Jean-Jacques Blairon (born on August 9, 1947), better known as J.J. Lionel, was a Belgian singer and musician who achieved international fame with his 1981 worldwide hit, “La Danse des canards.” A highly-skilled bass player, Blairon studied at the Mons conservatory, where he won several prizes and awards for his dexterity with the instrument. He then started a successful stint as a studio musician, playing for bands like The Jewels, Wallace Collection, and Hector Delfosse’s Orchestra. It was during a show with the latter that he performed the Austrian instrumental composition “Volgeltchesdans,” generating a great reaction from the audience. Delfosse saw great potential in the song and encouraged Blairon to record a version with vocals. Featuring lyrics by Belgian singer Éric Genty, “La Danse des canards” (1981) was an overwhelming international hit and eventually became the most successful best-selling vinyl single ever in France, holding a record of 2,5 million copies. Following his debut single’s success, Blairon went on to record more than 45 LPs and devoted the rest of his career to making children’s music before passing away in July 2020.
