Tom Arena

"Tom Arena, guitarist, songwriter and performer, co-author, with William Sheller of one of the 1968 hits, "My year is a day" by pop group Les Irresistibles, sold over 2 million of copies. Tom died on the night of July 2013 from cancer. He was 62 years old. Originally from Canton (Ohio, USA) Tom had met the other members of the group Les Irresistibles (Andy Cornelius, Jim and Steve McMains, at the American college of Saint-Cloud (Hauts de Seine). At the age of 15 these college friends had formed the group The Sentries, before being taken under contract by the artistic director Jean Eckian (CBS records) in 1967. After several other successes, the group joined the United States in 1971. Only Tom Arena, who remained in France, made a career in music publishing. Married to Romayne, he leaves a son, James. His funeral was celebrated on Monday July 8 at the American Cathedral in Paris, avenue George V. He is buried in the Gravon cemetery (Seine et Marne)." Jean Eckian