Born in Paris in 1952, he studied music as a child and won his first post as the orchestra leader at a Parisian club at the age of 18. After additional work with the French producer Barclay during the early '70s, he released his first solo album, Love in C-Minor, in 1976. The title track proved a massive European hit and worked its way into the American Top 40 as well. Although he only placed one more single in the U.S., Cerrone stayed popular on his native continent over the course of a career spanning a dozen albums. He did, however, see a spike in his global popularity and recognition in the post-internet era, due in part to documentaries that helped define his contribution to disco. He even occasionally released new material, including his 2016 album Red Lips. ~ John Bush