Canadian writer, composer, performer and actor.
Born in Dunrea (220 km South West of Winnipeg in the province
of Manitoba) 17th March 1949.
In his childhood he studied the piano with the
nuns. Then in 1967 he carried off the prize in a competition
for writer/composer/performer organised by SRC (Radio-Canada
TV) in the section of the programme J"eunesse Oblige"
(Youth Imposes Obligation). He was singing in both English
and in French as part of the groups Spectre and Dieu de l'amour
vous aime (The God of love loves you) (1969) before touring
Québec in 1970. He settled in there and played in cafés and
piano bars. His first recordings in 1973 and 1974 went un-noticed.
His first album produced by Gilles Valiquette was not much of
a success in Quebec. The song J'ai quitté mon île
was noticed in France and was a hit in Brazil and Portugal (under
the title Dixei Mihaterra). After touring the smaller concert
halls in Quebec, Daniel Lavoie settled down in Saint-Côme de
Beauce to write his second album which included Berceuse
pur un Lion, La Verité and Dans l'temps des animaux.
The public at large discovered Daniel Lavoie
in 1979 with the release of Nirvana bleu, from which
the songs Angéline, La danse due smatte and Boule
qui roule were given a good airing on the radio. The
French critics praised the album which gave its writer three
weeks of success at the Petit Monpranasse in Paris. In the
autumn of 1980 Daniel Lavoie received the award "Félix
de l'interprète masculin de l'année" (Male Performer
of the Year). In 1981, after shows in Quebec and Ontario, the
singer released two albums, Cravings in English and Aigre-doux,
How are you? in French. In the same year he gave another
new show at the Théâtre de la Ville in Paris. In spite of
the rather small commercial success of the recent albums his
name was being made. He received yet another "Félix de
l'interprète masculin" for 1982. In 1982 he performed
at the Bobino theatre in Paris and at the Bourges Festival .
He likewise went on tour in Belgium, Switzerland and Québec.
The following year Daniel Lavoie gave himself over to 15
months of writing and a sizeable investment of his money into
the production of his album Tension Attention which received
three Félix awards in 1984: song of the year (Tension
Attention) written jointly with Daniel DeShaime, male
Singer of the Year as writer/composer/performer. The song Ils
s'aiment sold more than two million copies in Europe and in
Quebec as well as being released in English, Spanish and
Portuguese. Following this success, Daniel Lavoie became co-owner,
with Rehjan Rancourt the Trafic record company.
In 1984 Daniel Lavoie gave another show called
Hôtel des rêves at the Spectrum and at the Théâtre Saint-Denis
in Montréal before setting off for Paris (one week at the
Olympia) Lausanne, Toulouse, Bruxelles and other towns in
Europe. In 1985 he received the award of the Midem d'or at
Cannes for Ils s'aiment, the award "Félix de l'artiste
s'etant le plus illustré dans le marché francophone hors Québec"
(music award for the artist who has become the most famous
withinthe French speaking market outside Québec) as
well as the award "Victoire du meilleur album
francophone de l'année" (winner of the best French
language album of the year (Tension Attention). At the
same time a big reception was held for him in Paris in
December.
The following year Daniel Lavoie was the
recipient of the Medaille Jacques-Blanchet, for the quality
of his work and of the Prize Wallonie-Québec. He recorded
the album Vue su la mer in London, this included the
songs La Villa de Ferdinando Marcus sur la mer,
Que
cherche-t-elle? La nuit se lève, Coeur de
pomme and Je voudrais voir New York. Following a
live radio poll in five countries this last song won, in July
1987, the Trophée Renonciat awarded by the "Communauté
radiophonique des programmes de langue francaise" (Association
of radio programmes in the French language). In the autumn
Daniel Lavoie was a big success with his series of five shows
at the Olympia in Paris, he went on tour in 21 European towns
and received another "Félix de l'artiste s'étant les
plus illustré hors Quebéc." He finished the year with
a second award of the best francophone album. (Vue sur la mer).
At the beginning of
1988 the American singer Liza Minelli invited him on her
special TV show LIZA during which he sang Never been to
New York and Whom do you love?, two songs from the
Tips album released in 1986 for the Canadian market. After
another tour in Quebec he performed for three weeks in March
at the Théâtre Outremont, the same show which he had given
the previous year at the Olympia in Paris, Trafic released a
video of the concert Daniel Lavoie á l'Outremont –
Weith Michael Rivard, Sting, Peter Gabriel and
Bruce Springsteen he took part in HUMAN RIGHTS NOW in
September. All profits from the show performed at the Stade
Olympique de Montréal went to Amnesty International. Daniel
Lavoie is in other ways a committed man. He is the spokesman
for the Canadian Federation for French literacy (FCAF) and
for the Institute on Research into youth Diabetes. In 1985 he
took part in the song "Les yeux de la faim"
(Hungry eyes) in aid of those Ethiopeans struck down by
famine.
In May 1990 Daniel Lavoie released the album
Long Courrier which quickly went to the top of the charges on
Radio Actvité thanks to the songs Le pap du rap, Qui
sait, Jours de plaine and Long Courrier. In
the autumn he received the award " Félix de l'album pop-rock
de l'année." At the same period, the Francofolies of
Montreal performed LA FÊTE À DANIEL LAVOIE, a show given in
his honour.
The singer made his first screen appearance in
1991 in the film LE FABULEUX VOYAGE DE L'ANGE by Jean-Pierre
Lefebvre. He also composed the theme music for the film.
Furthermore, he was chosen for the role of the painter Eugène
Delacroix in the symphonic rock-opera SAND ET LES ROMANTIQUES
by Catherine Lara and Luc Plamondon. That same year he took
part in the first Francofolies performed in Bulgaria. In July
1992 he received the Prix de la chanson française at the
International Summer Festival in Québec and took part in a
concert version of SAND ET LES ROMANTIQUES at la Rochelle.
This version was to end up by being presented at the Théâtre
Sain-Denis de Montréal in December 1993. Meanwhile in 1992,
his third album in English, Here in the heart,
appeared and was well received in English speaking Canada.
The song Weak for love was fitted into the plot of one
episode of the American series GENERAL HOSPITAL.
Boxed sets: The original albums had appeared
between 1975 and 1992. these four boxed sets contained the
following:
1. COURT TERME and BERCEUSE POUR UN LION
2. NIRVANA BLEU and VUE SUR LA MER
3. TENSION ATTENTION and LONG COURRIER
4. CRAVINGS and WOMAN TO MAN
Daniel Lavoie has also produced albums for
several other artistes (Hart Rouge, Marie-Jo Thério, Claude
Gauthier, Louise Forestier) and has sung duos with Bérinda,
Carmen Campagne, Marco Voley and Robert Charlesbois. The
songs are available on the albums of the respective singers.
He also takes part in the administrative board of SPACQ, (Quebec
section of the Canadian Society for the Protection of Animals).
On returning to Quebec in the autumn of 2000,
Daniel Lavoie didn't put his feet up. In the winter of 2000
he participated in the album "Noël ensemble",
the profits of which went to combat Sida (Aids) and sung on
the album “Un trésor dans mon jardin” aimed
at children. The year 2000/2001 was a creative one. He wrote
and composed songs for Luce Duffault, Lara Fabian, Roch
Voisine, Matt Laurent as well as writing the mirou for “Ludovic
en vacances chez grand papa” (Ludovic on holiday at his
grandad’s house), the third cartoon film of Co Haedeman,
the world-reknowned film-maker. The music of the two earlier
“Ludovic” films was also the work of Daniel Lavoie.
In July 2001 he took part in the opening show of Jeux de la
Francophonie in Ottawa. Thanks to his long-running success in
the musical Notre Dame de Paris, Daniel Lavoie and a NDP
troupe of actors put on a stage 2 special concert
performances of NDP in Montréal in November 2001. He ends 2001 by playing the part of
the Rumanian refugee in the shooting of the film “The
Book of Eve” by Claude Fournier.
Campaign 'Photos de stars':
Daniel Lavoie took part in this campaign in 2002 and 2003. He took photos on
a disposable camera which were later auctioned in aid of 'Reporteurs sans
frontieres/Reporters without borders'.(See RSF photos 2002)
2002:
return to France, he is taking the part of the Airman in the musical of “Le
Petit Prince” taken from the work of Saint-Exupéry (at the Casino de Paris
from October 2002 to April 2003). He is also composing songs for Bruno
Pelletier, Maurane, Mireille Mathieu, Nourith and Nana Mouskouri.
In 2003 he's recording his solo album in Paris [Due for release in
January 2004] and he is carrying on composing for Maurane, Nolwenn Leroy,
Florent Pagny. Daniel is filming again for television. He
takes the part of Felix Leclerc in the TV series following the life of the
poet.[broadcast in 2004].
'Comedies Humaines', Daniel Lavoie's new album is released on 27th
January 2004.
Biography by GSI-Musique,
completed by Alma-webmaster.
PRIVATE LIFE
Family: Daniel Lavoie was called Gérald
until the age of 20. He lived in Manitoba until 1971 as part of a large
family of five brothers and sisters. His Father was a shopkeeper and his
Mother had a passion for music and introduced him to classical music and
opera singing from the age of three. He was given a very traditional
education with the Jesuits in Saint Boniface where he studied the piano.
His Mother always wanted him to be a priest and he ended up by becoming
Frollo for two years in the musical Notre Dame de Paris.
Daniel Lavoie
has been married to Louise Dubuc for 16 years. He has three children,
Mathieu (29), Gabrielle (20) and Joseph (16). The Lavoie family live on a
farm 50 km from Montéal. Louise
Dubuc is also his editor and often writes songs with him.
Joseph has also acted as advisor to his Father on the records
for children “Le Bébé Dragon” and “Le Bébé
Dragon 2”.
Family
photos
Enthusiasms: Daniel Lavoie likes to work in his music studio at home. He
is also a big nature lover, likes mountain biking, cutting
wood in the forest which surrounds the house and has a real
passion for gardening. “I love having my hands in the
soil. At home in Québec I have a huge vegetable plot. I make
my own composts and each year, in the spring, I sow different
seeds. I get almost every seed catalogue and it’s from
these that I make my choice. My neighbour is also a gardening
enthusiast and we exchange plenty of tips. All our vegetables
come from my garden. I adore working the soil in the spring
time when the fine weather arrives. This enthusiasm is
inherited from my grandfather, I was always the little
gardener with him.” Another great enthusiasm: the choral
music of Bach. Among his favourites are the Cantata number
142 and the St. Matthew Passion.
Daniel
Lavoie's ten favourite songs
Musician:
Ever since learning to play the piano with the Jesuits he has
been an experimental musician whatever the instrument: he
plays the classical and electronic guitar, the saxophone, the
bandoneon and the flute. Even when he was tiny he wanted to
play on the piano “Les feuilles mortes” (Dead
Leaves) (Yves Montand, words by Jacques Prevert) and he
composes all his music on his synthesizer.
