BIOS of Beautiful music musicians: Francis Lai

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Francis Lai, Oscar-Winning 'Love Story' Composer, Dies at 86

French composer Francis Lai, who won an Oscar for his movie score in Love Story, has died aged 86. Lai, whose death was announced by France’s Culture Ministry, quickly rose through the ranks at the start of his career, composing songs for Edith Piaf and Yves Montand. He turned his attention to the silver screen in the 1960s after meeting director Claude Lelouch, and wrote the title track music for 1966’s Oscar-winning A Man And A Woman. Lai’s success culminated with his 1970 Academy Award for the score of Love Story. Its main song Where Do I Begin? is near-universally known thanks to popular renditions by Andy Williams and Shirley Bassey. The mayor of Nice, Lai’s birthplace, said he hopes to name “an emblematic place of our city” after Lai.

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Francis Lai

(born April 26, 1932, Nice, Alpes-Maritimes, France) is a French accordionist, and composer noted for his film scores. While in his twenties, Francis Lai left home and went to Paris where he became part of the lively Montmartre music scene. In 1965 he met filmmaker Claude Lelouch and was hired to help write the score for the film, Un homme et une femme (A Man and A Woman). Released in 1966, the film was a major international success, earning a number of Academy Awards, and for the young Francis Lai, a Golden Globe Award nomination for "Best Original Score".