Raymond Louis Auguste Lefebvre, born 20 November 1929 in Calais, France, was a pianist, conductor, arranger, and composer best known for his easy‑listening orchestral works, especially the scores for the Le Gendarme film series starring Louis de Funès. After winning first prize for piano and flute at the Conservatoire de Paris, he played jazz with clarinetist Hubert Rostaing and tenor‑saxophonist Bobby Jaspar in the early 1950s. Lefebvre’s breakthrough came in 1956 when his version of "The Day That the Rains Came" became a best‑seller in the United States. He formed a long‑term partnership with Paul Mauriat, collaborating on arrangements, orchestra direction, and several film soundtracks, and worked frequently with Franck Pourcel, notably on the Olympic‑era work "Schuss" and on Petula Clark’s "Chariot". Lefebvre also conducted live on Guy Lux’s Le Palmarès des chansons and recorded with Dalida. His music achieved international acclaim, earning gold records in Japan for the re‑orchestration of Michel Laurent’s "Ma reine de Saba" and chart success in the US market. Lefebvre died 27 June 2008 in Seine‑Port.
