Hugues Aufray

Born in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France on August 18, 1929, Hugues Jean Marie Auffray is a folk singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He is best-known for his original compositions “Santiano”, "Céline", "Stewball", "Elle descend de la montagne", and "Hasta Luego". Outside of his original material, he is also credited as introducing France to the music of Bob Dylan through his French-language cover versions. Aufray’s own career began as a songwriter for others, but he soon became an artist in his own right when he signed his first record deal in 1959. His debut release was the 1959 EP Le Poinçonneur des Lilas (with a cover of Serge Gainsbourg's song). This release was followed by a series of singles and EPs including Santiano (1961). While touring with Peter, Paul, and Mary in 1962, he met Bob Dylan in New York. He began to translate Dylan’s songs into French, leading to his third album Aufray Chante Dylan, released in 1965. Aufray continued to build an immensely successful career with his original material and French interpretations of English-language songs. His songs became standards, adored by fans of all ages and generations. His catalog includes best-selling studio albums, live releases, and compilations, including the 2011 release, Troubadour Since 1948, which found Aufray revisiting many of his most famous songs.