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CTV, Wednesday, July 09, 2003
Celine Dion appears for free at Gatineau show

CTV.ca News Staff
BREAKING NEWS


Celine Dion appeared in the Ottawa suburb of Gatineau Wednesday night to pay
tribute to the Algerian-born songwriter who helped launch her career.

Eddy Marnay, a legendary composer who worked with Charlie Chaplin and Barbra
Streisand, died in January at the age of 82. He started working with Dion when
the Quebec singer was only 13.

Born in Algiers, Marnay moved to Paris in 1937, where he became involved first
in the film business, then dived into the music world. In 1948, he and a group
of musicians wrote "Lovers of Paris," which became a hit for French songstress
Edith Piaf.

Marnay wrote mostly for French singers, but was a favourite of North Americans.
When Barbra Streisand recorded her hit "Evergreen" in French, Marnay supplied
the lyrics. He is credited with the lyrics to more than 4,000 songs.

Dion took a leave from her Las Vegas show to appear this week for free at the
premiere of "Simply Marnay," at La Maison de la Culture in Gatineau. Marnay
wrote the lyrics for her breakthrough album in 1981, La voix du bon dieu (God's
Voice).

The name of the song came, according to Dion's bio, when Marnay heard the demo
tape of Celine's voice.

All 849 tickets for Wednesday's show were gone within an hour, when they went on
sale last month. Fans without tickets had a chance to see their idol for free,
though, lining up to see her as she went into rehearsal and out.

Dion signed autographs and took pictures with excited fans before her rehearsal
Tuesday afternoon.

"Eddy was like a father to me in the industry," Dion said. "It's hard to find
the words. He was always there. I just had to be here for this."




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