Clémence DesRochers had a very bad Sunday. Its beautiful Lake Memphremagog was gray. The lazy buds on the trees didn’t help matters. She spent the day rehashing memories linked to her friend Jean-Pierre Ferland.
“I knew he was going to die. We were at Marie’s [Marie Michèle Desrosiers] Saturday night. It was a shock. Additionally, there was rain and lightning. Did you have a storm at home? I did not sleep well. »
Clémence undoubtedly represents Jean-Pierre Ferland’s oldest professional friendship. It goes back to the time of the legendary Bozos, this group of reckless young people made up of Ferland, Raymond Lévesque, Claude Léveillée, Hervé Brousseau and her, the only girl in the group.
I can never say it enough, these “children” of Félix Leclerc played an extremely important role in the development of our song, of our culture. When the Radio-Canada directors’ strike began in December 1958, a vacuum was created.
It was at this moment that these five crazy people had the idea of creating a sort of cocoon, which became the model for the legendary song boxes, to affirm things with our words, our ideas, our poetry. The place was upstairs at the Le Quartier Latin cabaret, rue Crescent, at the restaurant Le Lutèce.
It was Jean-Pierre Ferland and Hervé Brousseau who had this idea. They went to Raymond Lévesque and Clémence, because they had a certain notoriety (Lévesque was returning from France and Clémence was already doing shows from Saint-Germain-des-Prés with Jacques Normand). On May 15, 1959, the Bozos’ first show took place.
These images are the ones that knocked on Clémence’s heart all day Sunday.
“It’s strange, it’s as if a block fell out of my life. It’s hard to live… You know, of the Bozos, only me is left… I imagine that’s what must happen. »
This sentence is difficult to hear.
I then understood my friend’s double punishment. That of seeing a loved one leave. And that of getting closer to the finality. “But you shouldn’t think about that,” I told him. “You’re right, I’m going to try to delay the end as long as possible. »
Between Jean-Pierre Ferland and Clémence, a great friendship was established from the Bozos.
In June 1959, knowing that Édith Piaf was coming to sing at the Bellevue Casino, Ferland asked his friend Clémence to accompany him so that he could convince the great French singer to come and hear them.
The operation worked. The next day, Piaf arrived at Bozos’ house. Everyone was nervous. Especially Ferland who wanted to seduce Piaf in order to introduce him to his songs. He did so clumsily. Then, Claude Léveillée arrived who dazzled the legendary singer.
A few weeks later, Léveillée, Piaf’s choice, flew to Paris. The pain was undoubtedly immense for Ferland. But for Clémence, Jean-Pierre Ferland remains an immense poet.
“Jean-Pierre wrote fantastically well. Even my father Alfred, who didn’t like many people, loved him. Which was exceptional on his part. He wrote, and for me, that’s what counts, the people who write. He was a poet, a real one. »
Clémence and Jean-Pierre developed a great friendship, tinged with flirtation. “In the time of the Bozos, he came to take me back. He stopped at the corner so my mother wouldn’t see us. We were kissing. »
One evening, the two friends decided to take another step. “We slept in his room, but he was so sick with the flu that I made him fall off the bed,” remembers Clémence with a laugh.
After the Bozos adventure, Clémence and Jean-Pierre tried to create a duo. They performed in a few song clubs. But the rigorous interpreter of What every young beginner needs to know found his friend lacking in seriousness. “We created Les Résistants. But I found that he wasn’t careful enough. »
Jean-Pierre Ferland judged that Clémence knew how to write. He allowed himself to submit his texts to him for corrections. “I kept telling him: open your eyes when you sing. Jean-Pierre had a habit of closing his eyes. »
This did not prevent Clémence from having enormous admiration for Jean-Pierre Ferland.
The themes of his songs are unique. Jean-Pierre is absolutely unique. He doesn’t look like anyone. He’s such a funny guy. I remember parties where we laughed so much.
Clemence DesRochers
Clémence and Jean-Pierre Ferland maintained this friendship throughout their lives. “I think he loved me. And him too. There was love in us. That’s it… “
Clémence’s voice chokes. I feel like she doesn’t want to go any further.
My dear friend, we will meet again this summer. Your beautiful lake will then be sparkling. Louise will impress us by launching the pontoon with her elevator. We will sail on the waves, we will pass in front of the monks, we will wave our hand to the watercraft that are going too fast.
I’ll hum one of your songs while singing. But you won’t say anything, because you will be happy. And we will tell ourselves that we are lucky to have you with us, again and again.