Celine Dion

Birth Data

Biography

French-Canadian singer who did not speak English until 1987, when she learned in order to sing bilingually. Dion grew up dirt poor, the youngest of a close-knit family that numbered 14 kids of retired piano-bar owners. Her dad played the accordion and her mom the violin. Weekly sing-alongs among the kids gave Celine a chance to show her natural five-octave range. She performed from the time she was five and her first hit single was in France when she was 14. Moving into the music world, she never finished high school or had a usual adolescence, but was able to buy her folks a lakefront home outside of Montreal when she was 18. Rail-thin with a long face and light brown hair, 5'7", 108 lbs, Dion looks great in the designer clothes that are built for a size two and is considered the most exciting singer to come along since Streisand, with a broad appeal.

Her release in March 1996 of "Because You Loved Me" went to the top of the charts. By 1998 she had sold more than 55 million albums worldwide, including 12 million copies of "The Color of My Love" and 25 million of "Falling Into You."

Rene Angelil, 26 years older, began to manage her when she was an aspiring 12-year-old singer. He took the role of Svengali and chose her songs, her clothes, her work schedule, even mortgaging his home to finance their journey to the top. Dentists fixed her crooked teeth, stylists cut her long hair and fashion mavens taught her how to wear clothes and makeup. True to his promise to her parents, Angelil made her a star by the time she was 18. His obsession with the girl took its toll, as his wife of 11 years filed for divorce in 1985.

They began a romance when she was 20, and married in 1994. With a devoted husband, elegant homes and a sensational career, Dion lacks only the one thing that she wants deeply, a child. Contenting herself with her large extended family, she hires several of her siblings, gave her parents a chalet and bestowed $100,000 on her brothers and sisters, never forgetting where she came from. She does not smoke, drink or throw tantrums but works hard for her success. Promoting her work, she does her part with concert tours, TV guest shots and media interviews.

On 5/1/1998 she received the Insignia of an Officer in the Order of Canada, given to those who exemplify "the highest qualities of citizenship," another achievement among many.

On 11/24/1999, Dion presented a closing concert for CBS before taking a hiatus "to start a little family with Rene." Her husband had a bout with throat cancer the prior year, and they have been hoping for a baby for some time.

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