Caterina Valente, the French-German songstress, was born on January 14, 1931, in Marseille, France. Her early life was marked by tragedy, as her parents were imprisoned by the Nazis during World War II, leaving her and her siblings to fend for themselves. Despite these hardships, Valente's love for music only grew stronger, and she began performing at a young age. Her unique voice and style would eventually take her to the top of the European music scene.