Ringo (singer)
| Ringo | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Guy Bayle |
| Born | 11 May 1947 |
| Origin | Toulouse, Occitanie, France |
| Genres | Pop music |
| Occupation(s) | Singer |
| Years active | 1972–early 1980s |
Ringo (born Guy Bayle 11 May 1947), in Toulouse, Occitanie, France, also known as Ringo Willy Cat is a French pop–singer, who became famous in the seventies. According to Billboard magazine he "enjoyed a huge amount of sales" with various hits. Ringo was cited by Billboard as an example of a French artist having a big impact in exporting French songs to the international arena and creating international hits despite the existing language barrier which the French artists face abroad. He was married to Sheila, a female French singer. Ringo's career ended in the mid–'80s.
Ringo, during his high-school years in Toulouse, enjoyed reading Albert Camus as well as literary works by other authors. He also wrote and performed songs and played the guitar. As a composer he was influenced by the American music of the era. In the late '60s he met musician Pierre Groscolas and the two formed the group Chœurs. After some initial success in Toulouse, the group decided to go to Paris.
Ringo was discovered in Paris by Mario Padovan, a photographer and publisher of teen-girl magazines Nous Deux and Télé Poche who suggested to the young artist that he appear in one of his magazines. It was during a photo shoot at Padovan's magazines that Ringo met his future wife, Sheila. Meeting her led to his being introduced to Claude Carrère, who became the manager of his musical career.
Carrère, a pioneer, who at the time, was France's most successful independent producer, launched Ringo's career in 1971. His first big hit under Carrère's management was Elle, je ne veux qu’elle. Carrère wanted to capture the teenage market before they were attracted by established stars. Carrère augmented his distribution network by entering into a deal with Sonopresse in 1972. Under the deal, he released his first two discs under the Sonopresse label, one of which was Trop Belle Pour Rester Seule by Ringo. At the time, he also sang Help, Get Me Some Help in French, selling over one million records in France. He also sang a rendition of the international hit, "Mamy Blue", by Los Pop Tops.
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