Paul Brunelle

Brunelle, Paul

Paul Brunelle. Writer-composer-performer, guitarist (Granby, Quebec, June 10, 1923 - Granby, Quebec, November 24, 1994). In his youth he was one of the Petits chanteurs de Granby; in his mid-teens he formed a country and western group. One of the first singers and writer-composers (in both languages) to enjoy success in this musical genre, Brunelle won the Living Room radio contest at Montreal radio station CKAC (1943, 1944), and in 1944 he recorded his first 78 LP, including the popular hits "Femmes que vous êtes jolies" and "Les filles des prairies ". He then hosted his own radio show at CKAC (around 1946). After touring the province with Laurent Lacroix (1949) and Antoine Grimaldi (1950-51), he established his own group (1951). For 10 years he appeared in cabarets, theatres, and on stage in Quebec, Ontario, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and New England. In addition to starring (1955-57) in the "Paul Brunelle et ses troubadours" broadcast on CKVL, he was regularly invited to take part in the television series of Lévis Bouliane, Willie Lamothe, Marcel Martel and Ti-Blanc Richard in Montreal and Sherbrooke. Often compared with U.S. singer Ernest Tubb, he recorded with RCA (until 1961), with London (1961-75), and then with Bonanza, creating a total of more than 40 recordings. His greatest successes include "Par une nuit d'étoiles", "Mes chers vingt ans", "Le Train qui siffle", "Destin cruel" and, later, "Ma belle poupée d'amour" and "Ma petite maison". In 1982 Brunelle retired from the stage for health reasons.

Bibliography

Gérald GODIN, "Ils ont inventé le cowboy québécois", Maclean (Dec. 1965).

La Presse (Montreal) "Paul Brunelle, un des maîtres du country, meurt à 71 ans", Nov. 25, 1994.