Real name Michel Simonet, singer Mike Shannon replaced Dick Rivers in Les Chats Sauvages from 1962 to 1964, before embarking on a rock'n'roll solo career. Born in Toulouse on March 3, 1945, he formed the rock'n'roll groups Les Flammes Bleues and Les Vengeurs, before answering an audition ad to replace Dick Rivers in Les Chats Sauvages. Winner among 180 applicants, he joined the group in October 1962, and took part in the recording of seven EPs and one album, until the band split up at the end of 1964. Mike Shannon then embarked on a solo career, with three EPs released by Vogue in 1966, two of them by George Brummell, and a series of singles throughout the 1970s. Under the name Mike Shannon and the Blue Caps, he produced the album Rockin' Man 60 (1971), and rejoined Les Chats Sauvages for their second reunion in 1987. He went on to compose for various artists, including the group Gold, and created a country music festival in Mirande, alongside the albums Dingue de Rock (1993), Rock'n'Roll Odyssée (1993), Rock & Slow (1993) and Country Songs (1996). In 1997, he signed with Magic Records, releasing the compilation L'Intégrale 1962-1968 and recording the albums Du Rock'n'Roll au Country (1998), Exil (2000) and Home (2009). In 2006, Anthologie 1962-2006 was released. Back on stage in the 2000s, Mike Shannon continued his career with EPM with the album Chante Elvis (2017).
