Anne Sylvestre (, born Anne-Marie Beugras; 20 June 1934 – 30 November 2020) was a French singer-songwriter.

Biography Anne Sylvestre was born in Lyon on 20 June 1934. She was the daughter of Albert Beugras and the sister of writer Marie Chaix.Valérie Lehoux. "Marie Chaix et Anne Sylvestre, deux sœurs et un secret d'enfance". Télérama. 29 July 2008. Accessed on line 11 December 2015. Her father was a politician turned collaborationist during the Occupation of France.Daniel Pantchenko. Anne Sylvestre: Et elle chante encore?. Fayard. 2012. Marie Chaix wrote a book about their father's role during the Occupation, Les Lauriers du lac de Constance (1974).See Véronique Montémont, "Retour sur l'histoire d'une collaboration". In Transmission/héritage dans l'écriture contemporaine de soi. Béatrice Jongy, Annette Keilhauer (ed.). Presses Université Blaise Pascal. 2009. P.211-223.

While studying literature at the Sorbonne in the fifties, Sylvestre started singing in cabarets and was discovered by Michel Valette.Cécile Prévost-Thomas. "Anne Sylvestre, sorcière, comme les autres…". Travail, genre et sociétés. 2010/1. No 23. Accessed on line 11 December 2015. Jean-Claude Pascal recorded her song "Porteuse d'eau" (Waterbearer) under the title "La terre" (The Dirt, 1958). She started recording in 1959, and Georges Brassens wrote a preface for her second album (1962).Anne Sylvestre . France Inter. Accessed on line 11 December 2015. Since 1962, she also wrote and sang for children (Fabulettes). She wrote a song for Serge Reggiani, "La Maumariée" (The Wrongly-Wed Bride, 1968). She recorded a comical duet with Boby Lapointe, "Depuis l'temps que j'l'attends mon prince charmant" (I've been waiting for my prince charming for ages, 1969).Duo Anne SYLVESTRE Boby LAPOINTE "Depuis l'temps que je l'attends". Institut national de l'audiovisuel. 25 December 1970. Accessed on line 12 December 2015.

In 1973, she created her own recording company to release her albums. In 1976, along with Isabelle Aubret, she recorded the album Fabulettes et Chansons d'Anne Sylvestre.Fabulettes Et Chansons D'Anne Sylvestre. Discogs.com. Accessed on line 18 December 2015. In 1987, she put on a show with Quebec singer Pauline Julien (Gémeaux croisées, Crossed Gemini, 1987–1988).Laurent Luneau and Mehdi Ahoudig. Anne Sylvestre. Témoignage de Pauline Julien. Je Chante Magazine. 18 December 1992. Published on line 10 January 2010. Accessed on line 18 December 2015. With fellow singer Michèle Bernard, she put on a show aimed at children, Lala et le Cirque du vent (Lala and the Wind's Circus, 1992–1996). She also sang on scene with Agnès Bihl in the show Carré de Dames (Four of Queens, 2012)."Carré de dames" . Anne Sylvestre official website. Accessed on line 18 December 2015.

Her songs encompass a large range of subjects. Her love songs are often in a nostalgic mode ("Le Pêcheur de perles", The Pearl Fisher, 1967; "La Chambre d'or", Golden Room, 1969). Some of her songs could not be broadcast because of their strong engagement, and others contain profanity, for instance "Les Gens qui doutent" (Doubting People, 1977). Some songs deal with difficult subjects such as poverty ("Porteuse d'eau", Waterbearer, 1961), homelessness ("Pas difficile", Not difficult, 1986), education in a consumer society ("Abel Caïn, mon fils", Abel Cain, my son, 1971), war ("Berceuse de Bagdad", Lullaby from Baghdad, 2003). Numerous songs give a feminist take on women's life: "Non, tu n'as pas de nom" (You have no name, 1973) about abortion, "La Vache engagée" (Engaged Cow, 1975), "Une sorcière comme les autres" (A Witch like any other one, 1975) about maternity, "La Faute à Ève" (Eve's Fault, 1978) about women's rights, "Rose" (1981) about teen pregnancy, or "Juste une femme" (Only a woman, 2013) about sexism.Véronique Mortaigne. "Anne Sylvestre, chanteuse entêtée". Le Monde. 16 January 2014. accessed on line 11 December 2015. She also supported same-sex marriage ("Gay marions-nous", 2007).François-Xavier Gomez. "Anne Sylvestre, forte en texte". Libération. 12 January 2014. Accessed on line 11 December 2015.

Anne Sylvestre died on November 30, 2020 in Neuilly-sur-Seine after having a stroke. She was about to go on tour at that time. She was interred in the family vault in Saint-Eusèbe, Saône-et-Loire.Cimetières de France et d'ailleurs

Discography YearAlbumPeak positionsCertification FR1961Anne Sylvestre chante…1962La femme du vent1963Vous aviez, ma belle1964T'en souviens-tu la Seine1965Lazare et Cécile1967Berceuse pour moi1968Mousse1969Aveu1969Fabulettes1971Abel, Caïn, mon fils1973Les pierres dans mon jardin1975Une sorcière comme les autres1975L'école1976Les Nouvelles Fabulettes1977Comment je m'appelle1977Chansons pour…1978 J'ai de bonnes nouvelles1979La rue, l'école, le square1981Dans la vie en vrai1985Écrire pour ne pas mourir1986Tant de choses à vous dire1989La ballade de Calamity Jane1994D'amour et de mots1997Chante... au bord de La Fontaine1998Les arbres verts2000Partage des eaux2003Les chemins du vent2007Bye mélanco812013Juste une femme193

Awards 1963 : Grand Prix du disque de l'Académie Charles-CrosAnne Sylvestre N°1, Discogs.com. Accessed on line 11 December 2015. 1965 : Grand Prix du disque de l'Académie Charles-CrosAnne Sylvestre N°2, Discogs.com. Accessed on line 11 December 2015. 1993 : Officier of the Ordre National du Mérite 2002 : Officier of the Order of Legion of Honnour 2009 : Grande médaille de la chanson françaiseAnne Sylvestre, Académie française. Accessed on line 11 December 2015.

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