Author, composer and performer, Yvan Autain or Yvan Dautin to the stage, was born in Saint-Jean-de-Monts (Vendée) on May 6, 1945. He gave up his studies in modern literature for songwriting and, armed with his texts and compositions played on the piano, signed with the Pathé label for the recording of two super singles, Les Fiancées (1968) and La Comptine du Cétacé (1969), followed by a first album arranged by François Rabbath and immediately including one of the major titles of his repertoire, "La Méduse". On the strength of this success, Yvan Dautin produced a second LP for his new Disc'AZ label, written with guitarist Alain Le Douarin and featuring contributions from Maxime Le Foretier, Michel Graillier, Jean-Louis Chautemps, Michel Roques, Patrice Caratini and a string quartet. Once again untitled, this album features the songs "La Malmariée", "Kate " and "Au fou les pompiers " (written with Philippe Lavil), a blend of jazz and classical arrangements. After opening for Julien Clerce and Maxime Le Forestier at the Olympia in Paris, the singer went on to record "La Portugaise" (1976), on the album Lé Fame é les Enfan Dabor [sic], orchestrated by Jean Musy, then Quand J'Étais Dromadaire (1977), led by Bernard Lubat, who appeared alongside him in concert in a jazz band with brass section, resulting in Enregistrement Public (1978). In 1979, Pataquès received the same jazz treatment with the collaboration of François Jeanneau, from whom the 45-turn single "Est-ce que c'est salsa" was omitted. In 1980, Yvan Dautin played the role of Thénardier in the musical Les Misérables directed by Robert Hossein at the Palais des Sports. Back in the studio with Le Jour Se Lève du Pied Gauche (1981), in allusion to the presidential election won by François Mitterrand), the singer was accompanied by Daniel Goyonne, Richard Galliano, Patrick Bourgoin, John Woolloff and Joe Hammer. His next albums were Boulevard des Batignolles (1982), Entre Chien et Loup (1988), Le Cœur Cerise (1994), Ne Pense Plus, Dépense! (recorded live in piano-voice, 2008), then Un Monde à Part (2012), Le Cœur à l'Encan (2019) and La Plume au Cœur (live, 2020). He is the father of Clémentine Autain, a politician born of his union with actress Dominique Laffin.
