his side. “She was brought up with Johnny. She named her first comfort toy Marie,” referring to one of Mr. Hallyday’s hits.
The proceedings were broadcast live on several television channels, the culmination of days of breathless coverage by the French news media that started early Wednesday, when news broke that Mr. Hallyday had died at 74 of lung cancer.The proceedings were broadcast live on several television channels, the culmination of days of breathless coverage by the French news media that started early Wednesday, when news broke that Mr. Hallyday had died at 74 of lung cancer.
The procession started at the Mont-Valérien funeral parlor in Nanterre, a suburb west of Paris, and made its way to the Arc de Triomphe, where it was joined by about 700 motorcyclists. Mr. Hallyday had loved cars and motorbikes and collected them.The procession started at the Mont-Valérien funeral parlor in Nanterre, a suburb west of Paris, and made its way to the Arc de Triomphe, where it was joined by about 700 motorcyclists. Mr. Hallyday had loved cars and motorbikes and collected them.
The procession then made its way past the crowds on the Champs-Élysées to the Place de la Concorde, before reaching the Place de la Madeleine, where musicians who had worked or collaborated with Mr. Hallyday had gathered Saturday morning to play some of his greatest hits to fans gathered there. The procession then made its way past the crowds on the Champs-Élysées to the Place de la Concorde, before reaching the Place de la Madeleine, where musicians who had worked or collaborated with Mr. Hallyday had gathered Saturday morning to play some of his greatest hits to fans there.
The crowd first went silent and then cheered with calls of “Johnny!” when the hearse reached and slowly made its way across the square, while Mr. Hallyday’s wife, Laeticia, and their two daughters walked in tow.The crowd first went silent and then cheered with calls of “Johnny!” when the hearse reached and slowly made its way across the square, while Mr. Hallyday’s wife, Laeticia, and their two daughters walked in tow.
A giant black and white portrait of Mr. Hallyday had been set up in front of the Madeleine church, where his funeral was held and attended by dozens of famous singers, actors and top government officials, including President Emmanuel Macron and two of his predecessors, the socialist François Hollande and the conservative Nicolas Sarkozy.A giant black and white portrait of Mr. Hallyday had been set up in front of the Madeleine church, where his funeral was held and attended by dozens of famous singers, actors and top government officials, including President Emmanuel Macron and two of his predecessors, the socialist François Hollande and the conservative Nicolas Sarkozy.
“You had to be here for Johnny, because from the beginning, Johnny was there for you,” Mr. Macron said from the steps of the Madeleine church before Mr. Hallyday’s funeral. “You had to be here for Johnny, because from the beginning, Johnny was there for you,” Mr. Macron said from the steps of the Madeleine church before the funeral.
“In each of your lives, there was that moment where one of his songs expressed what you had in your hearts, what we had in our hearts.”“In each of your lives, there was that moment where one of his songs expressed what you had in your hearts, what we had in our hearts.”
Mr. Macron said that Mr. Hallyday, who managed the “highly improbable” feat of taking an Anglo-Saxon name and enthralling French audiences with his personal blend of American blues and rock ’n’ roll, was “much more than a singer.”Mr. Macron said that Mr. Hallyday, who managed the “highly improbable” feat of taking an Anglo-Saxon name and enthralling French audiences with his personal blend of American blues and rock ’n’ roll, was “much more than a singer.”
“He was part of ourselves, he was part of France,” Mr. Macron added.“He was part of ourselves, he was part of France,” Mr. Macron added.
Friday night, the words “Merci Johnny” were projected onto the Eiffel Tower, where the rock star attracted hundreds of thousands of concertgoers in 2000 and again in 2009.Friday night, the words “Merci Johnny” were projected onto the Eiffel Tower, where the rock star attracted hundreds of thousands of concertgoers in 2000 and again in 2009.
Mr. Hallyday will be buried on Monday on Saint-Barthélemy, the French Caribbean island that was recently battered by Hurricane Irma, and where he owned a villa.Mr. Hallyday will be buried on Monday on Saint-Barthélemy, the French Caribbean island that was recently battered by Hurricane Irma, and where he owned a villa.