Michel Rivard, Marjo, and Jean Millaire will be inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame (CSHF) on Oct. 11, 2023, at Espace St-Denis in Montréal, as part of the inaugural Legends series, supported by the RBC Foundation through RBC Emerging Artists. A very limited number of tickets went on sale starting at 10:00 a.m. ET on Thursday, Sept. 21, on the venue’s website.
Sonia Benezra will host the event, where Isabelle Boulay, Lou-Adriane Cassidy, Martin Deschamps, Laurence Jalbert, Lulu Hughes, Martin Léon, Tina Leon, Elliot Maginot, Safia Nolin, and Paul Piché will perform tributes to the three inductees.
Legends is a CSHF induction series that travels across the country, putting our greatest songwriters centre stage. Inductees participate in an onstage interview moderated by host Sonia Benezra, who’ll delve into their journeys as songwriters, and the stories behind some of our nation’s biggest songs. Intimate performances from a diverse list of emerging and established artists closest to the songwriters are intermingled with the conversation, backed by a house band led by revered Musical Director Simon Godin, as well as stunning visuals.
Legends is supported by the RBC Foundation through RBC Emerging Artists, with additional support from YouTube Music, SOCAN, and the Canadian Musical Reproduction Rights Agency (CMRRA).
Michel Rivard
An author, improviser, playwright, actor, comedian, composer, and performer, whose career spans five decades, Michel Rivard is a true craftsman of words and melodies, who’s left an indelible mark on the Canadian music scene. His talents as a lyricist, composer, and singer, as well as his ability to describe the deepest and most complex emotions of the human experience, make him an indisputable pillar of our culture.
Throughout his 50-year career, this keen observer of the human condition has garnered numerous awards and honours, including 16 Félix awards, the title of Chevalier de l’Ordre national du Québec in 2005, the Prix Denise-Pelletier for his distinguished career in 2021, and the title of Compagnon de l’Ordre des arts et des lettres du Québec in 2022. Like Félix Leclerc, Gilles Vigneault, Robert Charlebois, and Jean-Pierre Ferland, Michel Rivard has helped bring “la chanson québécoise” into the modern age. His rich body of music has become part of our cultural heritage, earning him a place in the Hall of Fame of our country’s great artists.
Marjo
A true Canadian music icon, Marjo is a singer-songwriter with a powerful voice and personality. Her career, both with Corbeau and as a solo artist, is punctuated by unforgettable hits, remarkable lyrics, songs, and unforgettable stage performances, and she’s contributed significantly to shaping the world of Francophone rock.
Free-spirited, and a feminist who didn’t feel the need to declare it openly, Marjo has helped a whole generation of women to assert themselves and become empowered. As a songwriter and composer, she’s constantly sought to broaden the horizons of her art, experimenting with different genres while maintaining her roots – firmly planted in rock music. Having sold more than a million albums, and written and composed some 60 songs in her career – including several big hits, that have earned her 14 Félix awards – she not only left her mark on Canadian musical history, but also paved the way for many artists, such as Anik Jean, Marie-Chantal Toupin, and Marie-Mai. Her commitment to authenticity, power, and emotion in music and lyrics has left a lasting legacy for generations to come. Quite simply, she embodies the spirit of rock.
Jean Millaire
A gifted guitarist and brilliant composer, Jean Millaire has left an indelible mark on the Canadian music scene. His prolific career has been marked by a great sense of melody, and collaborations with numerous blues, rock, and pop artists and bands. After joining Corbeau, he became one of its creative driving forces, co-writing songs with singer-songwriter Marjo. The fusion of Millaire’s melodic riffs and Marjo’s powerful vocals is undoubtedly one of the key elements of the band’s success.
Marjo and Millaire left Corbeau in 1984 and began working together on the singer’s first solo album. Launched in 1986, Celle qui va was a resounding success on both sides of the Atlantic. This highly fruitful musical collaboration lasted several years.
Over the years, Millaire has explored diverse musical horizons and styles, and collaborated with a multitude of artists. His musical curiosity has led him to integrate jazz, blues, and folk influences into his playing, creating a rich and varied sonic signature. His mastery of the guitar, his sensibility, and his constant desire to explore have made him one of Québec’s most respected musicians.