Raymond Lévesque

Lévesque came to the attention of French artists who popularized some of his songs. Eddy Constantine, for example, recorded Lévesque’s song, Les Trottoirs, in 1954. Two years later, he wrote Quand Les Hommes Vivront d’Amour, his greatest success, and a piece of music that has been performed by many Quebec artists. Back in la belle province, he sang parodies, was a member of the popular group, Les Bozos, and performed in various clubs, including the “boîte à chansons” called Chez Bozo. He was constantly on the go, staging some 40 revues in the 1960s and 1970s in Val David, north of Montreal.

Lévesque is a familiar face across Quebec. Like other chansonniers, his stage stylings melded song, satire, comedy, and politics. He received the prestigious Félix award in 1980. Over the years, his compositions have evolved: once seen as sentimental, they have become wiser, more humourous, incisive and socially committed. In turn, his personal evolution has fashioned the way for other artists. For example, Pauline Julien and Fernand Robidoux have both dedicated records to him.