Véronique-Marie-Line Sanson
Born 1949 in Paris
Specialties:
*Singer,*Songwriter*Piano*Guitar*Producer.
Veronique Today:
Vero has enjoyed a long and varied career and has sold millions
of records and won many top music awards in France. Her career
has spanned from the 60's to today. She has just completed work
on a new album that was released in France September of 1999,
called "D'un papillon à une étoile", (From a Butterfly to a Star).
It contains 14 songs written by Michel Berger, Vero's mentor. Vero
is currently touring behind her new release in spring of 2000.
She has been working on an auto-biography and new home video as
well as the new record release. Her son Christopher, is a now
a recording artist in his own right. Chris Stills, signed to Atlantic
records, is currently working on his follow up effort to his well
received first release from 1998, "100 Year Thing."
Veronique's History:
Veronique started playing music as a child. Her early musical
influences were Mozart, Gershwin, Sergio Mendès, The Mamas and
the Papas, Ray Charles, The Beatles, Dionne Warwick, and Bobbie
Gentrie. She had her professional start in music in 1967, when
she joined a group, called the "Les Roche-Martin" trio. They recorded
some singles. They were produced by Michel Berger and Claude-Michel
Schönberg. The first solo single was released in 1969, produced
by Michel Berger. It was called "Le printemps est là". In 1971
she was signed to Elektra records, and she recorded her first
album.
On March 26th, 1972, Stephen Stills played at the Olympia with
his band Manassas, in France. During that time Stephen first met
Veronique at the home of Bernard de Bosson (a manager of WEA).
Their love was said to be christened "at-first-sight". Véronique
Sanson and Stephen Stills were married on March 14 1973 near Guildford,
England. Stephen had a home in Elstead, Surrey England. After
they married, Stephen and Vero went to live in the states, in
the rocky mountains of Colorado.
Stephen Stills appeared on Vero's 1974 release entitled, "Le Maudit".
It was recorded in Los Angeles and includes Joe Lala, Donnie Dacus,
Kenny Passarelli, Russ Kunkel, Leland Sklar and Conrad Isadore,
with Bill Halverson collaborating on the engineering of the album.
Stills plays bass on On M'Attend La-Bas. Veronique wrote a song
for this record a song entitled "Christopher", for Stills and
Sanson's son. Christopher Stills was born on April 19th 1974 in
Denver, Colorado.
Stephen and Vero separated in 1979, and Véronique moved to Los
Angeles. They officially divorced in 1981, the year that Véronique
went back to live in France permanently.
Songs by Veronique that have been known to be written for Stephen
Stills include "Je suis la seule", "When We're Together", and
"How Many Lies".
-"Je suis la seule" can be found on: 7e (1977) and LES PLUS BELLES
CHANSONS DE VÉRONIQUE SANSON compilation from (1994).
-"When We're Together" can be found on: VANCOUVER (1976) and SYMPHONIQUE
SANSON (1990)
-"How Many Lies" can be found on: HOLLYWOOD (1977)
Thoughts on Vero:
Veronique Sanson is a very passionate, singer and performer.
Stills and Sanson are musical forces in two different worlds,
yet they are two strong personalities who both command the stage
and their audiences.
Their union influenced each other's song writing. Veronique and
Stephen share similar musical muses, both known for writing melancholic
songs. Veronique favors piano compositions, and Stills during
his marriage to Sanson seemed to be going deeper into his own
piano period. His classic 1975 piano piece "Myth of Sisyphus";
which appears on the album entitled "Stills"; could be deemed
highly inspired by Veronique. A lament, a love song, a heart wrenching
soul clenching work. "I've got a country home, and you a Parisian"......
It is my observation, in the years since their breakup; he played
and performed less and less piano based songs, on albums and live
in concert. In turn I feel that Vero's time with Stephen influenced
her as well, most prevalent when she plays electric guitar. Her
vocals and guitar attack is very "Stillesque"; Her stage persona
seems to me to impose the similar urgency, pride and emotion,
that Stills emotes. She is a feminine yet; a "ballsy" woman, if
you will. Their time together instigated the muses to create the
drama of song and words.
Fall 1999 release
"D'un Papillion A Une Etoile"
A tribute to the late singer Michel Berger.
