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50th Anniversary of Edith Piaf's Death

October 10 marks the 50th death anniversary of French singer Edith Piaf. Nicknamed the "Little Sparrow," she was the country's biggest international star and the first to make it in the United States, her melancholy songs becoming famous in post-World War II years. Piaf's cabaret songs about carrying on in the face of adversity -- such as "Non, Je ne Regrette Rien" (I Regret Nothing) and "La Vie en Rose" (Life Through Rose-Tinted Glasses) -- reflected the difficulties in her own life, which was marked by tragic loss and struggles with addiction. Her lyrics were believable and her life story gave her a tragic charisma that transformed her into someone her audiences could identify with. Piaf's towering stature in French pop music has not diminished since her death in 1963 at the age of 47; her grave at Pere Lachaise remains one of the cemetery's most visited, her songs continue to be covered by new artists, and her life story and music remain a source of inspiration for theater and film. (16 PHOTOS)

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