chansonnier

A chansonnier (French pronunciation: [ʃɑ̃sɔnje]; female: chansonnière, [ʃɑ̃sɔnjɛʁ]) was a poet songwriter, a solitary singer, who sang their own songs (chansons) with a guitar, prominent in francophone countries during the 1960s and 1970s. Unlike popular singers, chansonniers need no artifice to sing their soul poetry. They performed in "Les Boites à Chansons" which flourished during those years. The themes of their songs varied but included nature, love, simplicity and a social interest to improve their world.