Article

Jacques Michel

Published Online December 3, 2009

Last Edited December 16, 2013

Jacques Michel (b Rodrigue). Singer-songwriter, b Ste-Agnès-de-Bellecombe, near Rouyn, Que, 27 Jun 1941. At 16 he sang in cabarets in his region, performing songs by Gilbert Bécaud, Charles Aznavour, and Mouloudji to which he gradually added his own compositions.

Michel, Jacques

Jacques Michel (b Rodrigue). Singer-songwriter, b Ste-Agnès-de-Bellecombe, near Rouyn, Que, 27 Jun 1941. At 16 he sang in cabarets in his region, performing songs by Gilbert Bécaud, Charles Aznavour, and Mouloudji to which he gradually added his own compositions. In 1965 he took part in a show starring Muriel Millard at the Comédie-Canadienne in Montreal, and the same year he won the chanson trophy of the Montreal Festival du disque with 'Je retourne chez moi.' It was the song 'À cause d'une fleur' that brought him wide recognition, winning the special prize of the jury of the 1969 Festival de la chanson québécoise. The following year he won the Grand Prix de la Communauté radiophonique des programmes de langue française in Spa, Belgium, for his song 'Amène-toi chez nous' and a second prize at the Tokyo International Song Festival for 'Un nouveau jour viola se lever'. He appeared at Le Patriote annually 1971-7, at the Théâtre du Nouveau-Monde in Montreal in 1973, at the Grand Théâtre in Quebec City, at the NAC and at the PDA in 1971, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1978, and 1979. He also toured the Maritimes 1971-2 and Ontario in 1971, 1975, and 1978. In 1972 he sang at the St Lawrence Centre, Toronto. In 1974 he founded a production management firm, Les Productions Rojamic. He has taken part in many CBC TV variety shows, including 'Zoom' (1973), 'Vedette en direct' (1974, 1976, 1978), 'Dimanshowsoir' (1977), and 'Les Beaux Dimanches' (1978). He appeared in 'Tête d'affiche' (1977), a series at Télé-Métropole where he also hosted 'Les Lauréats des découvertes (1978, 1990, 1991). Jacques Michel left the stage in 1986 but continued to write songs for Martine Chevrier, Nicole Martin, Johanne Blouin and Nathalie Simard. Since then he has also pursued a career as an idea man and script writer for TV. In particular he devised and scripted the children's series 'Le Village de Nathalie' with Nathalie Simard. In language that can be tender or violent, his songs evoke love, friendship, freedom, life, and childhood. Benoît Lavoie has written of his songs (Canadian Composer, February 1975) that 'they last because they are labours of love.' Several have been recorded by Isabelle Aubret (in France), Julie Arel, Pauline Julien, Ginette Reno, and René Simard.

Discography

Jacques Michel et ses chansons. 1965. Fantastique FAN-6405

Jacques Michel, Grand Prix du Festival du disque. 1965. France-Canada SCL-33010

Jacques Michel. 1966. Apex ALF-1594

Jacques Michel. 1967. Jupiter JDY-7017

Jacques Michel. 1969. Jupiter YDS-8029

Citoyen d'Amérique. 1970. Zodiaque ZOS-6906

S.O.S. 1971. Zodiaque ZOX-6000

Pas besoin de frapper pour entrer ... 1972. Zodiaque ZOX-6005

Dieu ne se mange plus. 1973. Zodiaque ZOX-6009

Jacques Michel à la Comédie. 1973. Zodiaque ZOX-6012

C'que j'ai l'goüt d'dire. 1974. Zodiaque ZOX-6019

Migration. 1975. Trans-World TI-6026/Disque Total DT-2214

Ma Nouvelle Saison. 1976. Poly 2424-126

Le Temps d'aimer. 1977. Poly 2424-160

Le Coeur plus chaud. 1978. Poly 2424-185

Passages. 1980. Poly 2424-214