Robert Paquette

{{short description|Canadian folk singer-songwriter (born 1949)}} {{about|Canadian folk singer-songwriter|American historian|Robert L. Paquette}} {{Use mdy dates|date=September 2020}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Robert Paquette | image = Robert Paquette La Nuit sur l'étang.jpg | image_upright = | image_size = | landscape =  | alt = | caption = Paquette at La Nuit sur l'étang, in March 2013. | background = solo_singer | birth_name = | alias = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1949|07|02}} | birth_place = Sudbury, Ontario, Canada | origin = | death_date =  | death_place = | genre = Folk | occupation = Singer-songwriter | instrument = | years_active =  | label = | associated_acts = | website =  }} '''Robert Paquette''' (born July 2, 1949) is a Canadian folk singer-songwriter.<ref name=canenc>{{cite web|last=Rioux|first=Christian|title=Robert Paquette|url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/robert-paquette-emc|publisher=The Canadian Encyclopedia|date=2007-07-29|access-date=2022-02-22}}</ref><ref name=Fedor>{{cite magazine|last=Fedor|first=Nick|title=Robert Paquette's "Bleu et blanc" to be inducted into Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame|url=https://www.socanmagazine.ca/news/robert-paquettes-bleu-et-blanc-to-be-inducted-into-canadian-songwriters-hall-of-fame/|magazine=Words & Music|date=2018-08-21|access-date=2022-02-23}}</ref>

In 1970, he worked with the student theatre group at Laurentian University, composing songs for the Franco-Ontarian stage musical ''Moé, j'viens du nord, 'stie!''<ref>{{cite news|title=Robert Paquette fête ses 70 ans|work=Radio-Canada. Ici Nord de l'Ontario|url=https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1206760/robert-paquette-franco-ontarien-musique-carriere-70-ans|date=2019-07-02|access-date=2022-02-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Arnopoulos|first=Sheila McLeod|title=Voices from French Ontario|date=1982|publisher=McGill-Queen's University Press|isbn=0773504052|pages=[https://archive.org/details/voicesfromfrench00arno/page/26 26–33]|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/voicesfromfrench00arno/page/26}}</ref> The troupe, which was one of the creative initiatives of the CANO artistic movement, evolved into the Théâtre du Nouvel-Ontario.<ref>{{cite web|title=50 ans de théâtre!|url=https://letno.ca/cinquante/#annees-1970|publisher=Théâtre du Nouvel-Ontario|date=2021|access-date=2022-02-22}}</ref>

Paquette released his first album as a soloist in 1974, and toured Canada and the United States.<ref name=canenc /> He performed at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa in 1975.<ref name=canenc /> In 1978, Paquette represented Canada at the Festival de Spa in Belgium.<ref name=canenc/>

Following his 1984 album ''Gare à vous'',<ref name=Gare>{{cite web|last=Paquette|first=Robert|title=Gare à vous|url=https://www.discogs.com/master/1361059-Robert-Paquette-Gare-%C3%80-Vous|publisher=Discogs|date=1984|access-date=2022-02-22}}</ref> Paquette concentrated on television and stage work for TVOntario's Chaîne française, SRC and the Théâtre du Nouvel-Ontario.<ref name=canenc /> He released a compilation of his songs in 1995.<ref name=Moi>{{cite web|last=Paquette|first=Robert|title=Moi j'viens du nord|url=https://www.discogs.com/release/8661886-Robert-Paquette-Moi-JViens-Du-Nord-Compilation-1974-1990|publisher=Discogs|date=1995|access-date=2022-02-22}}</ref> He toured with Marcel Aymar and Paul Demers in the 1990s as the performing group Paquette-Aymar-Demers.<ref>{{cite news|last=Fitterman|first=Lisa|title=Singer Paul Demers wrote anthem for Franco-Ontarians|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/music/singer-paul-demers-wrote-anthem-for-franco-ontarians/article33096867/|publisher=Globe and Mail|date=2016-11-29|access-date=2022-02-22}}</ref> He also has collaborated with singer-songwriter Chuck Labelle.<ref>{{cite interview|author=Robert Paquette and Chuck Labelle|title=Grande rencontre avec Chuck Labelle et Robert Paquette|url=https://ici.radio-canada.ca/ohdio/premiere/emissions/jonction-11-17/segments/entrevue/144915/labelle-paquette-cadeau-noel-album-anniversaire|work=Jonction 11-17|publisher=Radio-Canada|interviewer=Éric Robitaille|date=2019-12-05|access-date=2022-02-22}}</ref>

Paquette helped to found the Association des professionnels de la chanson et de la musique, of which he was also the vice-president for 12 years;<ref>{{Cite news |last=Magny |first=André |date=2020-10-15 |title=De Robert Paquette à Yao, l'APCM souffle ses 30 bougies |work=La voix du Nord |url=https://lavoixdunord.ca/2020/10/15/de-robert-paquette-a-yao-lapcm-souffle-ses-30-bougies/ |access-date=2022-02-26}}</ref> in 2001, he was the recipient of the association's Prix hommage at its first Gala Trille Or.<ref name=Disc>{{cite web|title=Robert Paquette|publisher=Disco-O-Québec|url=https://disqu-o-quebec.com/Artistes/O-P/paquette_robert.html|access-date=2022-02-26}}</ref> That same year, his songs "Blanc et bleu," from the album ''Prends celui qui passe,'' and "Jamaica," from ''Au pied du courant'', received SOCAN Classic awards.<ref name=Disc />

In 2018, "Bleu et Blanc" was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame.<ref>{{cite press release|title=Robert Paquette's "Bleu et blanc" to be Inducted into Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame|url=https://www.thatericalper.com/2018/12/15/robert-paquettes-bleu-et-blanc-to-be-inducted-into-canadian-songwriters-hall-of-fame/|publisher=That Eric Alper|date=2018-12-15|access-date=2022-02-24}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Bergeras|first=Yves|title=Robert Paquette au Panthéon|url=https://www.ledroit.com/2018/08/25/robert-paquette-au-pantheon-c75269dcf0ba140bd033bb4e40ae4477|work=Le Droit|date=2018-08-24|access-date=2022-02-26}}</ref>

==Discography==

* ''Dépêche-toi soleil'' (1974)<ref>{{Cite web|last=Paquette|first=Robert|date=1974|title=Dépêche-toi soleil|url=https://www.discogs.com/master/1177545-Robert-Paquette-D%C3%A9p%C3%AAche-Toi-Soleil|access-date=2022-02-24|website=Discogs}}</ref> * ''Prends celui qui passe'' (1976)<ref>{{Cite web|last=Paquette|first=Robert|date=1978|title=Prends celui qui passe|url=https://www.discogs.com/master/1060709-Robert-Paquette-Prends-Celui-Qui-Passe|access-date=2022-02-24|website=Discogs}}</ref> * ''Au pied du courant'' (1978)<ref>{{Cite web|last=Paquette|first=Robert|date=1978|title=Au pied du courant|url=https://www.discogs.com/master/1641651-Robert-Paquette-Au-Pied-Du-Courant|access-date=2022-02-24|website=Discogs}}</ref> * ''Robert Paquette en Europe'' (1979)<ref>{{Cite web|last=Paquette|first=Robert|date=1980|title=Europe|url=https://www.discogs.com/release/3007460-Robert-Paquette-Europe|access-date=2022-02-24|website=Discogs}}</ref> * ''Paquette'' (1981)<ref>{{Cite web|last=Paquette|first=Robert|date=1981|title=Paquette|url=https://www.discogs.com/release/4809180-Robert-Paquette-Paquette|access-date=2022-02-24|website=Discogs}}</ref> * ''Gare à vous'' (1984)<ref name=Gare /> * ''Moi j'viens du nord – compilation 1974–1990'' (1995)<ref name=Moi /> * ''Un Cadeau de Noël'' (1995, with Chuck Labelle)<ref>{{Cite web|author=Robert Paquette and Chuck Labelle|date=1996|title=Un Cadeau de Noël|url=https://www.discogs.com/release/18295792-Jean-Guy-Labelle-Robert-Paquette-Un-Cadeau-De-No%C3%ABl|access-date=2022-02-24|website=Discogs}}</ref> * ''Noël encore une fois'' (2000, with Chuck Labelle)<ref>{{cite web|author=Robert Paquette and Chuck Labelle|title=Noël encore une fois|url=https://www.discogs.com/release/18296302-Robert-Paquette-Jean-Guy-Labelle-No%C3%ABl-Encore-Une-Fois|publisher=Discogs|date=2000|access-date=2022-02-24}}</ref> * ''Noël en tout et partout'' (2006, with Chuck Labelle)<ref>{{Cite web|author=Robert Paquette and Chuck Labelle|date=2005|title=Noël en tout et partout|url=https://www.discogs.com/release/18295909-Robert-Paquette-Jean-Guy-Labelle-No%C3%ABl-En-Tout-Et-Partout|access-date=2022-02-24|website=Discogs}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist|2}}

==External links== * [https://www.robertpaquette.ca/ Robert Paquette]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Paquette, Robert}} Category:1949 births Category:Living people Category:Canadian folk singer-songwriters Category:Canadian male singer-songwriters Category:Franco-Ontarian people Category:French-language Canadian singers Category:Laurentian University alumni Category:Musicians from Greater Sudbury Category:Singers from Ontario Category:20th-century Canadian guitarists Category:21st-century Canadian guitarists Category:20th-century Canadian male singers Category:21st-century Canadian male singers Category:20th-century Canadian singer-songwriters Category:21st-century Canadian singer-songwriters