It is with great sadness that we learned of the death of Lucien Francoeur in the last hours . It was his daughter, Virginie Francoeur, who made the somber announcement on social media. A departure which obviously affects Lucien's many friends and particularly Michel Barrette.
First of all, here is the message published by Lucien Francoeur's daughter on Facebook:
« We are deeply saddened to announce that Lucien Francoeur took his last breath on November 5 at 7:05 p.m. He leaves to mourn his wife Claudine Bertrand and his daughter Virginie, his sister Carole and his brothers Louis and Donald. What an indescribable shock!
With his unique journey and his remarkable work, Lucien Francoeur is a precursor of Quebec rock, a man with a thousand facets: poet, singer, radio host and teacher. He continued to shock the establishment. He founded the group Aut'Chose in 1974 which enjoyed tremendous success. He published more than thirty collections of poetry. Literary prizes have recognized his talent as a writer since the 1980s, notably the Émile-Nelligan prize for his book Les Rockeurs Sanctifies.
My rocker dad, my hero, took off at the age of 76 for a long trip. Cardiac arrest, Tuesday October 22. In Outremont, he collapsed in the street. He was rushed to the intensive care unit at Jewish General. We have done everything to save him for 14 days. We would like to sincerely thank the cardiologists, neurologists and nurses who provided him with the best care.
My mother and I feel unfathomable pain. I cried all the tears in my body. I don't know how I find the strength to write this post. I am in a thousand crumbs and I pick up the crumbs to restore my composure. It's rude to talk about him in the past tense when he was so present. I'm losing the person I love most in the world.
For my mother, it's 45 years of life together that disappear like stardust. We were at his bedside every day, reciting Rimbaud (Ma bohème), Miron (On the public square) and Francoeur (his work). Poetry accompanied him until his last moments. He wrote “Clo la Gitane” for my mother in 2001. We read this book to him a dozen times.
His playlist was playing at full volume. Doors, Stones, Van Morisson, Eric Burdon, Bob Dylan… Café Rimbaud was in his ears, the song he wrote for Gerry Boulet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?… and Tot'aime, the one he recently composed for Martine St-Clair: https://www.youtube.com/watch?…
My father lived in Outremont for 36 years. Creation was the center of his universe. He found refuge in his Moleskine or Clairefontaine notebooks. When he woke up, he would escape to let poetry flow under his fountain pen. For him, handwriting was the lifeblood, the beating heart of the Montreal Freak. His blackened notebooks are silent witnesses to his solitude and marginality. Poetry was his way of defying death, it was a form of oxygen.
His memory and his story will continue to live in us eternally and through all those who carry him. His legend will continue to inspire us.
You can pay homage to him in one way or another
-By reading his poems
-Listening to his music
-Watching our film Francoeur: We finish the rockers well: https://www.filmoptioninternat…
-And by drinking a healthy Francoeur combo (blonde beer + Jack Daniel on ice)!
We would like to offer him a monument at the Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery with one of his poems engraved. Near Nelligan.
Two days before his cardiac arrest, we were walking on Mount Royal and he told me that he wanted to put down roots here… If you would like to participate in the preservation of his memory and help my mother and me in this At this most difficult time, you can help finance a tombstone with a donation: https://gofund.me/0ffa8e02
Happy road trip dad! From up there, you might find time to write your On the Road.
The rockers always come back!
xxx »
– Virginie Francoeur
Comedian Michel Barrette mourns the loss of his good friend. On Facebook, he shared this:
« Sad day… today I lost a friend… a friendship that lasted for 35 years… my dear Lucien, my intellectual rocker, my poet, you were one of the funniest people ever given to me to know.
We shared some wonderful days on the radio during the great years of the “Francoeur Show” at CKOI. Thank you for forgiving me for making you the victim of “Surprise Surprise.”
Thank you for our long discussions on music, literature, America, Jack Kirouac, love and life… see you soon my old fool… I love you, Michel »
– Michel Barrette
We think very much of Michel, the family, friends and loved ones of Lucien Francoeur.
Our most sincere condolences.
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