Daniel Lavoie, whose real name is Joseph-Hubert-Gérald Lavoie, is a Canadian singer-songwriter whose particularity, apart from his artistic talents, is to have been born in Manitoba, a French-speaking community within an English-speaking province.
He learned to play the piano at the age of 4, but the real kick-off of his musical career came when he won the competition for the show "Jeunesse oblige" in 1967 while he was stopping off in his town. Contest organized by Radio Canada.
Then, from the 70s, he played musicians first with the group "Spectre" then with "Dieu de l'amour vous aime" (that's the name of the group, it's me who you say…). A musical journey that will bring him to Quebec where he will settle there.
He first played in clubs and cafes, recorded his first album "Short Term" in 1975 with relative success. Then came the album "Lullaby for a lion" in 1976 which this time enjoyed a great enthusiasm, at least locally.
It was from the third album "Nirvana bleu", which was released in 1979 and from which the title "La danse du smatte" was to be extracted, that things took a much more favorable turn for the artist. Success in Canada, France and even Germany.
So much so that he received a "Félix" in 1980 as Best Performer of the Year. Prizes and rewards are raining down.
The consecration came in 1984 when the album "Attention tension" was released, which was to be extracted from the enormous "Ils s'aiment", a magnificent ode to love and a flagship single that would sell more than 2 million copies!
A euphoric period that later gave way to calmer years when the artist was active but without regaining the same level of success as before.
Little air hole that lasts until 1998, when he accepts to play the role of Frolo in a musical called… .. "Notre Dame de Paris". Musical by Luc Plamondon and Richard Cocciante, which will become a real phenomenon in France, revealing artists hitherto unknown and making them real stars as rarely before in France.
Still active, the singer has some surprises in store for us in the years to come. To be continued ...
To discover or rediscover.
Discography (among others ...) :
J'ai quitté mon île 1974
Des hauts dans la journée 1974
Dans l'temps des animaux 1977
Commercial pour un jet 1977
La danse du smatte 1979
Nirvana bleu 1979
Allume la TV 1979
Boule qui roule 1980
Henry 1981
Ann Jaloo 1981
C'est comme ton tour 1981
Passe passe et le temps 1981
Tension attention 1983
Roule ta boule 1983
Ils s’aiment 1984
Que cherche-t-elle ? 1986
Je voudrais voir New-York 1986
Vie de vie de ville 1986
Tricky Willy 1986
Human woman 1986
La nuit se lève 1987
Les longs manteaux 1987
Dis lui, dis lui Mona 1988
Qui sait ? 1990
Bess 1990
Jours de plaine 1991
Running into walls 1992
Woman to man 1992
Weak for love 1993
Ou la route mène 1995
Du feu dans ma maison 1995
Je n'y suis pour personne 1995
La tornade 1996
La lune est une tarte 1996
La promenade 1996
A quel âge on ne pleure plus 1997
Le vent 1997
La valse du Cap Eternité 1998
Les paravents chinois 2004
Chasseur de mouches 2004
La chanson du pharmacien 2005
Docteur Tendresse 2007
Sauvez 2007
La Naïade 2007
Sirène 2014
La licorne captive 2014
Icare 2014
J'oublie jamais, jamais, d'aimer 2016
Qui es-tu je seul 2016
Clips :
1974 ... the preliminaries. A smooth debut on a pretty ballad that begs to be heard ...
1974... beginnings that were encouraging to say the least and which let us glimpse a certain potential in this young artist. It remains to be seen now what he will do with this famous potential...
1977 ... a Daniel that is refined over time. Like good wine, it will take a few more years of ripening to give the best of himself ...
1977...you have to give time to time and a career is built over the long term. So far everything is going as planned...
1979 ... the end of the decade which brought him a first notable success. It just goes to show that perseverance always pays off one day or another ...
1979...the 1970s enabled him to hatch and begin to make people talk about him. It remains to be seen what the next decade has in store for him...
1979 ... whatever it is, it is clear that he will inevitably end up producing THE title that will set him apart from the crowd. It's only a matter of time...
1980 ... he demonstrates over the years an undeniable talent for so-called 'emotional' titles. And we will not be long in having a striking confirmation ...
1981 ... the beginning of the decade when we find Daniel in Ketchup sauce. Well, why not, but the attempt to break into the Anglo-Saxon sphere will not produce much effect ...
1981...we'll have to be a little more patient to see the big take-off, but we're getting closer slowly but surely. It will not be done on an English title in any case...
1981...return in French on a particularly swaying title. It is not in this kind of register that he will win the timpani but he is far from being ridiculous in any case...
1981...a year 1981 resolutely oriented Dance. Nice try but it will not bring him more than that in the end...
1983...this time won't be the right one yet, but we got very close to it. Everything is now ready for the big fireworks...
1983...a Daniel who continues on his merry way. Nothing extraordinary on this title but it could be that things evolve quickly, very quickly...
1984...after a quiet start to the decade but without any real take-off, here finally comes the time for recognition. But above all consecration. Thanks to this title with magical lyricism and inspiration. He signs here the title of his life and surely one of the most beautiful songs of this end of the 20th century. MAS-TER-FUL !
1986...the Intimist domain is really the one where he feels the best, it is clear. This title will not be able to compete with the previous jewel but it is far from deserving, that's clear...
1986...in the same vein. A year 1986 placed unquestionably under the sign of sweetness and which once again allowed him to show the best of himself...
1986...a title that will go a little more unnoticed but that it would have been a shame to hide. Might as well bring it to light as it should...
1986...back in the English language and as for the previous times the impact in the Anglo-Saxon sphere will not really live up to its expectations...
1986 ... it's a good try anyway and above all it still works quite well. Anyway, we'll be happy with that...
1987... back in Intimist mode and he will prove once again that he really excels in this field. Excellent work as usual !
1987 ... again, and again, and again in the 'emotional' register ... It's always well done but it will eventually tire Daniel ...
1988 ... there you have it, a little rhythm doesn't hurt, on the contrary. Scheduled turn or smoke screen...good question doctor ?
1990 ... and no, it was indeed a diversion. We set off again on the same pretty road but the monotony wins us over ...
1990...he still made real efforts to diversify for a while. But we're not going to lie to each other, the best years are now behind him...
1991 ... Daniel plays Daniel. We will have changed decades without the style evolving more or less. Pity...
1992...back in English just to see if that couldn't put him back in the saddle a little. Nice try but unfortunately it will not be enough...
1992...as soon as he can get back into his comfort zone, he does not hesitate to do so. We won't remake him again as they say and whether in French or in English...
1993...we cannot deny his more than certain talent in the register of finesse and lightness. Unquestionably one of the very best of his generation in this very particular register...
1995 ... already 20 years of career and a desire to continue the adventure as much as possible more than obvious. The hour of retirement has not come, far from it...
1995...especially since the end of the decade will offer him a gift whose personal and professional repercussions he would never have imagined...
1995...we're not there yet anyway. For the moment he continues to unroll for himself and he does it in a very beautiful way...
1996... here he is surprisingly in a musical register for children to which he had absolutely not accustomed us. Stange turn...
1996 ... we would never have imagined that he could venture into this very particular field and yet it is indeed the case ...
1996...an original foray but it is certain that it is not with this kind of title that he risks attracting the general public...
1997...there will even be a sequel. All the same, he shouldn't stay too long in this area, otherwise he'll never be able to get out of it...
1997... after everyone pursues his career as he wishes. It's the sequel that will tell us in which direction he intends to go now...
1998...it could be that this year 1998 is a year which will turn out to be exceptional for the artist. But not necessarily on a personal basis but rather in group mode...
Top Bonus : 1998 ... the role of a lifetime. A legendary song for a legendary trio. A marvel that will forever remain one of his greatest successes ...
2004...the 'Notre Dame de Paris' adventure over, here he is back in solo mode. Difficult to bounce back after such an adventure...
2004...but he will try anyway. Afterwards, it is clear that reinventing yourself on your own after such a gripping adventure is not easy...
2005... and it is clear that it is not with this kind of title that he risks coming back into the race in a notorious way. Nice tribute all the same to Felix Leclerc...
2007... what is certain, however, is that he still does not intend to throw in the towel. He will go as far as he can and no matter if he succeeds or not...
2007...the gap with the competition in the middle of the 2000s has become more than substantial. He will therefore have to redouble his efforts to try to fill the hole...
2007...he's doing what he can but that won't be enough to bring him back into the race as he hoped. He will therefore have to settle for what fate offers him in terms of reward...
2014...then nothing very interesting for almost 7 years. Here he is back in this year 2014 through the musical project of Laurent Guardo...
2014...a musical project out of time and above all very far from the latest musical trends of the moment. Bet for the less daring...
2014...a musical parenthesis necessarily intended for an audience that is at least initiated. Not sure if this is the best way to make people talk about you at the highest level...
2016...here he is back in a slightly more classic musical register. But too classic once again to capture the general public...
2016... what is certain, however, is that he is still there, which is not nothing. An exceptional longevity for an artist among the most gifted of his generation and this indisputably...
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Greatest Hits :
Discography :