Search for "New France"

Pelchat was exposed to music early on through his parents, and sang in his local parish church choir as a boy along with his sister and father. He left his native Northern Québec region of Lac St Jean in 1981 at the age of 17 to pursue a musical career.

Ariane Moffatt, singer, songwriter and producer (born 26 April 1979 in Saint Romuald, today Lévis, QC). Ariane Moffatt sets herself apart with her urban pop style songs, whose alternately acoustic and electronic sounds lend them an airy, dreamlike quality. The recipient of numerous Félix Awards, including Revelation of the Year in 2003, she also won a Juno Award in 2009 for her album Tous les sens. That album was well received in France, where the singer has built valuable friendships in the artistic community; it also earned her the Grand Prix of the Académie Charles Cros.

Al-Hajj Sayyd Abdul Al-Khabyyr (né Russell Linwood Thomas), soprano, alto and tenor saxophonist, clarinetist, flutist, composer (born 22 March 1935 in New York, New York; died 15 February 2017 in Montréal, QC).

Yolande Dulude. Soprano, born Montreal 12 Jan 1931, died there 18 Aug 2003; lauréat (Basile-Moreau College) 1948. After studying piano for a number of years, she began voice study in 1944.

André Jobin. Tenor, actor, stage designer, b Quebec City 20 Jan 1933. After 10 years in New York, he went to Paris, where his family had settled, and began studying drama with Pierre Bertin and Suzanne Nivette of the Comédie Française.

Claude (André) Dubois. Singer-songwriter, born Montréal 24 Apr 1947.

Félix Eugène Leclerc, OC, GOQ, singer-songwriter, poet, novelist, playwright, actor, broadcaster (born 2 August 1914 at La Tuque, QC; died 8 August 1988 at Ȋle d'Orléans, QC). Félix Leclerc was a revolutionary artist whose work in several fields marked a turning point in Quebec culture. As a poet and playwright, he was one of Quebec’s literary giants. As a singer, he was a superstar in Canada and Europe, particularly in France. He greatly influenced the course of the Québec chanson and paved the way for the popular chansonnier movement in Quebec and France. He was a vocal proponent of Quebec nationalism and helped galvanize the collective identity of the people of Quebec. Some of his most popular songs included “Notre sentier,” “Moi, mes souliers,” “Bozo” and “Le Tour de l’Ȋle.” He received three Grand Prix du disque from the Académie Charles-Cros in Paris, as well as the Prix de musique Calixa-Lavallée, the Prix Denise-Pelletier and the Diplôme d'honneur. He was made an Officer of the Order of Canada, a Grand Officer of the National Order of Québec and a Chevalier of France's Légion d'honneur.

Michel Pagliaro. Singer, songwriter, guitarist, record producer, b Montreal 9 Nov 1948. Michel Pagliaro sang and played guitar in a succession of Montreal "yé-yé" bands before meeting with success with Les Chanceliers, whose recording of "Le P'tit Poppy" was very popular in 1966.

Félix Leclerc and Raymond Lévesque were the originators of this new species and of the movement it generated, though some historians point to La Bolduc and even Rolland (Le Soldat) Lebrun as its predecessors.

Very quickly, her extraordinary voice and her simplicity conquered the province of Quebec, and her career experienced a meteoric rise. In 1982, she took part in the Tokyo Song Festival with 'Tellement j'ai d'amour pour toi,' and won the musicians' prize as well as a gold medal.

Alain Lamontagne. Harmonica player, composer, singer, storyteller, actor, b Verdun (Montreal) 14 Jul 1952. He began playing harmonica in his teens.

Vigneault always touches his audiences with the sheer force of poetry, sincerity and youth emanating from his work. His rousing song MON PAYS (1964) sealed his popularity at home and abroad, and for many Québécois it has become an anthem.

Marie-Mai Bouchard, singer-songwriter, performer (born 7 July 1984 in Varennes, QC). With a musical mix of rock, electro and pop, coupled with a richly authentic voice and a versatile stage presence radiating energy and passion, Marie-Mai has captured a large audience. Winner of numerous Félix Awards, including several for Female Performer and Album of the Year, she has had three gold albums and two platinum albums in Canada, and has performed on some of the most important stages in the francophone world. She has also been recognized at the national level, winning SOCAN Awards for Most Performed Francophone Song in Québec and Songwriter of the Year.

Gilles Vigneault.

Carole Champagne, known as Carole Laure, OC, actress, singer, director, screenwriter, producer (born 5 August 1948 in Shawinigan, QC).

Charles (Émile Jean Julien) Goulet. Baritone, choir conductor, teacher, impresario, administrator, b Liège 4 Apr 1902, naturalized Canadian 1921, d Montreal 12 Mar 1976; D MUS (Montreal) 1937. He arrived in Montreal with his parents in 1906 and at six began studying the violin with his uncle, J.-J.

René Simard, singer, performer and TV host (b at Chicoutimi 28 Feb 1961). Born into a large family, he was taken on by impresario Guy Cloutier at the tender age of ten. His first recording, L'oiseau, had phenomenal success that propelled him on stage at the PLACE DES ARTS and led to tours in Québec.

Suzie LeBlanc. Soprano, teacher, actress, harpsichordist, born Edmunston, NB, 27 Oct 1961; honorary D LL (Mount Allison) 2009, honorary D CL (King’s College University, Halifax) 2008.  Suzie LeBlanc is of Acadian heritage, but grew up listening to and practicing classical music.

Renée Claude, stage name of Renée Bélanger, singer (b at Montréal 3 July 1939). While her early repertoire consisted of French songs, Claude soon became known for her interpretation of songs by Québec writers such as Jean-Pierre FERLAND, Stéphane Venne, Clémence Desrochers and Luc PLAMONDON.