Johnny and Laeticia Hallyday

rock legend photography by OLIVIER ZAHM style by EMILIE KAREH   This story is Johnny Hallyday’s homage to his wife, Laeticia, who may very well have saved his life when a back operation went badly. She took him to a doctor in LA, where he was put into a coma so that his body could recover. Afterward, it took another six months to restore and retrain his voice. Johnny’s life was never easy, though he’s always been blessed. Because he’s from France, he’s been called the most famous rock star you’ve never heard of. Born Jean-Philippe Smet, he was raised by his model-mother Huguette Clerc’s sister, Desta, a showgirl married to a country music singer from Oklahoma named Lee Ketcham, who went by the name Lee Hallyday. By the age of 16 show business and rock and roll defined young Johnny, and his good looks and stepfather’s alias propelled him…