Quebec said a final goodbye on Saturday to Jean-Pierre Ferland after an emotional ceremony, where family, friends and dignitaries paid tribute to a generous, funny and above all extremely talented man, who revolutionized Quebec song .
Prime Minister François Legault spoke of the singer, who died on April 27 at the age of 89, as a “genius”, “a lover of women” and “a great nationalist”.
“I was 13 when Jaune came out. I remember it like it was yesterday. Like many Quebecers, I listened to this album on repeat. It was as good as the Beatles, but it was in French and it was Quebecois,” said the head of government, who wanted “the little king” to have the right to a national funeral.
In the Marie-Reine-du-Monde cathedral basilica, several wore a yellow piece, in reference to this legendary album by Jean-Pierre Ferland, released in 1970, which undeniably marked a turning point for Quebec music with pieces like The Artists’ Café Cat or When we love we are always 20 years old.
Outside, in the heart of downtown Montreal, a few dozen admirers also dressed in yellow to come watch the ceremony, which was broadcast on giant screens.
A father like no other
Jean-Pierre Ferland’s son, Bruno, also thanked the public for the testimonies of love which have flooded in recent weeks. The singer’s daughter, Julie Ferland, for her part confided that she had a relationship “that was anything but traditional” with her father. She remembered a bon vivant, with a great sense of humor.
“At the end of his life, Dad was peaceful and happy. He left peacefully and he smiled his charming smile until the last moment,” she said, her throat tight.
The one who was Jean-Pierre Ferland’s partner for the last 16 years, Julie Anne Saumur also paid a vibrant tribute to the man who has just left us, whom she described as the man of her life.
This was followed by a great moment of emotion when she joined singer Mélissa Bédard on the altar to perform A chance we have, one of Jean-Pierre Ferland’s greatest hits, taken from the album Don’t listen to that, published in 1995.
My love of music
Unsurprisingly, music occupied a central place during this religious ceremony, presided over by Mgr Christian Lépine, who praised the qualities of author-composer of Jean-Pierre Ferland, whose songs knew how to “bring together generations”.
Claude Dubois, with his voice still powerful despite his 77 years, delivered a solemn performance of his classic If God exists. Ginette Reno, who sang the immense hit You are my love you are my mistress in duo with Jean-Pierre Ferland, was not present on site. In a pre-recorded video, she nevertheless wanted to greet her great accomplice. Visibly physically diminished, the great lady of Quebec variety then performed without a false note, as only she knows how to do, A little higher, a little furthera song by Jean-Pierre Ferland that Ginette Reno covered, first during the National Day of 1975, then with Céline Dion on the Plains in 2008.
There is no doubt that Jean-Pierre Ferland will have left a colossal legacy to Quebec culture. The singer-songwriter said during his lifetime, however, “to give a damn like in the year 40” about posterity, as recalled by his friend, the director Pierre Séguin. But whatever. The collective emotion aroused by his death implies that his legacy will continue to be celebrated for a long time to come.