14

Singer Hector Pellerin
September, 1927
Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Credits:
Bibliothèque nationale du Québec collection

15

At the beginning of the 20th century, Quebec's first silent movie commentators were stage professionals (singers, actors, variety, burlesque); many gained large followings and made recordings, including Hector Pellerin, who was a musician, silent movie commentator and a pioneer of records and radio (CKAC); Pellerin did adaptations of American successes (notably of Roméo Beaudry), of the night club and dinner theatre repertoire, and romances; starting in 1915, when burlesque became popular, he recorded songs and monologues on the Starr-Gennett label.

16

The Starr Gennett label
1930
Montreal, Quebec, Canada

17

In 1918 in Lachine, close to Montreal, the Compo company was created by Herbert Berliner, son of Emile Berliner; the factory made records for independent labels (including Starr, Starr-Gennett, which offered burlesque and dance or traditional music); Compo would later produce its own records (Apex, Sun). In the 1920s, Montreal was less keen on jazz than other cities; operettas and traditional music were preferred; American dances from the previous decade, like the fox-trot and the one-step found favour with the Montreal public; the phenomenon of translating American songs forged a particular cultural identity; local expressions began to be heard on recordings.

18

Singer Mary Travers, called La Bolduc, wrote songs that became very popular.
March, 1931
Montreal, Quebec, Canada

19

Mary Travers (La Bolduc) achieved startling succeses in the 1930s with her songs, whose lyrics reflected the day-to-day life of the French-speaking working people.

Compo's Starr-Gennett label from Lachine and the Brunswick label recorded many Quebec artists.

20

Group of actors in a studio
11 February 1946
Montreal, Quebec, Canada

21

Désormeaux, performer of romances and popular songs
8 October 1949
Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Credits:
Bibliothèque nationale du Québec collection

22

In 1949, Robert L'Herbier and Fernand Robidoux launched the magazine Radio 49, a new competitor to the magazine Radiomonde, taking up the themes of radio, the arts and theatre; these two collaborated on the song prize called "Grand prix de la chanson."

Singer Rolande Désormeaux made the cover of the magazine. Popular singers began to add material from Quebec singer-songwriters to their repertoires.

23

Rolande Désormeaux, performer of the song 'Belle étrangère'
16 April 1949
Montreal, Quebec, Canada

24

First page of the magazine Radio 49
23 April 1949
Montreal, Quebec, Canada

25

Record launch at record-seller L'Herbier with Rolande Désormeaux, Pierre Roche and Robert L'Herbier
13 October 1951
Montreal, Quebec, Canada

26

Performer Fernand Robidoux, pioneer promoter of French-Canadian songs
15 January 1950
Montreal, Quebec, Canada

27

Fernand Robidoux recorded material from the Quebec repertoire (including one of Raymond Lévesque's songs) in the Decca studios in London, England, where Jacques Labrecque was working; he broke off his agreement with RCA Victor when they refused to record Quebec songs and instead insisted on adaptations of American or French hits.