A rock pioneer in France, Richard Anthony enjoyed many successes during the
yé-yé period and beyond. Born Ricardo Abraham Btesh in Cairo, Egypt, on January
13, 1938, to a family of Syrian and English descent, he spent his early years in
his native country, before his parents went into exile in Argentina and then
England. Arriving in France in 1951, he worked as a sales representative after
his studies and frequented jazz clubs, playing saxophone at the Vieux-Colombier.
The discovery of American rock'n'roll fascinated the young amateur musician, who
decided to adapt it to French a...