Born in Antwerp in 1939, Ferre became a true icon in the sixties, adored by youngsters and hippies and hated by the establishment. His successful debut album in 1966, which featured the hits “Ring Ring, I’ve Got to Sing,” “Crucified Jesus,” and “Drunken Sailor,” brought him an international breakthrough with concerts in Paris, London, and Hamburg, leading to a contract with the famous French Barclay label. The next three albums did not equal the initial commercial success — a pressure the music business was happy to put on his shoulders. Still, these three albums, reissued in their original packaging and artwork on vinyl for the very first time, are loaded with hidden gems, combining folk, blues, and psychedelics in Ferre’s original songs.

Grignard sadly succumbed to throat cancer in 1982 at the early age of 43.