# Lucille Starr > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Lucille_Starr > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Lucille_Starr.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucille_Starr > Source revision: 1329447380 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Canadian singer (1938–2020)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=December 2019}} {{Infobox musical artist | | | name = Lucille Starr | image = Lucille Starr (1965).jpg | caption = Starr in 1965 | image_size = | background = solo_singer | birth_name = Lucille Marie Raymonde Savoie | alias = | birth_date = {{Birth date|1938|05|13|mf=y}} | birth_place = [Saint Boniface](/source/Saint_Boniface%2C_Winnipeg), Manitoba, Canada | death_date = {{death date and age|2020|09|04|1938|05|08}} | death_place = [Las Vegas, Nevada](/source/Las_Vegas%2C_Nevada), U.S. | instrument = {{flatlist| * Vocals * guitar * bass * [mandolin](/source/mandolin) }} | genre = [Country](/source/Country_music) | occupation = {{flatlist| * Singer * songwriter * [yodeler](/source/Yodeling) }} | years_active = 1958–2020 | label = [Almo International](/source/A%26M_Records), [A&M](/source/A%26M_Records), [Epic](/source/Epic_Records), [Barry](/source/Quality_Records) | website = | current_members = | past_members = }} '''Lucille Marie Raymonde Savoie''' (May 13, 1938{{spnd}}September 4, 2020), known professionally as '''Lucille Starr''', was a Canadian singer, songwriter, and [yodeler](/source/Yodeling) originally from [Saint Boniface, Manitoba](/source/Saint_Boniface%2C_Manitoba). She was best known for her 1964 [hit](/source/hit_record) single, "The French Song" ("''Quand Le Soleil Dit Bonjour Aux Montagnes''", When the sun says hello to the mountains). ==Early life== Starr was born in the [Franco-Manitoban](/source/Franco-Manitoban) community of [Saint Boniface](/source/Saint_Boniface%2C_Winnipeg) to a musical family. During her childhood years in Saint Boniface, she first sang in church.{{cite web |title=Winnipeg-born Lucille Starr shone brightly around the world |author=John Einarson |date=October 2, 2020 |url=https://whatsupwinnipeg.ca/winnipeg-born-lucille-starr-shone-brightly-around-the-world/}} When Starr was seven the family moved to [Maillardville](/source/Maillardville), a [Francophone](/source/Francophone) community in [Coquitlam](/source/Coquitlam), [British Columbia](/source/British_Columbia), where she learned to play guitar, bass and mandolin. ==Career== Savoie started her musical career with the local group Les Hirondelles. She met and married country singer Bob Regan (born Robert Frederickson), and, using the stage name Lucille Starr, she began performing with him as a country singing duo called "Bob & Lucille". Between 1958 and 1963 they released several [45 rpm records](/source/Gramophone_record) that were mainly covers of an eclectic mix of fashionable [country](/source/country_music), [pop](/source/popular_music), [rockabilly](/source/rockabilly) and [folk](/source/Folk_music) songs of people such as [Perry Como](/source/Perry_Como) to [Connie Francis](/source/Connie_Francis). Their records met with modest success on the North American [West Coast](/source/Pacific_Coast){{cite book |author=Chuck Davis |title=The greater Vancouver book: an urban encyclopaedia |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QiB6AAAAMAAJ |date=January 1, 1997 |publisher=Linkman Press |isbn=978-1-896846-00-2 |page=683}} and in 1963 they were signed by [A&M Records](/source/A%26M_Records) in Los Angeles, California, with which they began recording as "[The Canadian Sweethearts](/source/The_Canadian_Sweethearts)". At A&M Records, Starr recorded a song called "The French Song" that was produced by [Herb Alpert](/source/Herb_Alpert).{{cite magazine |title=Lucille Star does single for A&M |magazine=Billboard |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IUUEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA40 |date=May 16, 1964 |publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc. |pages=40– |issn=0006-2510}} This name was chosen because Alpert could not pronounce the original French title "Quand le soleil dit bonjour aux montagnes" (When the sun says Good day to the mountains).{{cite web |last1=Jennings |first1=Nicholas |title=Country singer Lucille Starr mastered yearning ballads and rockabilly yelps |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/music/article-country-singer-lucille-starr-mastered-yearning-ballads-and-rockabilly/ |website=The Globe and Mail |access-date=10 September 2022 |date=12 September 2020 |quote=Mr. Alpert produced her solo debut album, featuring a yearning French ballad, Quand le soleil dit bonjour aux montagnes, which was renamed The French Song because he couldn’t pronounce the original title.}} It was recorded in a bilingual version with French lyrics in the first half followed by the English translation in the second half.{{cite web |last1=Starr |first1=Lucille |title=The French Song First Recording |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35WLFvVL2Sg |website=YouTube |date=March 23, 2009 |access-date=10 September 2022}} In 1964, at a time when [The Beatles](/source/The_Beatles) dominated the music charts, "The French Song" was an international success that made Starr the first Canadian artist to have a record sell over a million copies.{{cite book |first= Joseph |last= Murrells |year= 1978 |title= The Book of Golden Discs |edition= 2nd |publisher= Barrie and Jenkins Ltd |location= London |page= [https://archive.org/details/bookofgoldendisc00murr/page/183 183] |isbn= 0-214-20512-6 |url-access= registration |url= https://archive.org/details/bookofgoldendisc00murr/page/183}} The popularity of the song led to a tour of the United States and appearing on the [Louisiana Hayride](/source/Louisiana_Hayride) radio show and on Chicago radio station [WLS (AM)](/source/WLS_(AM)) popular [National Barn Dance](/source/National_Barn_Dance). Starr also sang on American television musical variety shows such as ''[Shindig!](/source/Shindig!)'' and ''[Hullabaloo](/source/Hullabaloo_(television))'', followed by tours of [Pacific Rim](/source/Pacific_Rim) countries, Australia, South Africa, and across Europe where she became a particular favorite in the [Netherlands](/source/Netherlands). The song sold over one million copies, and it was awarded a [gold disc](/source/music_recording_sales_certification). In 1967, Starr and her Canadian Sweethearts duo signed a recording contract with [Epic Records](/source/Epic_Records) in [Nashville, Tennessee](/source/Nashville%2C_Tennessee).{{cite book |author=Joseph Murrells |title=The Book of Golden Discs |url=https://archive.org/details/bookofgoldendisc00murr |url-access=registration |year=1978 |publisher=Barrie and Jenkins |isbn=978-0-214-20480-7 |page=[https://archive.org/details/bookofgoldendisc00murr/page/183 183]}} Divorced from her first husband, their musical collaboration ended in 1977. Although she never again had a hit of the magnitude of "The French Song", Starr enjoyed a long and prosperous career recording primarily in English but also in French and Spanish. For the most part she sang [country music](/source/country_music), becoming the first female inducted into the [Canadian Country Music Association](/source/Canadian_Country_Music_Association)’s ["Hall of Honor"](/source/Canadian_Country_Music_Hall_of_Fame) in 1987.[http://www.ccma.org/cgi/page.cgi/hall_of_fame_inductees.html?log=view&log_id=7 "Hall of Fame Inductees: Lucille Starr"]. Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame website A capable yodeler, she was hired to do the yodeling for the "Cousin Pearl" character on several segments of the hit TV series, ''[The Beverly Hillbillies](/source/The_Beverly_Hillbillies)''. ''Back to You: the Life and Music of Lucille Starr'', a [jukebox musical](/source/jukebox_musical) with a script by Tracey Power, was performed at the [Prairie Theatre Exchange](/source/Prairie_Theatre_Exchange) in Winnipeg in November 2010.[http://www.pte.mb.ca/plays/current/plays29.htm?season= ] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100905191844/http://www.pte.mb.ca/plays/current/plays29.htm?season= |date=September 5, 2010 }} In her honour, a street in the city of Coquitlam was named "Lucille Starr Way". ==Death== Starr died in Las Vegas, Nevada, in the early morning hours of September 4, 2020. The announcement of her death was made on Facebook by fellow Canadian artist, Joyce Smith.[https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/lucille-starr-country-music-manitoba-1.5714448 "Manitoba-born country music queen Lucille Starr dies at 82"]. CBC.ca Lucille's second husband Bryan Cunningham died October 2, 2023. She is survived by her son Robert Frederickson, stepdaughter Shannon Cunningham and stepson David Cunningham. ==Discography== ===Albums=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Album ! Label |- | 1964 | ''The French Song'' | rowspan="4" | A&M |- | 1964 | ''South Africa's Sweetheart: Lucille Start with [Bob Regan](/source/Bob_Regan)'' |- |1967 |''Say you love me'' |- | 1968 | ''In South Africa'' |- |1968 |''Greatest Hits'' |A&M |- |1968 |''Remember Me'' |CBS |- | 1969 | ''Lonely Street'' | Epic |- |1971 |''Side by Side'' |Harmony |- | 1981 | ''The Sun Shines Again''[http://www.allmusic.com/artist/lucille-starr-mn0000237235/biography "Lucille Starr Artist Biography"]. AllMusic, by Sandra Brennan | Starr |- | 1988 | ''Back to You'' | Quality |- | rowspan="3"| 1991 | ''Songs of Love'' | rowspan="2"| Intersound |- | ''Chansons D'Amour'' |- | ''Mississippi'' | Koch |- |} ===Singles=== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |- ! rowspan="2"| Year ! rowspan="2"| Single ! colspan="7"| Chart Positions ! rowspan="2"| Album |-style="font-size:smaller;" ! style="width:45px;"| CAN Country
{{cite web |url=https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/list.aspx?OCRText=lucille+starr&ChartEn=Country+Singles& |title=Lucille Starr Country Singles |work=RPM |date=July 17, 2013 }} ! style="width:45px;"| CAN
AC
{{cite web |url=https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.3732.pdf |title=MOR Playlist |work=RPM }} ! style="width:45px;"| CAN
{{cite web |url=https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/list.aspx?OCRText=lucille+starr&ChartEn=Top+Singles& |title=Lucille Starr Top Singles |work=RPM |date=July 17, 2013 }} * [https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.4722.pdf The French Song - June 29, 1964] * [https://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.4697.pdf Jolie Jacqueline - October 5, 1964] ! style="width:45px;"| [BEL](/source/Ultratop)
{{cite web |url=https://www.ultratop.be/nl/search.asp?search=lucille%20starr&cat=s |title=Lucille Starr |work=Ultratop }} ! style="width:45px;"| [NLD](/source/Dutch_Top_40)
{{cite web |url=https://www.top40.nl/top40-artiesten/lucille-starr |title=Lucille Starr|work=Top 40 }} ! style="width:45px;"| [US Country](/source/Hot_Country_Songs)
{{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/the-canadian-sweethearts/ |title=The Canadian Sweethearts > Hot Country Songs|magazine=Billboard }} ! style="width:45px;"| [US](/source/Billboard_Hot_100) |- | rowspan="2"| 1964 | style="text-align:left;"| "The French Song" | — | — | 9 | 1 | 1 | — | style="text-align:center;"| 54 | rowspan="4"| ''The French Song'' |- | style="text-align:left;"| "Jolie Jacqueline" | — | — | 24 | 8 | 19 | — | — |- | rowspan="3"| 1965 | style="text-align:left;"| "[Crazy Arms](/source/Crazy_Arms)" | 5 | — | — | — | 3 | — | — |- | style="text-align:left;"| "Colinda" | — | — | 43{{cite web|url=http://chumtribute.com/64-12-14-chart.jpg| title=CHUM Hit Parade - December 14, 1964}} | 12 | 3 | — | — |- | style="text-align:left;"| "Don't Let The Stars Get In Your Eyes"(with Bob Regan) | — | — | — | — | 29 | — | — |- | 1967 | style="text-align:left;"| "Too Far Gone" | 1 | — | — | — | — | 72 | — | ''Lonely Street'' |- | 1968 | style="text-align:left;"| "Is It Love?" | — | — | — | — | — | 63 | — | single only |- | 1969 | style="text-align:left;"| "[Cajun Love](/source/Cajun_Love)" | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ''Lonely Street'' |- | rowspan="2"| 1970 | style="text-align:left;"| "Dream Baby" (with Bob Regan) | 28 | — | — | — | — | 50 | — | rowspan="3"| singles only |- | style="text-align:left;"| "The French Song" (re-release) | 39 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — |- | 1971 | style="text-align:left;"| "Sock It to Satan" | 42 | — | — | — | — | — | — |- | 1981 | style="text-align:left;"| "Power in Your Love" | 37 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ''The Sun Shines Again'' |- | rowspan="2"| 1988 | style="text-align:left;"| "The First Time I've Been in Love" | 26 | — | — | — | — | — | — | rowspan="3"| ''Back to You'' |- | style="text-align:left;"| "Back to You" | 63 | — | — | — | — | — | — |- | 1990 | style="text-align:left;"| "Just the Way We Were" | 99 | — | — | — | — | — | — |} ==References== {{Reflist}} * ''Canadian Records: A Discography & Price Guide of Canadian 45's & LP's from 1955 to 1975'', Andre Gibeault, 1987 (OOP) ==External links== * [https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/lucille-starr-emc Encyclopedia of Music in Canada – Starr, Lucille] * {{Discogs artist|Lucille Starr}} * [https://www.45cat.com/45_search.php?sq=lucille+starr&sm=ar Entries at 45cat.com] *{{IMDb name|id=3381717}} * [https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/lucille-starr-emc Article at thecanadianencyclopedia.ca] {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Starr, Lucille}} Category:1938 births Category:2020 deaths Category:Canadian women country singers Category:Canadian country singer-songwriters Category:Franco-Manitoban people Category:Musicians from Winnipeg Category:People from Coquitlam Category:People from St. Boniface, Winnipeg Category:French-language Canadian singers Category:A&M Records artists Category:Epic Records artists Category:Canadian expatriate musicians in the United States Category:Canadian rockabilly musicians Category:Singers from Manitoba --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Lucille Starr](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucille_Starr) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucille_Starr?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.