Félix Leclerc
Encyclopedia
Félix Leclerc, was a French-Canadian singer-songwriter
, poet, writer, actor and Québécois
political activist. He was made an Officer of the Order of Canada on December 20, 1968. Leclerc was posthumously inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame
for his songs Moi, mes souliers (Me, My Shoes) and Le tour de l'Île in 2006.
, Canada
from a family of pioneers in 1914, sixth in a family of eleven children. He began his studies at the University of Ottawa
but was forced to stop due to the Great Depression
.
Leclerc worked at several jobs before taking jobs as a radio announcer in Quebec City
and Trois-Rivières
from 1934 to 1937. In 1939, he began working as a writer at Radio-Canada in Montreal
, developing scripts for radio dramas, including Je me souviens
. He performed some of his earliest songs there. He also acted in various dramas, including Un Homme et son péché. He published a number of his scripts and founded a performing company which presented his plays through Quebec.
In 1950, he was discovered by Paris
impresario, Jacques Canetti
, and performed his songs in France
to great success. He signed a recording contract with Polydor Records
. He returned to Quebec in 1953. In 1958, he received the top award of the Académie Charles Cros in France for his second album. He was invested into the Order of Canada
in 1971, the National Order of Quebec
in 1985 and became a Chevalier of the French Légion d'honneur
in 1986.
He died in his sleep in Saint-Pierre-de-l'Île-d'Orléans
, Quebec
, on Île d'Orléans
in 1988. A monument in his memory was constructed there in 1989.
Leclerc played a major role in revitalising the Quebec folk song ("chanson") tradition. He also was a strong voice for Quebec nationalism
.
Multiple parks, roads and schools in Quebec have been named in his honour. The Félix Award
s, given to Quebec recording artists, are named after him. In 2000, the Government of Canada
honored him with his image on a postage stamp.
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
, poet, writer, actor and Québécois
French-speaking Quebecer
French-speaking Quebecers are francophone residents of the Canadian province of Quebec....
political activist. He was made an Officer of the Order of Canada on December 20, 1968. Leclerc was posthumously inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame
Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame
The Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame is a Canadian non-profit organization, founded in 1998 by Frank Davies, that inducts Canadians into their Hall of Fame within three different categories: songwriters, songs, and those others who have made a significant contribution with respect to...
for his songs Moi, mes souliers (Me, My Shoes) and Le tour de l'Île in 2006.
History
He was born in La Tuque, QuebecLa Tuque, Quebec
La Tuque is a city in south central Quebec, Canada, on the Saint-Maurice River, between Trois-Rivières and Chambord. In 2006, it had a population of 11,821 Latuquois....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
from a family of pioneers in 1914, sixth in a family of eleven children. He began his studies at the University of Ottawa
University of Ottawa
The University of Ottawa is a bilingual, research-intensive, non-denominational, international university in Ottawa, Ontario. It is one of the oldest universities in Canada. It was originally established as the College of Bytown in 1848 by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate...
but was forced to stop due to the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
.
Leclerc worked at several jobs before taking jobs as a radio announcer in Quebec City
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
and Trois-Rivières
Trois-Rivières
Trois-Rivières means three rivers in French and may refer to:in Canada*Trois-Rivières, the largest city in the Mauricie region of Quebec, Canada*Circuit Trois-Rivières, a racetrack in Trois-Rivières, Quebec...
from 1934 to 1937. In 1939, he began working as a writer at Radio-Canada in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, developing scripts for radio dramas, including Je me souviens
Je me souviens
Je me souviens is the official motto of Quebec, a province of Canada. The motto means "I remember".- Origins :In 1883, Eugène-Étienne Taché, Assistant Commissioner for Crown lands in Quebec and architect of the provincial Parliament building had the motto carved in stone below the coat of arms of...
. He performed some of his earliest songs there. He also acted in various dramas, including Un Homme et son péché. He published a number of his scripts and founded a performing company which presented his plays through Quebec.
In 1950, he was discovered by Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
impresario, Jacques Canetti
Jacques Canetti
Nissim Jacques Canetti was a French music executive and a famous talent agent, widely credited as being the saviour of French chanson . His brother was the Nobel Prize-winning author, Elias Canetti.- References :...
, and performed his songs in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
to great success. He signed a recording contract with Polydor Records
Polydor Records
Polydor is a record label owned by Universal Music Group, headquartered in the United Kingdom.-Beginnings:Polydor was originally an independent branch of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. Its name was first used as an export label in 1924, the British and German branches of the Gramophone...
. He returned to Quebec in 1953. In 1958, he received the top award of the Académie Charles Cros in France for his second album. He was invested into the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
in 1971, the National Order of Quebec
National Order of Quebec
The National Order of Quebec, termed officially in French as l'Ordre national du Québec, and in English abbreviation as the Order of Quebec, is a civilian honour for merit in the Canadian province of Quebec...
in 1985 and became a Chevalier of the French Légion d'honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
in 1986.
He died in his sleep in Saint-Pierre-de-l'Île-d'Orléans
Saint-Pierre-de-l'Île-d'Orléans, Quebec
Saint-Pierre-de-l'Île-d'Orléans is a municipality in the Capitale-Nationale region of Quebec, Canada, part of the L'Île-d'Orléans Regional County Municipality...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, on Île d'Orléans
Île d'Orléans
Île d'Orléans is located in the Saint Lawrence River about east of downtown Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The island was one of the first parts of the province to be colonized by the French, and a large percentage of French Canadians can trace ancestry to early residents of the island...
in 1988. A monument in his memory was constructed there in 1989.
Leclerc played a major role in revitalising the Quebec folk song ("chanson") tradition. He also was a strong voice for Quebec nationalism
Quebec nationalism
Quebec nationalism is a nationalist movement in the Canadian province of Quebec .-1534–1774:Canada was first a french colony. Jacques Cartier claimed it for France in 1534, and permanent French settlement began in 1608. It was part of New France, which constituted all French colonies in North America...
.
Multiple parks, roads and schools in Quebec have been named in his honour. The Félix Award
Félix Award
The Félix Award is a music award, given on an annual basis to artists in the Canadian province of Quebec.The first Félix awards were presented on September 23, 1979, by the Association du disque, de l'industrie du spectacle québécois...
s, given to Quebec recording artists, are named after him. In 2000, the Government of Canada
Government of Canada
The Government of Canada, formally Her Majesty's Government, is the system whereby the federation of Canada is administered by a common authority; in Canadian English, the term can mean either the collective set of institutions or specifically the Queen-in-Council...
honored him with his image on a postage stamp.
Recordings
- Chante ses derniers succès sur disques (1951)
- Félix Leclerc chante (1957)
- Félix Leclerc et sa guitare (1958)
- Félix Leclerc et sa guitare Vol. 2 (1959)
- Félix Leclerc et sa guitare Vol. 3 (1959)
- Le roi heureux (1962)
- Félix Leclerc (1964)
- Mes premières chansons (1964)
- Moi mes chansons (1966)
- La vie (1967)
- L'héritage (1968)
- Félix Leclerc dit pieds nus dans l'aube (1969)
- J'inviterai l'enfance (1969)
- L'alouette en colère (1972)
- Le tour de l'île (1975)
- Mon fils (1978)
- Le bal (1979)
- Mouillures (1979)
- Prière bohémienne (1979)
- La légende du petit ours gris (1979)
Writings
- Adagio (tales, 1943)
- Allegro (fables, 1944)
- Andante (poems, 1944)
- Pieds nus dans l'aube (novel, 1946)
- Dialogue d'hommes et de bêtes (theater, 1949)
- Le hamac dans les voiles (anthology, 1952)
- Moi, mes souliers (autobiography, 1955)
- Le fou de l'île (novel, 1958)
- Le calepin d'un flâneur (short texts, 1961)
- L'auberge des morts subites (theater, 1963)
- Chansons pour tes yeux (poems, 1968)
- Cent chansons (songs, 1970)
- Carcajou ou le diable des bois (novel, 1973)
- Qui est le père? (theater, 1977)
- Le petit livre bleu de Félix ou Le nouveau calepin du même flâneur (short texts, 1978)
- Rêves à vendre (poems, 1978)
- Le dernier calepin (short texts, 1988)
See also
- List of Quebec musicians
- List of French language poets
- Music of QuebecMusic of QuebecBeing a modern cosmopolitan society, today, all types of music can be found in the Canadian province of Quebec. What is specific to Quebec though are traditional songs, a unique variety of Celtic music, legions of excellent jazz musicians, a culture of classical music, and a love of foreign rhythms...
- Culture of QuebecCulture of QuebecThe Culture of Quebec emerged over the last few hundred years, resulting from the shared history of the French-speaking majority in Quebec. It is unique to the Western World; Quebec is the only region in North America with a French-speaking majority, as well as one of only two provinces in Canada...
- Autoroute 40Quebec Autoroute 40Autoroute 40 is a major highway on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River in Quebec, Canada. It is one of the two main connections between Montreal and Quebec City...
(Autoroute Félix-Leclerc)
External links
- Fondation Félix-Leclerc (Foundation to preserve Félix Leclerc's work, in FrenchFrench languageFrench is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
)