In 1966, a funny wacko landed on the airwaves. His first album, soberly titled Jacques Dutroncfeatures several hits that have spanned the ages. Les Play-Boys, Cacti, And me, and me, and me or even Mini-mini-mini become the anthems of an entire generation. At 23, the young Parisian’s career was definitively launched. And he will continue his momentum by achieving success on his following albums. However, nothing was won for Jacques Dutroncwho, during his adolescence, had to deal with illness, before doing so on the guitar.
Jacques Dutronc had several health problems early in his life
A crucial period during which the teenager became a musician. A few years before his first, completely unsuccessful meeting with Françoise Hardy, the young Jacques Dutronc was not making music. But at the age of 16, he contracted an illness that would completely change his life. In his memoirs entitled And me, and me, and methe musician recounted these health problems, which were not the first in his life: « At 16, I was struck by rheumatic fever, known as rheumatic fever. “de Bouillaudâ€named after the French doctor who identified it. At 3 years old, I had already suffered from an inguinal hernia ».
What is Bouillaud’s disease, which affected Jacques Dutronc as a teenager?
Acute rheumatic fever can appear following a bacterial infection. It often occurs after strep throatfor example, and forces the immune system to attack infected areas. The destruction of tissues causes, among other things, inflammation in the joints. As a result, at the age when we dream of going out with our friends, Jacques Dutronc had to remain cloistered at home for a year with this pain. It was for this reason that he began to learn the guitar on his own, borrowing his brother’s instrument, and began to reproduce the hits he heard on the radio or on records.
What is Jacques Dutronc’s state of health today?
Bouillaud’s disease can leave cardiac after-effects. And this is precisely a weakness of Thomas Dutronc’s dad, who has lived in Corsica for many years. In February 2025, the son that the singer had with Françoise Hardy gave news of his father in the columns of Figaro. He who saw him “once or twice a week” revealed the daily life of Jacques Dutronc, who must now take care of himself: “He doesn’t move much anymore when it’s hot, it’s bad for his heartâ€. Thomas Dutronc wanted to be reassuring by adding: “Otherwise, he’s fine. HAS”
