Robert Paquette (born July 2, 1949) is a Canadian folk singer-songwriter.[1][2]
Robert Paquette | |
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Background information | |
Born | Sudbury, Ontario, Canada | July 2, 1949
Genres | Folk |
Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter |
In 1970, he worked with the student theatre group at Laurentian University, composing songs for the Franco-Ontarian stage musical Moé, j'viens du nord, 'stie![3][4] The troupe, which was one of the creative initiatives of the CANO artistic movement, evolved into the Théâtre du Nouvel-Ontario.[5]
Paquette released his first album as a soloist in 1974, and toured Canada and the United States.[1] He performed at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa in 1975.[1] In 1978, Paquette represented Canada at the Festival de Spa in Belgium.[1]
Following his 1984 album Gare à vous,[6] Paquette concentrated on television and stage work for TVOntario's Chaîne française, SRC and the Théâtre du Nouvel-Ontario.[1] He released a compilation of his songs in 1995.[7] He toured with Marcel Aymar and Paul Demers in the 1990s as the performing group Paquette-Aymar-Demers.[8] He also has collaborated with singer-songwriter Chuck Labelle.[9]
Paquette helped to found the Association des professionnels de la chanson et de la musique, of which he was also the vice-president for 12 years;[10] in 2001, he was the recipient of the association's Prix hommage at its first Gala Trille Or.[11] That same year, his songs "Blanc et bleu," from the album Prends celui qui passe, and "Jamaica," from Au pied du courant, received SOCAN Classic awards.[11]
In 2018, "Bleu et Blanc" was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame.[12][13]