‘French Elvis’ dies of cancer at 74

Johnny Hallyday, whose death at 74 was announced by his wife and the French president on Wednesday, was a rock ’n’ roll giant in France and survived drug use, family strife and neardeath episodes to strut the stage for 50 years. Hallyday, with his cowboy swagger and gravelly voice, was a “French Elvis” for millions of followers, mostly if not all in his native country, where he sold more records than any other singer. Hallyday is credited with sales of more than 100 million albums over the decades.