THE MAN WHO WALKS...

FIRST OF ALL, THE SEGUIN...

RICHARD SÉGUIN WAS BORN IN MARCH 1952 IN POINTE-AUX-TREMBLES.

WITH HIS TWIN SISTER MARIE-CLAIRE, HE COMPOSED TOGETHER THEIR FIRST SONG AT 16 YEARS OLD, SOM SÉGUIN. IT IS AT THIS TIME THAT HE LEFT SCHOOL TO TAKE TO THE ROAD AND FORM THE GROUP LA NOUVELLE FRONTIÈRE. THE GROUP PARTICIPATES IN THE EVENINGS OF THE MONCHANIM CENTER AND RECORDS TWO ALBUMS: LA NOUVELLE FRONTIÈRE AND THE HYMN TO THE CATTAILS.

IN 1970 THE SÉGUIN FORM THE DUET WHICH WILL BECOME THE CULT GROUP OF A WHOLE GENERATION. THAT YEAR THEY PERFORMED A SERIES OF CLUB SHOWS, OPENING FOR GILLES VIGNEAULT AU PATRIOTE AND THE CYNICS, PARTICIPATING WITH JONI MITCHELL AND PETER, PAUL & MARY IN THE AMISHQUA BENEFIT SHOW FOR THE DEFENCE OF THE RIGHTS OF THE JAMES BAY CREE NATION. THEY SING SOM SÉGUIN, DENOUNCING THE HUMILIATING GUARDIANSHIP SUFFERED BY THE FIRST NATIONS PEOPLE. IN 1972, THEY RECORDED THEIR FIRST ALBUM, SOM SÉGUIN, AND WERE NAMED BAND OF THE YEAR. THEY PERFORMED A 180-SHOW TOUR THAT TOOK THEM FROM MONTREAL TO VANCOUVER AND RADIO-CANADA TELEVISION DEVOTED A SPECIAL PROGRAM TO THEM.

CONTRARY TO SHOW-BUSINESS TRENDS, THE SÉGUIN CONTINUE ON THEIR WAY. IN 1973, THE DUO OPENED FOR DIANE DUFRESNES' SHOW AT PLACE DES ARTS. THEY ALSO PERFORMED IN FRANCE, AS PART OF THE "SEMAINE DE LA POÉSIE ET DE LA CHANSON" (POETRY AND SONG WEEK), WHERE THEY WERE NAMED BEST QUEBEC GROUP.

THE FOLLOWING YEAR, LES SÉGUIN RECORDED THEIR SECOND ALBUM. IN THE MEANTIME, THEY TOOK PART IN THE SUPER FRANCOFÊTE INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL AND PERFORMED IN OUTREMONT WITH FÉLIX LECLERC. IN 1975, RELEASE OF THE ALBUM RÉCOLTE DE RÊVES, THEIR THIRD ALBUM, IN 1976, MORE THAN EVER THE SYMBOL OF THEIR GENERATION, RICHARD AND MARIE-CLAIRE SÉGUIN DECIDE TO PURSUE INDIVIDUAL CAREERS. THE DUO PERFORMS ONE LAST TIME IN OVERSEAS AND LAUNCHES THEIR LATEST ALBUM FESTIN D'AMOUR, ALWAYS IN THE IMAGE OF THEIR VALUES AND PRINCIPLES, JUSTICE, TOLERANCE, FREEDOM.

...THEN OTHER ACCOMPLICES
SINCE 1970, RICHARD SÉGUIN HAS FAVORED ARTISTIC ENCOUNTERS AND COLLABORATIONS, AT THE TIME WITH GILLES VALIQUETTE, RICHARD GRÉGOIRE, LATER WITH RAOUL DUGUAY. IN 1976, HE BEGAN HIS COLLABORATION WITH SERGE FIORI, A WORK THAT WOULD BEAR FRUIT: IN 1977, THE MEMORABLE ALBUM DEUX CENTS NUITS À L'HEURE (200 NIGHTS ON THE HOUR) WAS RELEASED IN THE FALL, AND THE ADISQ REWARDED THE QUALITY AND ENERGY OF HIS COLLABORATION WITH 3 FÉLIX: SINGER-SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR, GROUP OF THE YEAR, ALBUM OF THE YEAR.

IT WAS FINALLY IN 1980 THAT RICHARD SÉGUIN LAUNCHED HIS FIRST SOLO ALBUM, RICHARD SÉGUIN. AFTER A TOUR IN QUEBEC AND IN THE CULTURAL CENTERS OF FRANCE, HE WORKS IN CLOSE COLLABORATION WITH LOUKY BERSIANIK, NOVELIST AND POETESS. WITH LOUKY, HE PRODUCES HIS SECOND ALBUM, TRACE ET CONTRASTE. LAUNCHED IN 1981, THE ALBUM TAKES RICHARD SÉGUIN TO THE SPA FESTIVAL WHERE HE WINS 3 AWARDS: THE GRAND PRIX RADIOPHONIQUE DES PROGRAMMES DE LANGUE FRANÇAISE, THE JOE CARLIER AWARD FOR BEST MUSIC AND THE GRAND PRIX DE SPA FOR BEST SONG, WITH THE TITLE "CHANSON POUR DURER TOUJOURS". HE ALSO WINS 2ND PRIZE OF THE YOUNG SONG AT THE 1981 WORLD FESTIVAL OF FRENCH SONG.

IN 1983, AFTER A VOLUNTARY BREAK OF SEVERAL MONTHS TO RECHARGE HIS BATTERIES IN THE HEART OF HIS LONELY APPALACHIAN HAVEN, HE SET OFF AGAIN, FIRST AT THE SUDBURY BOREAL FESTIVAL, THEN IN QUEBEC'S CAFÉS AND CULTURAL CENTERS. HE PAUSES ONCE MORE IN 1984, BEFORE RETURNING TO THE STAGE AS PART OF THE 450TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS FOR THE UNFORGETTABLE ACOUSTIC SHOW HE DELIVERS IN THE COMPANY OF CLAUDE GAUTHIER AND MAXIME LEFORESTIER.

OF AMERICA, ALWAYS
IN 1985, IT IS THE RELEASE OF HIS THIRD ALBUM, DOUBLE VIE. LA PRESSE NAMED HIM PERSONALITY OF THE WEEK FOR THE EXCELLENCE OF HIS WORK.

IN THE FALL, DOUBLE VIE WON THE FELIX AWARD FOR ROCK ALBUM OF THE YEAR, WHILE HE HIMSELF RECEIVED THE AWARD FOR SONGWRITER. IN 1987, AS HE RETIRES TO HIS HOMELAND AND SPENDS A LARGE PART OF THE YEAR WRITING AND FINE-TUNING HIS NEXT ALBUM, THE RADIO-ACTIVITY SYMPOSIUM AWARDS HIM A PLAQUE: DOUBLE VIE HAS REMAINED AMONG THE BEST SELLERS FOR MORE THAN 50 WEEKS.

IN 1988, HIS CAREER TAKES A NEW TURN WITH THE RELEASE OF JOURNÉE D'AMÉRIQUE. THE ALBUM WINS THE FÉLIX FOR BEST POP-ROCK ALBUM, WHILE PAUL PAGÉ LEAVES WITH THE FÉLIX FOR BEST SOUNDMAN OF THE YEAR FOR HIS WORK ON THE ALBUM. RICHARD SÉGUIN ALSO RECEIVES THE GOLDEN TICKET FROM ADISQ FOR HIS SHOW AND JEAN-JACQUES SHETOYAN, THE FÉLIX FOR BEST VARIETY SHOW, WHICH BRODCASTED THE PERFORMANCE ON THE AIR. ONE AFTER THE OTHER, RICHARD SÉGUIN RECORDS THREE VIDEO CLIPS: JOURNÉE D'AMÉRIQUE, ICI COMME AILLEURS AND ENSEMBLE. THEN HE FLIES TO SENEGAL WHERE HE TAKES PART IN THE "D'ACCORD DAKAR" TELEVISION PROGRAM AS PART OF THE FRANCOPHONIE SUMMIT HELD THERE. AT THE END OF THE YEAR, WITH MORE THAN 100,000 COPIES SOLD, JOURNÉE D'AMÉRIQUE WILL BE OFFICIALLY DECLARED PLATINUM.

JOURNÉE D'AMÉRIQUE'S TOUR CONTINUED IN QUEBEC IN 1989, WITH A STOP AT THE QUEBEC INTERNATIONAL SUMMER FESTIVAL WHERE THE PUBLIC GAVE IT A MORE THAN WARM WELCOME, A PERFORMANCE THAT EARNED THE PRIZE FOR THE MOST POPULAR SHOW AWARDED BY THE FESTIVAL. LA CHANSON ICI COMME AILLEURS , FROM JOURNÉE D'AMÉRIQUE WINS THE RADIO-CANADA'S NOTRE CHANSON CONTEST. IT IS RANKED 2ND IN THE 1989 RENOUNCIAT, THE FINAL OF THE NATIONAL FRANCOPHONE RADIO STATIONS. A FEW YEARS LATER, IN 1992, IT WILL BE CROWNED WITH THE PRIZE AWARDED BY THE SOCAN FOR POPULAR MUSIC.  

BOTH GREGARIOUS AND SOLITARY, RICHARD SÉGUIN TAKES THE ROAD AGAIN IN 1990, THIS TIME AS A SOLO ARTIST AND WITH NEW SONGS. HE VISITS SMALL CLUBS ALL OVER QUEBEC, NOURISHING HIMSELF WITH MORE INTIMATE EXCHANGES WITH AN AUDIENCE DELIGHTED TO REDISCOVER A SEGUIN THAT IS MORE SOLID THAN EVER. HE IS WORKING ON HIS NEXT ALBUM, JUGGLING WITH WORDS AND MUSIC, SHOOTING THE VIDEO-CLIP OF SENTIERS SECRETS. STILL IN 1990 RICHARD SÉGUIN IS NAMED, QUITE RIGHTLY, ARTIST FOR PEACE.

CHANGE SOMETHING
HE WORKS ON AND POLISHES THE SONGS OF HIS FIFTH SOLO ALBUM, WHICH FINALLY COMES OUT IN OCTOBER 1991: AFTER ONLY A FEW WEEKS, AUX PORTES DU MATIN IS CERTIFIED GOLD. WITHOUT HIM KNOWING IT YET, AND WITHOUT HIM HAVING SOUGHT IT, THE COMING YEAR WILL BE THE YEAR OF ALL HONORS, IT WILL BE THE YEAR OF SEGUIN.

1992. TOURING IN QUEBEC IS A RESOUNDING SUCCESS, THE ENERGY AND DYNAMISM OF RICHARD SÉGUIN AND HIS ENTIRE TEAM LITERALLY BURN THE STAGE FOR THE 180 OR SO RECITALS THEY GIVE DURING THEIR TOUR. ADISQ SALUTES THE ARTIST, THE ALBUM AND THE SHOW WITH THE AWARD OF 5 FÉLIX: BEST POP ROCK ALBUM, MALE SINGER OF THE YEAR, SONG OF THE YEAR FOR "AUX PORTES DU MATIN", THE GOLDEN TICKET FOR THE SHOW, NOT FORGETTING YVES SAVOIE WHO RECEIVES THE FÉLIX FOR THE SOUNDMAN OF THE YEAR. LA PRESSE NAMES RICHARD SÉGUIN PERSONALITY OF THE WEEK, HE IS AWARDED THE PRIZE OF THE RIDEAU TOUR, AND THE SOCAN PRIZE FOR POPULAR MUSIC - ICI COMME AILLEURS -. STILL IN THE FALL, HE PARTICIPATES IN THE TRIBUTE TO LÉONARD COHEN ON RADIO-CANADA. IT WAS IN 1993 THAT VAGABONDAGE WAS LAUNCHED, THE LIVE ALBUM RECORDED ACROSS QUEBEC DURING THE AUX PORTES DU MATIN TOUR, FOR THE SONGS THAT HELD UP SO WELL, FOR THE BRIO AND ENTHUSIASM OF THE SEASONED MUSICIANS ACCOMPANYING SÉGUIN AND FOR THE COMPLICITY OF THE ENTIRE TEAM. DURING THIS SAME TOUR, A DOCUMENTARY VIDEO IS MADE: SOUS UN CIEL IMMENSE. THIS DOCUMENTARY WAS BROADCAST THAT YEAR ON RADIO-CANADA NETWORK TELEVISION, AS PART OF THE "BEAUX DIMANCHES". THE SONG AUX PORTES DU MATIN RECEIVED AN AWARD FROM LA SOCAN AS ONE OF THE TEN MOST POPULAR FRENCH-LANGUAGE SONGS PLAYED ON THE RADIO, WHILE THE QUEBEC CITY'S INTERNATIONAL SUMMER FESTIVAL AWARDED THE PRIZE FOR THE MOST POPULAR SHOW TO THE SHOW OF THE SAME NAME. DURING THE YEAR, HE WILL GIVE TWO SPECIAL PERFORMANCES OF THE SONG AUX PORTES DU MATIN: ONE WITH THE ORCHESTRE SYMPHONIQUE DE QUÉBEC AND THE OTHER WITH THE LAVAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA. IN THE FALL, RICHARD SÉGUIN IS ONCE AGAIN AWARDED THE FÉLIX FOR MALE PERFORMER OF THE YEAR AS WELL AS THE FÉLIX FOR SHOW OF THE YEAR. MEANWHILE, IN THE UNITED STATES, GARRY US BOND TRANSLATES THREE OF RICHARD SÉGUIN'S SONGS: L'ANGE VAGABOND, ET TU MARCHES AND AUX PORTES DU MATIN.

STILL IN 1993, HE PRODUCED AND DIRECTED THE ALBUM LA ROSE DES SABLES BY JEAN-FRANÇOIS LAMOTHE. AS HE BECOMES MORE AND MORE INTERESTED IN THE ART OF ENGRAVING, A PATIENT AND SOLITARY ART LIKE THAT OF WRITING, HE STARTS WORKING WITH YVAN LESSARD, AT THE DAUMIER WORKSHOP.

IN THE SUMMER OF 1994, HE PARTICIPATED IN À LA SYMPHONIE DU QUÉBEC, A SHOW FROM WHICH AN ALBUM WAS TO BE MADE, AND WHICH BROUGHT TOGETHER, AMONG OTHERS, MICHEL RIVARD, LAURENCE JALBERT, DANIEL BÉLANGER ORGANIZED AS PART OF THE FRANCOFOLIES DE MONTRÉAL TO CELEBRATE THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF AUDIOGRAM. HE ALSO TAKES PART IN THE ADVENTURE PROGRAM RECORDED IN EQUATOR AND BROADCAST ON RADIO-CANADA. RÉCOLTE DE RÊVE, THE CULT ALBUM RECORDED BY LES SÉGUIN IN 1975, IS REISSUED, WHILE VAGABONDAGE IS CERTIFIED GOLD AND RECEIVES THE FÉLIX AWARD FOR BEST SOUNDMAN.

D'INSTINCT WAS RELEASED IN OCTOBER 1995 AND WAS QUICKLY CERTIFIED GOLD. HE HITS THE ROAD AGAIN WITH HIS MUSICIANS FOR A SERIES OF SHOWS IN QUEBEC AND HE SHOOTS THE VIDEO-CLIP OF RESTER DEBOUT AND LETTRE À ZLATA. " ...RICHARD SÉGUIN HAS TAKEN QUEBEC FOLK ROCK TO ITS HIGHEST LEVEL... " ALAIN BRUNET, LA PRESSE, MARCH 1996

ALAIN BRUNET, LA PRESSE,  MARS 1996
EN 2000 ET 2001, RICHARD SÉGUIN SILLONNE LE QUÉBEC AVEC MICROCLIMAT, L’ANGE VAGABOND DEVIENT CLASSIQUE DE LA SOCAN ET À L’ÉTÉ 2001, RICHARD SÉGUIN PARTICIPE AU SPECTACLE DE LA FÊTE NATIONALE À MONTRÉAL.  AVEC SON AMI FLORENT VOLLANT, CLAIRE PELLETIER ET D’AUTRES, IL EST DU SPECTACLE IMAGINÉ PAR YVES SIOUI POUR COMMÉMORER LA GRANDE PAIX DE MONTRÉAL DE 1701.  À L’AUTOMNE, MICROCLIMAT MÉRITE LE FÉLIX DE L’ALBUM FOLK CONTEMPORAIN DE L’ANNÉE.

EN 2002, M’ENTENDS-TU, TIRÉE DE MICROCLIMAT REÇOIT UNE DISTINCTION DE LA SOCAN POUR ÊTRE L’UNE DES 10 CHANSONS D’EXPRESSION FRANÇAISE LES PLUS JOUÉES À LA RADIO.  SUIVENT UNE TOURNÉE ET UN ALBUM QU’IL INTITULE «SOLO» ET QUE SEULS CEUX QUI ONT ASSISTÉ À SON SPECTACLE OU QUI ONT VISITÉ SON SITE WEB PEUVENT SE PROCURER.

HAVING PARTICIPATED A FEW YEARS EARLIER IN EASTMAN'S CORRESPONDENCE EVENT, FOR WHICH HE WROTE A LETTER THAT COULD HAVE BEEN SENT TO JACK KÉROUAC, HE DECIDED TO ADOPT THE LETTER AS THE TEXTUAL FORM FOR DELIVERING HIS SONG LYRICS. THE COLORS, TEXTURES AND MOODS THAT MAKE UP THE ALBUM: "LETTRES OUVERTES" THE 15TH IN HIS CAREER, THE 9TH IN HIS NAME, IS THE RESULT OF MEETINGS BETWEEN THE ARTIST AND FOUR DIRECTORS HUGO PERREAULT, ÉRIK WEST-MILETTE, TOBY GENDRON AND CLAUDE FRADETTE. THEY CAME IN TURN TO PUT THEIR TALENTS, THEIR HEARTS AT THE SERVICE OF THE SONGS, RESULTING IN A TOTAL HARMONY BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT VOICES. IMPORTANT MEETING, THAT OF SÉGUIN AND PATRICE DUCHESNE WHO ACTS AS ARTISTIC DIRECTOR AND CO-PRODUCER OF THE ALBUM. THESE LETTRES OUVERTES WERE RELEASED IN THE FALL OF 2006, SONGS LIKE OPEN ROADS WHERE EVERYONE CAN HOPE TO CHOOSE THEIR PATH NO MATTER WHERE THEY START, POINTE-AUX-TREMBLES, TIJUANA OR LOWELL.