Rita Joe (1932–2007)
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Suggested Sources:
Film by Brain Guns, “Song of Eskasoni (28 min)” National Film Board website, https://www.nfb.ca/film/song_of_eskasoni/
12/29/24
Category Archives: People
12/28/24
Jean Carignan (1916–1988)
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Suggested Sources:
Related Contents:
12/28/24
Les voyageurs
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Top: “Quetico Superior Route, passing a waterfall.” Painting by Francis Anne Hopkins, 1869.
Botton: “Shooting the rapids, in a master canoe.” Painting by Francis Anne Hopkins, [date].
Suggested Sources:
- Foster, John E. , and Suzanne Gousse. “Voyageur.” The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Published online, 7 June 2007; last edited, 7 November 2019. See: https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/voyageur (Accessed online, [date])
- Film by Bernard Devlin and Bernard Gosselin produced by the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) (1964; duration: 19 min). See: https://www.onf.ca/film/voyageurs_fr/
- Program notes from The Music of Astoria, Portland Center Stage at the Armory, [2024?]. See: https://www.pcs.org/features/the-music-of-astoria (Accessed online, 1 January 2025)
Related Contents:
“C’est l’aviron” (traditional)
“J’entends le moulin” (traditional)
“V’là le bon vent” (traditional; France)
“Chevaliers de la table ronde” (traditional)
“Auprès de ma blonde” (traditional; France)
“À Saint-Malo beau port de mer” (traditional; France)
Other Materials:
- Matawa First Nations website: https://www.matawa.on.ca/about-us/
- Nipissing First Nation website: https://nfn.ca/the-land-the-people-the-future/
12/27/24
Claude Dubois (1947–)
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Suggested Sources:
Official website: https://www.claudedubois.ca/biographie/
Related Contents:
“La chasse-gallerie (1978)”
12/20/24
Pauline Julien (1928–1998)
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Related Contents:
“La manic”
Suggested Sources:
Marthe Léger & Sarah Hanahem, “Pauline Julien : naissance de la ‘passionaria du Québec’,” Bibliothèque et Archives Nationales du Québec. Published online: 12 June 2024. Accessed online [date]: https://www.banq.qc.ca/explorer/articles/pauline-julien-naissance-de-la-pasionaria-du-quebec/
https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1126694/pauline-julien-quebec-politique-archives
12/20/24
Claude Gauthier (1939–)
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Related Contents:
“Le grand six pieds,” Claude Gauthier chante Claude Gauthier (1961)
“Le plus beau voyage,” Le plus beau voyage (1972)
Suggested Sources:
- “Claude Gauthier, son plus beau voyage : La vie,” La radio en profondeur,” Radio-Canada Première. Accessed online [date]: https://ici.radio-canada.ca/radio/profondeur/claudegauthier/episodes.html
- “Cinq minutes avec Claude Gauthier,” Radio-Canada Info, Radio-Canada. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFQbm-vX3jk (Accessed January 6, 2025)
12/20/24
Paul Piché (1953–)
Paul Piché was born in 1953 in Montréal and grew up in Laval and La Minerve. Originally trained as an archeologist, he began singing and songwriting at university, performing in many boîtes à chansons in Québec. His first big breakthrough began when he opened for Beau Dommage (one of the most prominent rock groups in Québec) in the 1970s and was scouted by one of its members, Robert Léger.
Léger encouraged Piché to record his first album, helping him find a record company that would be interested. This was the Kébec-Disc label, which also recruited such talent as Diane Dufresne, Gilles Rivard and Marie Denise Pelletier. An amusing anecdote that Piché and Léger recounted in a 40-year retrospective of the recording of his first album was that Piché initially refused to record with an electric bass, thinking that the sound would overwhelm his voice and the other acoustic instruments.[1]
Piché’s first album, À qui appartient l’beau temps? (1977) had a measured success when it was initially released. Still, eventually, the song “Heureux d’un printemps” helped the album reach sales of between 100,000 and 200,000 copies in 1978, making it one of the most successful albums of Québécois music.
Along with his musical career, Piché is also devoted to political and environmental activism and was a prominent member of the Sovereigntist movement. In 2002, he travelled 550km by bike to deliver a letter to the premier of Québec, protesting the continued construction of hydroelectric dams on Québécois rivers.[2] He continues to be an active member of the artistic and political landscape of Québec and published his first book in 2007, which talks about some of the political events and trends he participated in.
[1] “Heureux d’un printemps, Paul Piché｜La Trame sonore du Québec,” posted December 3, 2024 by Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec, Youtube, 6 min., 28 sec, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDhaYpZufp4.
[2] “Paul Piché.” Panthéon des auteurs et compositeurs canadiens, accessed March 16, 2025, https://www.cshf.ca/fr/songwriter/paul-piche/.
Suggested listening:
Piché, Paul. À qui appartient l’beau temps (Version Deluxe). Audriogram, 2012. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSoQQBWOvfk&list=PL9V-Gix3aQTlYmCaL0VooYwb9sLbdsvIy.
Piché, Paul. L’escalier. Audiogram, 1991. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBik9_JR6Wk&list=PL9V-Gix3aQTldbFms-xZexQCO5CO5npht.
Suggested sources:
“Heureux d’un printemps, Paul Piché｜La Trame sonore du Québec.” Posted December 3, 2024 by Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec. Youtube, 6 min., 28 sec. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDhaYpZufp4.
“Paul Piché.” Panthéon des auteurs et compositeurs canadiens. Accessed March 16, 2025. https://www.cshf.ca/fr/songwriter/paul-piche/.
Boisvert-Magnen, Olivier. “Anniversaires des Albums Marquants : Il y a 40 ans : Paul Piché- À qui appartient l’beau temps?.” Voir, March 9, 2017. Accessed March 16, 2025. https://voir.ca/musique/2017/03/09/paul-piche-il-y-a-40-ans-a-qui-appartient-lbeau-temps/.
Thérien, Robert. “Piché, Paul.” The Canadian Encyclopedia/L’Encyclopédie Canadienne, December 16, 2013. Accessed March 16, 2025. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/fr/article/piche-paul.
Related Contents:
12/20/24
Raoûl Duguay (1939–)
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Related Contents:
“La bitt à tibi,” Allô tôulmônde (1975)
12/15/24
Félix Leclerc (1914–1988)
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Related Contents:
“Le tour de l’île” (1975)
“L’alouette en colère” (1971, 1975)
12/9/24
La Bolduc (1894–1941)
From the Canadian Encyclopedia:
Mary Rose-Anne Bolduc (née Travers), singer, songwriter, harmonica player, fiddler (born 4 June 1894 in Newport, QC; died 20 February 1941 in Montreal, QC). Madame Bolduc, or simply La Bolduc, was Quebec’s first chansonniere. Joyous, likeable and dynamic, she was popular just before and during the Great Depression. Known as the “Queen of Canadian Folk Singers,” she sang about the daily problems and difficulties of ordinary life and was guided by a keen sense of observation. Songs such as “La Cuisinière,” “La Servante,” “Le Commerçant des rues,” “L’Enfant volé,” “Les Colons canadiens” and “Les Conducteurs de chars” made her a legend in Quebec. La Bolduc had a profound influence on the evolution of the Quebec chanson. Her work is considered a prototypical and permanent part of Quebec’s musical legacy. She was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2003.
Related Contents:
“La bastringue”
“Ça va venir découragez-vous pas” (1930)
Suggested Sources:
- Laframboise, Philippe , and Claire Versailles, , and Andrew McIntosh. “Madame Bolduc (a.k.a. La Bolduc).” The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Article published February 07, 2006; Last Edited November 28, 2024.