 renÃ© angÃ©lil',  (born january 16, 1942) is a canadian singer and manager. he is the husband and former manager of singer celine dion. ==early life== angÃ©lil was born in montreal, quÃ©bec, canada, of a father of syrian descent and a canadian mother of lebanese origin.Ã voir Ã  la tÃ©lÃ©vision le samedi 24 mars - carrÃ© d'as "nÃ© dans le quartier villeray Ã  montrÃ©al d'un pÃ¨re d'origine syrienne et d'une mÃ¨re quÃ©bÃ©coise d'origine libanaise, le jeune angelil Ã©tait un leader"  ==career== angÃ©lil started out as a pop singer in the 1960s in montrÃ©al, angÃ©lil formed a pop rock group, "the baronets", with childhood friends pierre labelle and jean beaulne. they were known as "quÃ©bec's smithtones" by the name of les baronnets. this group had some hits in the 1960s as  (a translation of the beatles' song "hold me tight") catering to the quebec market for translations of english-language pop hits from the united kingdom or the united states. after the dissolution of the group, angÃ©lil and best friend guy cloutier began managing artists. together they managed the career of two successful quÃ©bec entertainers renÃ© simard and ginette reno, among many other pop stars of the time. they parted ways in 1981 to each become solo managers. at the end of 1980 (not long after being replaced as ginette's manager) renÃ© heard celine dion's demo tape. in 1987 and 1988, he won the fÃ©lix award for manager of the year. in july 2008, angÃ©lil was named the director for the reality television show star academies fourth season, scheduled to start in february 2009.[http://lcn.canoe.ca/lcn/artsetspectacles/general/archives/2008/07/200
1942_births Canadian_Eastern_Catholics Canadian_people_of_Arab_descent Canadian_people_of_Lebanese_descent Canadian_people_of_Syrian_descent Canadian_pop_singers Celine_Dion Francophone_Quebec_people French-language_singers_of_Canada Living_people Musicians_from_Montreal Officers_of_the_National_Order_of_Quebec People_with_cancer