René Angélil
René Angélil CM OQ (French pronunciation: [ʁəne ɑ̃ʒelil]; 16 January 1942 – 14 January 2016) was a Canadian musical producer, talent manager and singer. He was latterly the manager and husband of singer Celine Dion.[1]
René Angélil
14 January 2016 (aged 73)
Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery, Montréal
- Talent manager
- record producer
- singer
- songwriter
- businessman
1961–2016
6
Early life[edit]
Angélil was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, to a father of Syrian descent and a mother of Lebanese origin.[2] His father, Joseph Angélil, was born in Montreal to parents from Damascus, Syria, and his mother, Alice Sara, was born in Montreal to Lebanese parents.[3][4] He was the older of two children; he had a brother, André (born 1945). Both of his parents were members of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church. Angélil studied at Collège Saint-Viateur (high school), in Outremont and at Collège André-Grasset (post secondary), in Montreal.
Career[edit]
Angélil started out in 1961 as a pop singer in Montreal. He formed a pop rock group, Les Baronets (fr), with childhood friends Pierre Labelle and Jean Beaulne. Les Baronets had some hits during the 1960s, mostly translations of English-language pop hits from the United Kingdom or the United States, such as 'C'est fou, mais c'est tout' in 1964 (a translation of The Beatles' song Hold Me Tight). After the dissolution of the group in 1972, Angélil and best friend Guy Cloutier began managing artists.[5]
Together they managed the career of two successful Québec entertainers René Simard and Ginette Reno, among many other pop stars at the time. They parted ways in 1981 to each become solo managers. In 1981, (not long after being terminated as Ginette's manager and considering leaving the music business to pursue law school) René heard Celine Dion's demo tape when he was considered as a potential producer for her album. He soon took over as her agent.[6] He continued as her manager until June 2014, when he stepped down because he had cancer.[7]
Angélil became one of several co-owners of Montreal's iconic Schwartz's Deli in 2012.[5]
Gambling[edit]
Angélil was an avid poker player, having qualified for the 2005 World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions, and finishing in the money at the 2007 Mirage Poker Showdown event on the World Poker Tour, a series of high-stakes tournaments. Angélil was also rumoured to be a dedicated gambler away from the poker table. He reportedly gambled upwards of $1 million a week at Caesars Palace, and kept a line of credit for the same amount at Bellagio.[13][14] In 2007, Jan Jones, a casino executive and the former mayor of Las Vegas, claimed that Angélil gambled $1 million a week, but later retracted the statement. Caesars Palace later released a statement of Angélil's gambling losses and wins with his permission.[15]
Later life, illness and death[edit]
Angélil suffered a heart attack in 1991 at age 49.[16] In 1999, he was diagnosed with throat cancer, and made a full recovery after treatment.[17] He appeared in the video for Simple Plan's song 'Save You' as a survivor of cancer.[18] In 2009, Angélil reportedly underwent a planned, heart-related medical procedure to deal with arterial blockage.[19]
Angélil had surgery in December 2013 for throat cancer.[20] In June 2014, Angélil stepped down as Dion's manager to focus on his health, but was still involved in business decisions related to her career.[21] In September 2015, Dion announced that Angélil's cancer had progressed and that he had only "months to live".[22] Angélil died on 14 January 2016, of throat cancer, at age 73.[23][24][25] He received a 'national funeral' service at Notre-Dame Basilica from the government of Quebec on 22 January, and was buried at the Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery.[26][27]
Following Angélil's death, Dion became the sole owner and president of her management and production companies, including CDA Productions and Les Productions Feeling.[28][29]
