Gilles Vigneault
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Gilles Vigneault | |
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Background information | |
Born | Natashquan, Quebec |
27 October 1928
Occupation(s) | Poet, publisher, singer-songwriter |
Years active | 1959-present |
Website | http://gillesvigneault.com/ |
Gilles Vigneault, GOQ (French pronunciation: [ʒil viɲo]; born 27 October 1928) is a Canadian poet, publisher and singer-songwriter, and Quebec nationalist and sovereigntist. Two of his songs are considered by many Quebec's unofficial anthems: "Mon pays"[1] and "Les gens de mon pays",[2] and his line Mon pays ce n'est pas un pays, c'est l'hiver (My country is not a country, it is winter, from "Mon Pays") became a proverb in Quebec.[3] Vigneault is a Grand Officer of the National Order of Quebec, Knight of the Legion of Honour, Officer of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.
Life and career[edit]
Vigneault was born in Natashquan, on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River in Quebec.
Vigneault started writing poetry during his studies at the Seminary in Rimouski, and by the 1950s was publishing poems and writing songs for other performers. In 1959 he founded the publishing house Les Éditions de l'Arc to distribute his publications.[4] His first collection, Étraves, was published in 1959.[5]
In 1960 Vigneault made his singing debut at the L'Arlequin club in Quebec City.[6] followed by a successful Montreal concert later that year.[7] In 1962 he recorded his first album, "Gilles Vigneault", and received the Grand prix du disque from Montreal radio station CKAC. His reputation grew in Quebec and beyond with the success of his song Mon Pays, from the soundtrack of the NFB film La neige a fondu sur la Manicouagan (1965).[8]
Vigneault's reputation as a songwriter and performer grew and he became popular not only in Quebec, but also in English Canada and Europe.[9] Vigneault performed in major Canadian concert halls, including Montreal's Place des Arts, the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, and at Toronto's Massey Hall. In Europe he toured in France, Switzerland, Poland, Belgium and Luxembourg.[10]
The mid-1970s saw Vigneault's participation in several major events. On 13 August 1974, 130,000 spectators came together on the Plains of Abraham for the Superfrancofête, where Vigneault participated in an historic concert alongside Félix Leclerc and Robert Charlebois. The concert was recorded and released as the album "J'ai vu le loup, le renard, le lion." At the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day concert '"Les 5 Jean-Baptistes" on Montreal's Mount Royal on 24 June 1976 Gilles Vigneault performed together with Robert Charlebois, Claude Léveillée, Jean-Pierre Ferland and Yvon Deschamps. This concert was recorded and released as "Une fois cinq", which later received the Grand Prix du Disque (the Charles Cros award).[11]
Vigneault's political views have remained strongly in favour of national sovereignty for Quebec. During the Quebec general election, 2014 campaign Gilles Vigneault supported the Parti Québécois.[12]
The main subjects of Vigneault's writing are Quebec and its people, as well as human relationships, love and everyday life.[13] Vigneault is also concerned with environmental issues and has written songs and tales for children.[14]
Family[edit]
Gilles Vigneault has seven children: Michel, Louis, François (a poet and a lyricist), Pascale, Guillaume (a novelist), Jessica (a pianist and a singer) and Benjamin (a percussionist).[15]
Discography[edit]
Honours[edit]
Vigneault has received a number of honorary doctorates including:
- Trent (1975)[17]
- Université du Québec à Rimouski (1979)[18]
- York University (1985)[19]
- Université de Montréal (1981)[20]
Vigneault has received numerous awards and honours:
- Prix Félix-Leclerc for the song Mon pays (1965)[21]
- Governor General's Award for French language poetry or drama (1965)[22]
- Prix de musique Calixa-Lavallée (1966)[23]
- Grand Prix du Disque of the Charles Cros Academy, Paris (in 1970 for Du milieu du pont;,[24] in 1984 for two recordings for children: Les Quatre saisons de Piquot and Quelques pas dans l'univers d'Éviola and in 1990)[25]
- Molson Prize (1982)[26]
- Prix Denise-Pelletier conferred by the Quebec government (1983)[27]
- Jacques-Blanchet medal (1987)[28]
- Grande médaille de la Chanson française-Vermeil medal (1988)[29]
- Governor General's Performing Arts Award - Lifetime Artistic Achievement (1993)[30]
- Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame (2006)[31]
He is a Grand Officer of the National Order of Quebec (2000), Knight of the Légion d'honneur (1986), and Officier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (1990).[32]
Several cultural institutions and streets in Quebec and France bear the name of Gilles Vigneault:
- The library of the Rimouski Community college (La Bibliothèque Gilles-Vigneault)[33]
- École Gilles-Vigneault (Montreal, Quebec)[34]
- École Gilles-Vigneault de Marseille (Marseille, France)[35]
- Rue Gilles-Vigneault (Blainville, Quebec)[36]
- Rue Gilles-Vigneault (Rimouski, Quebec)[37]
- Rue Gilles-Vigneault (Granby, Quebec)[38]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ Gilles Vigneault - The Canadian Encyclopedia
- ^ Biographie Gilles Vigneault - MusicMe
- ^ "Gilles Vigneault." Oxford Essential Quotations. Ed. Ratcliffe, Susan. : Oxford University Press. Oxford Reference. 2012. Date Accessed 6 May. 2014.
- ^ Gilles Vigneault - The Canadian Encyclopedia
- ^ Étraves (Gilles Vigneault): une lecture de Paul Laurendeau
- ^ Gilles Vigneault - The Canadian Encyclopedia
- ^ Marshall, Joyce. "Vigneault, Gilles." The Oxford Companion to Canadian Literature. : Oxford University Press, 1997. Oxford Reference. 2006. Date Accessed 6 May. 2014
- ^ Gilles Vigneault - Biografie - RFI Musique
- ^ Marshall, Joyce. "Vigneault, Gilles." The Oxford Companion to Canadian Literature. : Oxford University Press, 1997. Oxford Reference. 2006. Date Accessed 6 May. 2014
- ^ Gilles Vigneault - The Canadian Encyclopedia
- ^ Biographie Gilles Vigneault - MusicMe
- ^ Quebec songwriter Gilles Vigneault's heart 'broken' by PQ loss
- ^ Marshall, Joyce. "Vigneault, Gilles." The Oxford Companion to Canadian Literature. : Oxford University Press, 1997. Oxford Reference. 2006. Date Accessed 6 May. 2014
- ^ Gilles Vigneault - Biografie - RFI Musique
- ^ Biographie Gilles Vigneault - MusicMe
- ^ Gilles Vigneault. "Gilles Vigneault | Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-04-19.
- ^ Trent Honorary Graduates
- ^ Doctorats honorifiques
- ^ Honorary degree recipients - honorary degrees and ceremonials sub-committee
- ^ Hommage à monsieur Gilles Vigneault
- ^ Mon pays - The Canadian encyclopedia
- ^ Governor General’s Literary Awards - Encyclopedia Britannica
- ^ Prix de musique Calixa-Lavallée - The Canadian encyclopedia
- ^ Gagné, Marc (1977). Gilles Vigneault :bibliographie descriptive et critique, discographie, filmographie, iconographie, chronologie. Québec: Presses de l'Université Laval,. p. 430. ISBN 0774667990.
- ^ Gilles Vigneault
- ^ Cumulative list - The Canada Council for the Arts
- ^ Vigneault, Gilles Prix Denise-Pelletier 1983
- ^ Jacques-Blanchet, médaille (prix de musique)
- ^ Lauréats - Grande médaille de la Chanson française
- ^ http://www.bce.ca/ggawards/en/recipient.html?p_vigneault_g
- ^ Billboard Bits: Songwriters Hall, Big & Rich, Pretty Girls Make Graves
- ^ Gilles Vigneault - Ordre national du Québec
- ^ Bibliothèque Gilles-Vigneault
- ^ École Gilles-Vigneault
- ^ École Gilles-Vigneault de Marseille
- ^ Rue Gilles-Vigneault Blainville - Googlemaps
- ^ Rue Gilles-Vigneault Rimouski - Googlemaps
- ^ Rue Gilles-Vigneault Granby - Googlemaps
Further reading[edit]
- Robitaille, Aline (1968). Gilles Vigneault (in French). Montréal: Leméac Editeur Inc. ISBN 978-2-7609-1931-0.
- Rioux, Lucien (1969). Gilles Vigneault : Présentation par Lucien Rioux. Choix de chansons ... Paris: Editions P. Seghers. OCLC 49085576.
- Fournier, Roger (1972). Gilles Vigneault, mon ami (in French). Montréal: La Presse. ISBN 978-0-7777-0026-6.
- Gagné, Marc (1974). Propos de Gilles Vigneault. Le Pays par lui-même (in French). Montréal: Nouvelles éditions de l'Arc. OCLC 1734899.
- Gagné, Marc (1977). Gilles Vigneault : bibliographie descriptive et critique, discographie, filmographie, iconographie, chronologie (in French). Québec: Presses de l'Université Laval. ISBN 978-0-7746-6799-9.
External links[edit]
- Vigneault's style - The Canadian Encyclopedia
- Gilles Vigneault chante son pays - Archives de Radio-Canada (French)
- (French) Pendant que Gilles Vigneault at Radio-Canada
- (French) Gilles Vigneault at Québec Info Musique
- "Expo 67 Man and His World - Gilles Vigneault" at Library and Archives Canada
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- 1928 births
- Calixa-Lavallée Award winners
- 20th-century Canadian poets
- Canadian male poets
- Living people
- Grand Officers of the National Order of Quebec
- Chevaliers of the Légion d'honneur
- Officiers of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
- Quebec songwriters
- French Quebecers
- French-language singers of Canada
- Canadian expatriates in France
- Musicians from Quebec
- Prix Denise-Pelletier winners
- Columbia Records artists
- Canadian poets in French
- Writers from Quebec
- Governor General's Performing Arts Award winners