Jerry and Jo'Anne Robitaille

Robitaille, Jerry and Jo'Anne

Jerry (Gérald) Robitaille and Jo'Anne (b Moreault). Country and western duo comprising Jerry Robitaille, singer-songwriter, guitar player, b Sherbrooke, Que, 9 Feb 1942, d Cookshire, Que, 21 Mar 1996; and Jo'Anne Moreault, singer. Jerry learned to play fiddle and steel guitar as a child. He worked at non-musical jobs before attending the 1967 Disc Jockey Convention in Nashville, Tenn, where he decided to embark on a career in country music. The following year, he met Jo'Anne, who was making her debut as a soloist on a television show in Sherbrooke, Que. In 1971, they recorded two albums in Nashville on the London label, one in French and the other in English: On est fait l'un pour l'autre (SDS-5092) / We Are Made For Each Other (EBX-4163), which sold 25 000 copies. The following year, they recorded Down Home (EBX-4171) and L'Avenir (SDS-5122), composed of American songs except for two of Robitaille's compositions, 'Down Home' and 'The Crutch.' They launched seven LPs within two years and toured Quebec. They participated in the 'Ralph Emery Show' in Nashville (1972), 'Country Time' (1972) for the CBC in Halifax, and gave a concert at PDA in Montreal with George Jones and Tammy Wynette (1973). They performed songs in French and English on the 'Tommy Hunter Show' in 1975. They founded their own recording company, Daisy Records, which produced, among others, En rappel (DAY-1801), Jo'Anne Presents Jerry and His Steel Guitar (DAY-1803), and Aujourd'hui (DAY-1809). Jerry and Jo'Anne (DAY-1806) received a Félix Award for country and western LP of the year in 1982. The duo subsequently parted company; Jerry continued performing solo as the Mountain Man, mostly in Quebec towns, until his death. Jerry and Jo'Anne have been recognized as trendsetters for country-pop music in Quebec.