Known best for her starring role as the titular character from the French
musical Irma la Douce, the late Colette Renard was an actor and famed singer of
French chanson who maintained a successful career over nearly five decades. Born
Colette Lucie Raget on 1 November 1924 in Ermont, Val d'Oise, France, she
learned to play cello and had singing lessons before getting her break as Irma
La Douce in 1956, and released her first studio album, Chante Paris, the
following year. Over the years, she continued to release music at a consistent
rate, often recording traditional French songs...