André Gagnon facts for kids

André Gagnon OC OQ (born August 2, 1936 – died December 3, 2020) was a famous Canadian musician. He was a talented pianist, composer, conductor, arranger, and actor. He was known for mixing classical music with pop styles. Some of his popular works include the songs "Pour les Amants" and "Turluteries." He also wrote music for TV shows like La Souris Verte and plays such as La Poudre aux Yeux.

Early Life and Musical Start

André Gagnon was born in Saint-Pacôme, Quebec, Canada. He was the youngest of nineteen children! He started composing music when he was just six years old. He studied piano and composition at the Conservatoire de musique à Montréal from 1957 to 1961.

A Career in Music

André Gagnon released his first album, Saga, in 1974. This album was special because it only had his own instrumental songs. In 1975, his album Neiges became very popular. It stayed on the American Billboard's Top 10 for 24 weeks! It sold 700,000 copies around the world.

In May 1976, Gagnon performed four concerts in Mexico. Later that year, Neiges was released in New York. In 1977, Neiges won a Juno Award for being the most purchased album in Canada. Another album, Le Saint-Laurent, quickly sold 100,000 copies.

In 1978, André Gagnon was honored as an Officer of the Order of Canada. This is a very high award in Canada. In 1979, he won his first Félix award for Le Saint-Laurent. Félix awards are given to musicians in Quebec.

Gagnon also started writing music for movies. He composed soundtracks for films like Running (1979) and Phobia (1980). In 1981, he went on a world tour. He visited places like the United States, Venezuela, and Greece. That same year, he recorded his album Impressions at the famous Abbey Road studio.

In 1990, Gagnon's opera called Nelligan was released. An opera is a play where most of the words are sung. It was performed in big theaters across Canada. In 1992, he composed music for the film The Pianist. His album Juliette Pomerleau came out in 1999. In 2011, his album Les chemins ombragés sold 40,000 copies, earning it a gold album award.

André Gagnon also wrote songs for many other artists. These included Diane Dufresne and Nicole Martin.

André Gagnon passed away on December 3, 2020, at the age of 84. He had been dealing with health issues.

Awards and Recognition

André Gagnon received many awards for his musical talents.

Juno Awards

• 1978: Instrumental Artist of the Year
• 1995: Instrumental Artist of the Year

He was also nominated for Juno Awards in several other years.

Government Honours

Gagnon was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1978. This award recognizes outstanding achievement, dedication to the community, and service to the nation. In 2018, he was also made an Officer of the National Order of Quebec. This is the highest honor given by the government of Quebec.

Discography

Albums

Singles