Paul Daraîche, the iconic voice of Québec country music. Who’s sold more than two million albums, is almost 78, and he’s written six of the 13 songs on his latest release. His final album. Really, Paul? “Not exactly,” he admits. “My manager wanted to present it as if it were my last, but I’ve got more songs – and hopefully, they’ll see the light of day at some point. But with this album, I wanted to give writers the chance to create songs for me.”
Un dernier je t’aime is the title of the new album a collection of songs produced by singer Mario Pelchat, released on his MP3 label. and brought to life by longtime collaborator Christian Turcotte – who poured all his country know-how into lush, occasionally stripped-down arrangements, supported by a small army of talented musicians. These are songs that hook you from the very first listen.
“That’s exactly how I wanted it,” says our unshakeable country patriarch. “And at Studio Piccolo, no less – my favourite. We recorded with all the musicians together in-studio over the course of two weeks.” Alongside a string section that subtly enhances the album’s sonic landscape, three masters of their craft – André Proulx (violin), Rick Haworth (guitar), and Jean-Guy Grenier (lap steel) – weave in and out with carefully chosen, tastefully placed notes.
One is left speechless upon hearing “C’est ma vie,” written and composed by Léa Jarry, the opening song of an album as ambitious as the proud, steadfast man behind it. Across these snapshots, he traces the road he’s travelled. “She did a lot of research into my life and my story; her words describe me perfectly! ” says Daraîche. It’s hard not to fall for “La musique c’est ma maison,” penned by the free-spirited Cindy Bédard, a rising star of the new country scene. As for “Je reviens,” a Salvatore Adamo classic, re-imagined with authentic country flair, it’s sure to bring a smile to your face.
Then, he masterfully plucks our heartstrings with next to nothing on “Est-ce que l’amour,” a simple ballad, free of flash or pretense. His voice has such a distinct identity that it commands your full, immediate attention. Hearing it again, practically unchanged since his breakout at the ADISQ Gala in 1979 – when he triumphed alongside his sister Julie – feels like a blessing in itself.
It’s immediately clear that the man digs deeply and joyfully into his roots. The country register is still fully under his command. As he remembers, he arrived in Montréal at age nine, back in 1956, having left his hometown of Saint-François-de-Pabos (now part of Chandler in Gaspésie) and “That’s when my father bought me my first guitar,” he says. “I went completely nuts. I never left my room after that!”
Another Hotel Room
“I played in every hotel and bar in the small towns and villages of Québec. Even in Ontario and the Eastern Maritimes, and in First Nations reserves, too,” Daraîche recalls.
Surely there were bumps in the road? After all, touring is anything but uneventful. “Show business isn’t all sunshine,” he says. “There were situations I got through, but I can tell you, I was clenched tight. More than once, I had to slip out the back door of the venues I played. And yeah, there were a few times I never got paid at the end of the night.” Miraculously, he came through it all unscathed.
And yet, it was through “la chanson” that he first found his footing in 1973, with a debut album paying tribute to the songs of Georges Moustaki and Jean Ferrat. A few years earlier, in 1965, Daraîche had jumped into the yéyé wave at just 18, fronting Les Loups Blancs, a band based in La Sarre, Abitibi. “Back then, I was a huge fan of ‘chanson française,’” he says, “I knew the repertoire of Aznavour, Reggiani, Adamo, and so on. Maybe that’s why I ended up as the singer for Les Loups Blancs.”
Someone even dangled the promise of a tour through the Abitibi region. “I quickly realized that wasn’t true,” he recalls with a smile. “We were put up for free by farmers, who had us milking cows morning and night. That definitely wasn’t the career path we had in mind. Eventually, we signed on with an agency that gave us steady gigs every night. We each made $350 a week, room and board included.”
During the yéyé era, Daraîche spent a lot of time with Les Sinners (who later became La Révolution Française). “We used to write songs together and often shared the stage,” he recalls. “Like the British band The Who, the guys from Les Sinners would smash their instruments at the end of every show. Me? I had just gotten my first Fender guitar – no way I was destroying that!” Daraîche also made frequent appearances on the popular TV show Jeunesse d’aujourd’hui.
A Lifelong Bond With Renée Martel
The majesty of rustic country, heavy with prophecy and sorrow, moves us deeply in “En attendant que tu reviennes,” a song whose first draft was penned by the queen of country herself, the late Renée Martel. She handed this final piece to the Québec country king from her deathbed. Daraîche completed the lyrics and set them to music. The duo had last come together in 2021 for a passion project: Contre vents et marées, an album of re-interpretations that marked yet another milestone in a decades-long artistic partnership.
The Daraîche family will reunite once again for a series of shows in the winter of 2025-26. His daughters, of course, including Émilie – who was nominated at the 2024 Gala Country – but also his son Dan, who brings a fresh take on new country, after his stint on La Voix (the Québec franchise of TV singing competition The Voice). Dan is set to release a new album in the Fall of 2025 on Audiogram.
It’s a safe bet they’ll perform “Je pars à l’autre bout du monde” and “À ma mère” – two of Paul Daraîche’s greatest gems!