Jean-Pierre Ferland, the singer-songwriter who became a fixture of QuebecB次元官网网址檚 cultural landscape over a career that spanned more than six decades, died Saturday at the age of 89.
The agency representing Ferland confirmed the singer, whoB次元官网网址檚 signature song B次元官网网址渦ne chance quB次元官网网址檕n sB次元官网网址檃B次元官网网址� is regarded as a classic of Quebec music, died of natural causes after being hospitalized earlier this year.
Born in Montreal on June 24, 1934, Ferland was a prolific artist who produced some 30 albums, including the culturally significant B次元官网网址淛aune,B次元官网网址� which sold some 60,000 copies in a year after its release in 1970.
He was named an officer of the Order of Canada and a knight of the National Order of Quebec, and was inducted into CanadaB次元官网网址檚 Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2007.
Ferland held a concert at MontrealB次元官网网址檚 Bell Centre in 2007 to officially mark his retirement after a more than four-decade-long career, but continued to perform and record up until 2021.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, writing on X, described Ferland as a B次元官网网址済iantB次元官网网址� of francophone music.
B次元官网网址淗e wrote and sang songs that will be a part of Quebec culture forever,B次元官网网址� Trudeau wrote. B次元官网网址淗e will be dearly missed.B次元官网网址�
Quebec Premier Fran莽ois Legault described Ferland as a B次元官网网址済reat builder of Quebec-French song,B次元官网网址� adding that heB次元官网网址檇 listened to B次元官网网址淛auneB次元官网网址� on repeat.
Legault said Sunday that the government will hold a state funeral for Ferland, if the singerB次元官网网址檚 family accepts.
Canadian singer Roch Voisine paid tribute to an artist he described as B次元官网网址渋ncomparable.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淗is album B次元官网网址楯auneB次元官网网址� changed everything,B次元官网网址� Voisine said. B次元官网网址淎nd all the songs that followed. Rest in peace, Mr. Ferland.B次元官网网址�
While he originally worked as an accountant, Ferland became a fixture on the provinceB次元官网网址檚 cultural scene a few years after he recorded his first songs in 1958.
He started making a name for himself in both Quebec and internationally in the 1960s before the release of B次元官网网址淛auneB次元官网网址� in 1970.
Ferland took his first steps into television and movies in the 1970s, and would become an actor, scriptwriter and host for several productions.
While a 2006 stroke prompted his official retirement, he continued to perform and record, and it didnB次元官网网址檛 ultimately halt his output. Notable performances included at a 2008 concert on Quebec CityB次元官网网址檚 Plains of Abraham to celebrate the cityB次元官网网址檚 400th anniversary with fellow Quebec stars including C茅line Dion and Ginette Reno. He also released a number of new albums, including B次元官网网址淏ijoux de familleB次元官网网址� in 2009 and the live album B次元官网网址淟es Noces dB次元官网网址檕r de jauneB次元官网网址� in 2011.
B次元官网网址淚 left this profession, I stopped, I did a farewell show. But it didnB次元官网网址檛 last long,B次元官网网址� he told Radio-Canada in 2021.
B次元官网网址淚 was ashamed, but I came back, and as quickly as possible. ItB次元官网网址檚 the most beautiful job in the world.B次元官网网址�
Ferland is survived by his partner and his two children, as well as four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
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Jean-Benoit Legault, The Canadian Press
