Celine Dion's Life

Biography

CELINE DION'S CHILDHOOD

Céline Dion is born on March 30, 1968 in Le Gardeur Hospital in Repentigny. Her family lives in the city of Charlemagne, Quebec. It is a song by French author-compositor-singer Hugues Aufray entitled Céline that inspired Thérèse and Adhémar Dion to name their daughter Céline.
The youngest of fourteen children and coming from a very musical family, Céline's brothers and sisters soon discover that some notes make Céline cry.
On August 18, 1973, Céline sings Du fil, des aiguilles et du coton, for the first time in public at her brother Michel's marriage.
Furthermore, Céline listens to the members of her family singing and playing music at the Vieux Baril, an inn belonging to her father and her sister Claudette. Occasionally, Céline also sings at the Vieux Baril and captivates the public with her voice. Appreciated a lot by the customers who fill the restaurant, Céline accepts politely the special demands and the applausses reserved for her.

1981

An demo tape recorded when she was twelve falls in the hands of a manager, René Angélil. The audio tape includes the song Ce n'était qu'un rêve, written by Thérèse Céline's mother, her brother Jacques and Céline herself. At once, René is taken by the magnificent voice and a little time after he mortgages his house in order to finance the recording of Céline's very first album, La Voix Du Bon Dieu. The first extract of the album is Ce n'était qu'un rêve.
On June 19, Céline makes her first broadcast appearance. She sings to what is in the time a very popular french canadian broadcast animated by Michel Jasmin. Céline is fairly serious before the recording, but after some notes of Ce n'était qu'un rêve, she feels already comfortable.
Early in December, a Christmas album is aired, Céline Dion chante Noël.

1982

In Fall, Céline already releases a new album, Tellement J'ai D'Amour...
On October 31, she wins the Golden Medal in the category Better song with Tellement j'ai d'amour pour toi at the Yamaha World Popular Song Festival. It is the first time that Céline sings in front of an international public.

1983

On January 24, Céline is chosen to represent Canada with D'amour ou d'amitié, as revelation of the year at the International Market of the Disk and the Musical Publishing (MIDEM) in Cannes.
On January 29, Céline participates in Michel Drucker's broadcast, 'Champs-Elysées' in Paris. Michel presents her in these words: "Ladies and Gentlemen, you'll never forget the voice you're about to hear. Remember this name: Céline Dion!". She sings there D'amour ou d'amitié.
She releases in France, the compilation album Du Soleil Au Coeur and registers two broadcasts: 'Les jeux de 20:00' and 'Croque-vacances'; in the second, she performs L'amour viendra.
On September 1, she becomes the first Canadian to receive a Golden Disc in France with her song D’amour ou d’amitié, sold to more than 700,000 copies.
She releases a 4th french canadian album, Les Chemins De Ma Maison.
In September, Céline sings at the inauguration of the Theater Félix-Leclerc. Félix Leclerc, who died afterward, is present during the event, and Céline performs his famous song Bozo.
At the gala of the Association of the Disc and the Industry of French Canadian Show (ADISQ), she wins her first four awards Félix.
Later in the year, she releases a second Christmas album, Chants Et Contes de Noël.

1984

In August, Céline sings in front of several dozens thousand persons at the Vieux-Ports in Montréal and in Québec to celebrate the 450th anniversary of the discovery of Canada by Jacques Cartier.
Later in August, she releases the album Mélanie.
On September 11, she sings Une colombe for the Pope John-Paul II and thousands of people at the Olympic Stadium in Montréal.
On September 17, she releases, in the hospital for children Sainte-Justine in Montréal, the compilation album Les Plus Grands Succès De Céline Dion.
She wins at the ADISQ two others Félix.
She releases as well a new album, Les Oiseaux Du Bonheur
From November 6 till December 9, in Paris, Céline performs during five weeks at the Olympia in first part of the humorist Patrick Sébastien. Her show included a fancy-dress ball with the cooperation of the public, for which Céline disguised as dancer of flamenco.

1985

Early in the year, Céline does a first french canadian tour which leads her to the Place des Arts (Montréal).
Later in the summer, she releases her 8th french canadian album, C'est Pour Toi.
In autumn, Céline wins five Félix, at the gala of the ADISQ in Québec.
In December, is released the first 'live' album Céline Dion En Concert recorded on May 31 on the Place des Arts during her tour.

1986

Céline takes a break for 18 months.

Céline gets ready for her international career by taking English intensive courses at the Berlitz school in Montreal.

1987

On April 2, Céline releases the album Incognito.
During summer, Céline sings at the annual congress of CBS Canada in the Estérel, a big hotel situated in Laurentides, in the North of Montréal. Besides three foreseen songs, she sings Can't we try in duet with Dan Hill.
In autumn, Céline participates for the first time in the ceremony of the Junos in Toronto and sings Have a heart.

1988

On April 30, Céline wins Eurovision contest in Dublin, Irlande, with the song Ne partez pas sans moi. Céline represented Switzerland for the contest.
In May, she begins a lightning tour in Europe.
She wins again 4 awards Félix at the gala of the ADISQ.

1989

She begins the recording of her first English album Unison which will last more than year.

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