Patrick Hernandez

Singer, songwriter, and guitarist Patrick Hernandez, born to Spanish parents in a northeast suburb of Paris, was one-third of Paris Palace Hotel (aka PPH), a trio who released a handful of post-glam and pop singles during the mid-'70s. Later signed as a solo artist to Aquarius, a Paris-based label that had issued PPH's "Back to Boogie," Hernandez partnered with producer Jean Vanloo and had tremendous success with his first single, "Born to Be Alive." The driving, peppy Euro-disco number, released in late 1978 and the title track of his debut album, became a global hit -- numbe...