Gregory Charles
Encyclopedia
Gregory Charles is a Quebec
performing artist of French Canadian
and Trinidad
ian origin.
piano contest, after which he performed with most of the country's symphonic orchestras. In 1979, he represented Canada at an international piano contest in Paris
. He was also a part of Petits-Chanteurs du Mont-Royal choir, which performs at the Saint Joseph's Oratory
in Montreal
. He is still somewhat involved in this choir.
Shortly after entering law school in 1989, he obtained a television role which brought him to the attention of a wider public: that of Julien, a young student who comes to study in Montreal
, in a TV show called Chambres en ville
(Rooms in Town).
He then became host of a daily radio show at the Montreal station CKOI-FM
in 1991. The year after he began hosting a television game show Que le meilleur gagne (May the Best Man Win), for five years. In 1995, he got the job of host on a late evening television talk-show Cha-ba-da.
In 1998, he worked on Céline Dion
's world tour, mostly as a chorister but also as a pianist. The same year he made the first of nine appearances at the Just for Laughs
Festival in Montreal.
Since 2001, he has hosted a weekly radio show on the national Radio-Canada
network, as well as a series of television shows, such as Culture Choc and "Les Debrouillards", in French and English, and a variety show on the France channel.
He is now conducting the chœurs du nouveau monde (New World Choirs) which includes notably Les Petits Chanteurs de Laval (The Little Singers of Laval) and Les Voix Boréales (Northern Voices), and before that, le Chœur Gospel
de Laval (the Laval Gospel Choir).
He presented his first variety show, Noir et Blanc (Black and White) to more than 400,000 spectators across Quebec and the rest of Canada. He also performed in New York City
in 2004. A unique feature of his show is the second half, in which he offers to sing and play on the piano any known song submitted randomly by the spectators.
At the end of 2004, he released his first album, from his show, called Gospel
Live Noir et Blanc.
On October 16, 2006, he launched his album I Think of You, which sold 109,000 copies in its first week, making Charles the highest selling Canadian artist in a one-week period for the year 2006. It debuted at number 1 on the Nielsen SoundScan
album chart. It sold 41,000 units in its second week, to bring it to a total of 150,000 units after two weeks. Charles sold more albums in 2006 than all other Canadian musicians except Nelly Furtado
.
Charles was one of the headliners on Parliament Hill
at the 2007 Canada Day
celebration there, playing the evening's longest set, to an audience of thousands. He performed in both English
and French
.
However, one of his next scheduled appearances in Ottawa, where audiences were required to pay, did not fare so well. According to reports in the Ottawa Sun
, Doug Moore, the city's manager of Venture Properties, said that Grégory Charles' scheduled concert at the Ottawa SuperEx was cancelled due to poor ticket sales.
In the fall of 2007, he began hosting a CBC radio program, In the Key of Charles
which was last broadcast September 6, 2009.
This album was certified 2x platinum in Canada in December 2006.
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....
performing artist of French Canadian
French Canadian
French Canadian or Francophone Canadian, , generally refers to the descendents of French colonists who arrived in New France in the 17th and 18th centuries...
and Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
ian origin.
Biography
He studied at École de musique Wilfrid-Pelletier in Montreal. At the age of 7, he won the national CanadianCanada
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...
piano contest, after which he performed with most of the country's symphonic orchestras. In 1979, he represented Canada at an international piano contest in 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...
. He was also a part of Petits-Chanteurs du Mont-Royal choir, which performs at the Saint Joseph's Oratory
Saint Joseph's Oratory
Saint Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal, , is a Roman Catholic minor basilica and national shrine on the west slope of Mount Royal in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.-History:...
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...
. He is still somewhat involved in this choir.
Shortly after entering law school in 1989, he obtained a television role which brought him to the attention of a wider public: that of Julien, a young student who comes to study 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...
, in a TV show called Chambres en ville
Chambres en ville
Chambres en ville was a Québécois téléroman written by Sylvie Payette that aired on TVA from 1989 to 1996.-Plot:This is the story of flatmates living in a dormitory. With young people she was welcoming into her house, Louise has certainly played all roles and jobs possible: mother, nurse, listener,...
(Rooms in Town).
He then became host of a daily radio show at the Montreal station CKOI-FM
CKOI-FM
CKOI-FM is a French-language Canadian radio station located in Montreal, Quebec.Owned and operated by Cogeco, it broadcasts on 96.9 MHz from the roof of the CIBC Tower in Downtown Montreal with an effective radiated power of 307,000 watts using an omnidirectional antenna...
in 1991. The year after he began hosting a television game show Que le meilleur gagne (May the Best Man Win), for five years. In 1995, he got the job of host on a late evening television talk-show Cha-ba-da.
In 1998, he worked on Céline Dion
Celine Dion
Céline Marie Claudette Dion, , , is a Canadian singer. Born to a large family from Charlemagne, Quebec, Dion emerged as a teen star in the French-speaking world after her manager and future husband René Angélil mortgaged his home to finance her first record...
's world tour, mostly as a chorister but also as a pianist. The same year he made the first of nine appearances at the Just for Laughs
Just for Laughs
Just for Laughs is a comedy festival held each July in Montreal, Quebec, founded in 1983. It is the largest international comedy festival in the world.- Information :...
Festival in Montreal.
Since 2001, he has hosted a weekly radio show on the national Radio-Canada
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
network, as well as a series of television shows, such as Culture Choc and "Les Debrouillards", in French and English, and a variety show on the France channel.
He is now conducting the chœurs du nouveau monde (New World Choirs) which includes notably Les Petits Chanteurs de Laval (The Little Singers of Laval) and Les Voix Boréales (Northern Voices), and before that, le Chœur Gospel
Gospel
A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
de Laval (the Laval Gospel Choir).
He presented his first variety show, Noir et Blanc (Black and White) to more than 400,000 spectators across Quebec and the rest of Canada. He also performed in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 2004. A unique feature of his show is the second half, in which he offers to sing and play on the piano any known song submitted randomly by the spectators.
At the end of 2004, he released his first album, from his show, called Gospel
Gospel
A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
Live Noir et Blanc.
On October 16, 2006, he launched his album I Think of You, which sold 109,000 copies in its first week, making Charles the highest selling Canadian artist in a one-week period for the year 2006. It debuted at number 1 on the Nielsen SoundScan
Nielsen SoundScan
Nielsen SoundScan is an information and sales tracking system created by Mike Fine and Mike Shalett. Soundscan is the official method of tracking sales of music and music video products throughout the United States and Canada...
album chart. It sold 41,000 units in its second week, to bring it to a total of 150,000 units after two weeks. Charles sold more albums in 2006 than all other Canadian musicians except Nelly Furtado
Nelly Furtado
Nelly Kim Furtado is a Canadian singer-songwriter, record producer and actress. Furtado grew up in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.Furtado first gained fame with her debut album, Whoa, Nelly!, and its single "I'm Like a Bird", which won a 2001 Juno Award for Single of the Year and a 2002 Grammy...
.
Charles was one of the headliners on Parliament Hill
Parliament Hill
Parliament Hill , colloquially known as The Hill, is an area of Crown land on the southern banks of the Ottawa River in downtown Ottawa, Ontario. Its Gothic revival suite of buildingsthe parliament buildings serves as the home of the Parliament of Canada and contains a number of architectural...
at the 2007 Canada Day
Canada Day
Canada Day , formerly Dominion Day , is the national day of Canada, a federal statutory holiday celebrating the anniversary of the July 1, 1867, enactment of the British North America Act , which united three British colonies into a single country, called Canada, within the British Empire...
celebration there, playing the evening's longest set, to an audience of thousands. He performed in both English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and French
French language
French 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...
.
However, one of his next scheduled appearances in Ottawa, where audiences were required to pay, did not fare so well. According to reports in the Ottawa Sun
Ottawa Sun
The Ottawa Sun is a daily tabloid newspaper in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It is published by Sun Media. It was first published in the early 1980s as the Ottawa Sunday Herald, until it was acquired by Toronto Sun Publishing Corporation in 1988....
, Doug Moore, the city's manager of Venture Properties, said that Grégory Charles' scheduled concert at the Ottawa SuperEx was cancelled due to poor ticket sales.
In the fall of 2007, he began hosting a CBC radio program, In the Key of Charles
In the Key of Charles
In the Key of Charles was a Canadian radio program, which aired on CBC Radio One and CBC Radio 2. Hosted by musician Gregory Charles, the program aired a variety of musical selections chosen by Charles to reflect a particular theme each week....
which was last broadcast September 6, 2009.
I Think of You (2006)
- "I Think of You"
- "Our House"
- "I Put my Trust on You"
- "Unlabel'ble"
- "Promise That You Love Me"
- "No Love"
- "Your Love Will Lead Me Back to You"
- "You are Near"
- "Til the Day I Die"
- "Life Goes On"
- "Solo pienso en ti (Prima)" ("I think of You" - Spanish Version)
This album was certified 2x platinum in Canada in December 2006.
Loin de la lumière (2007)
- "Au fond de moi"
- "Mariko "On n'se comprend pas"
- "Quand on se voit"
- "Loin de la lumière"
- "Chocolat"
- "Sur ma peau"
- "On sera deux"
- "Tu as rejoint les anges"
- "Elle était belle"
- "Toi et moi"
- "Je reviens"
Quand j'ai dit (2011)
- "J'ai changé"
- "Le goût"
- "Qu'encore tu penses à moi"
- "Quand j'ai dit"
- "Heureux malheureux"
- "J'ai oublié"
- "Reste ce soir"
- "Quand je veille"
- "Jusqu'à la fin"
- "Si tu dois"
- "En t'attendant"