PARIS – Frankie Jordan, a key figure in the French Yé-Yé music movement of the early 1960s, has died at the age of 86. Born Claude Benzaquen,he passed away on Tuesday,June 3,in Neuilly-sur-Seine following a battle with cancer,his family confirmed to AFP on Wednesday.

Jordan’s career began with meaningful contributions to the burgeoning Yé-Yé scene, highlighted by his collaborations with Sylvie Vartan. The duets, including I like the way you do that and Petrol failure, were pivotal in launching Vartan’s career.

He also gained recognition for his interpretations of American songs, most notably You talk too much, a French version of Joe Jones’s hit You Talk Too Much.

From Pop Star to Dental Practise

“He sings in 1961 with Sylvie Vartan two duos who launched the latter’s career, I like the way you do that et Petrol failure.”

In June 1963, Frankie Jordan performed at the Night of the Nation, a large concert held at Place de la Nation in Paris that drew approximately 150,000 attendees, largely drawn by the presence of Johnny Hallyday.

Despite his early success, Jordan chose to pursue a different path, returning to his original ambition of becoming a dental surgeon. He practiced dentistry for fifty years, serving a clientele that included numerous celebrities.

In 1966, he was featured in a famous photograph alongside nearly fifty other successful singers from the 1960s for the magazine Sali Les Copains, alongside Johnny Hallyday, Claude François, Sheila, eddy Mitchell, Hugues Aufray, and others. In the iconic shot, Frankie Jordan stood between Serge Gainsbourg and Michèle torr.