Jacques Romain Georges Brel

One of the most important historical figures in Belgium is Jacques Romain Georges Brel. He (April 8, 1929 – October 9, 1978) was a Belgian singer and actor who wrote and performed literary, intellectual, and theatrical songs that drew a big, devoted following, primarily in Belgium and France, but later worldwide. He is regarded as a modern chanson master.

Despite the fact that he recorded the majority of his songs in French and rarely in Dutch, he influenced English-language composers and singers such as Scott Walker, David Bowie, Alex Harvey, Marc Almond, Neil Hannon, and Rod McKuen. Many artists, including Bowie, Walker, Ray Charles, Judy Collins, John Denver, The Kingston Trio, Nina Simone, Shirley Bassey, James Dean Bradfield, Frank Sinatra, and Andy Williams, recorded English adaptations of his compositions.

Brel was a well-known actor who appeared in ten films. He directed two films, one of which, Le Far West, won the Palme d'Or at the 1973 Cannes Film Festival. Brel is the third-best-selling Belgian recording artist of all time, having sold over 25 million records worldwide. In 1950, Brel married Thérèse "Miche" Michielsen, with whom he had three children. From 1972 until his death in 1978, he was also in a romantic connection with actress and dancer Maddly Bamy.