He sold millions of albums, filled concert halls in France, Belgium and Switzerland for decades - now singer Frank Michael (1947-2026) has passed away at the age of 79. Six months after his last concert, he succumbed to cancer.
His daughter Sandra Gabelli confirmed the news on Facebook. She emphasized that the singer is currently lying in state and fans have the opportunity to say goodbye in person. "I know how much his audience meant to him", Gabelli continued. The funeral service will take place on June 20.
Frank Michael died of lung cancer
According to French and Belgian media, Frank Michael died on Friday morning from the effects of a particularly aggressive form of lung cancer. As the French newspaper "Le Parisien" reported, Michael continued to perform on stage until the very end despite his illness. Last December he gave several concerts - his last performance took place on December 14 in Bischwiller in Alsace.
Frank Michael was born in Italy and moved to Liège in Belgium with his family at the age of three. His musical career began in the early 1970s, quickly making him one of the most prominent voices in French-language schlager music. His best-known songs include "Toutes les femmes sont belles" and "Après tant d'années d'amour".
Although Frank Michael enjoyed great success primarily in France, Belgium and Switzerland, he also tried to gain a stronger foothold in German-speaking regions. In 2007 he recorded a duet with German schlager singer Mary Roos (77), which the two also performed on German television.
