Claude Marie Antoine François was born on February 1, 1939 in Ismailia, Egypt, where his French-born father worked as a shipping traffic controller on the Suez Canal. His Italian-born mother encouraged him musically, getting him into violin and piano lessons; François preferred the drums, however.

: https://www.allmusic.com/artist/claude-fran%C3%A7ois-mn0000141336/biography