French singer Gilbert Montagné is still carrying the weight of a painful goodbye. Years after the loss of Johnny Hallyday, the artist opened up about a lifelong bond, yet ended on a bitter note.
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Long before he ever shared a stage with the icon, Montagné was just a nine-year-old boy losing himself in the music.
During a recent appearance on the magazine Public’s show “On dit tout au Public,” hosted by Karim Sebbouh, the singer reflected on his youth. He spent those early years spinning Hallyday’s records and jumping around his family’s dining room with such intensity that neighbors frequently worried “the little one” would knock down the suspension from the noise.
From Shy Admirer to Pavillon de Paris Co-Star
That childhood fandom finally materialized in 1972 when Montagné met Hallyday face-to-face.
The singer admitted to Public that he felt extremely shy during their initial introduction. That early hesitation soon faded.
The relationship eventually reached a major milestone when Hallyday invited him to play alongside him at the Pavillon de Paris. Montagné described the invitation to Public as the ultimate “consecration” and the realization of a childhood dream.
The Pain of Being Left Off the Guest List
Despite their shared history on and off the stage, Montagné was notably missing from Hallyday’s funeral in Paris in December 2017. He received no invitation.
Speaking with Karim Sebbouh, the artist acknowledged that his absence remains a painful memory years later. He wanted to pay a final tribute to his friend, but the doors were closed to him.
Looking Past the Politics to a Soul-Deep Connection
“It’s a lapse in taste, let’s say, but I bear no grudge against anyone. It hurt me,” Montagné told Public.
Even so, he emphasized that the formal service mattered far less than the genuine history they built while Hallyday was still alive. Summing up their dynamic to Public, Montagné stated that they shared a connection of souls, dismissing the rest as “bullshit.”
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