Charles Dumont, composer of ‘Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien’, dies aged 95

Singer-songwriter Charles Dumont has died after suffering from a long-term illness, his family revealed. Dupont wrote songs for some of the music world’s biggest stars, including Barbara Streisand, Gloria Lasso, Tino Rossi and Dalida.

However, Dumont was thrown into the spotlight by one song in particular – ‘Non Je Ne Regrette Rien’ – which he worked hard to convince Edith Piaf to sing.

Dupont first wrote the song in 1956, aged 27 years old. However, Piaf would only accept to sing the song a few years later in 1960. Her rendition of ‘Non Je Ne Regrette Rien’ at the famous Parisian Olympia venue in December of that year, is what would propel him to stardom.

Dupont went on to write around thirty other songs for Piaf, even singing the tune ‘Les Amants’ alongside her.

Although Dumont was passionate about music from a young age, his attempts to learn musical theory and piano were unsuccessful. This led him to start off with the trumpet, inspired by the music of the great Louis Armstrong.

When he found himself unable to continue playing the trumpet for health reasons, he turned to writing songs.

French Minister of Culture Rachida Dati celebrated the composer’s achievement in a statement posted on X, qualifying him as a “sacred figure of French music.”