Émile Joseph Benoît (March 24, 1913 – September 3, 1992) was a Canadian fiddler who became known for popularizing
Franco-Newfoundlander
Franco-Newfoundlanders, also known as Franco-Terreneuvians in English or ''Franco-Terreneuviens'' in French, are francophone and/or French Canadian residents of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador.Émile Benoît at Newfoundland and Labrador Heritage.
Born in Black Duck Brook, Dominion of Newfoundland, Benoît worked primarily as a fisherman for much of his life, playing fiddle mainly as a hobby and at local community events. After winning second prize at a fiddle contest in nearby Stephenville in 1973, he began to pursue music more actively, making it his primary career after his retirement from fishing. He became a popular performer, touring throughout Canada, appearing on ''
90 Minutes Live
''90 Minutes Live'' was a Canadian television late-night talk show, which aired on CBC Television from April 19, 1976, to May 12, 1978. The program aired weekday evenings at 11:30 p.m.
Hosted by Peter Gzowski, the program was patterned aft ...
'' and in several documentary films, and performing in
Figgy Duff
Figgy Duff was a Canadian folk-rock band from Newfoundland, Canada. They played a major role in the Newfoundland cultural renaissance of the 1970s and 1980s. Formed in 1976 by Noel Dinn, who named the band after a traditional pudding, Figgy D ...
. He gave his final performance just two months before his death on September 3, 1992 in Stephenville. He was posthumously honoured by the
East Coast Music Awards
The East Coast Music Association is a non-profit association that hosts an annual awards ceremony based in Atlantic Canada for music appreciation on the East Coast of Canada. Its mission is to develop, advance and celebrate East Coast Canadian mus ...
in 1993.
Musicians such as
Kelly Russell
Kelly Russell (born December 7, 1986) was a Canadian rugby union player, and is a coach for the sport. She captained at the 2014 Women's Rugby World Cup and was named to the Dream Team.
International career
Russell has also featured in two R ...
Pamela Morgan
Pamela Morgan (born November 25, 1957) is a Canadian recording artist, songwriter, and owner of independent label Amber Music, now living in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. From 1976 to 1995 she was lead singer of influential folk rock ba ...
and Jim Payne have cited Benoît as an influence on their own music.
In 2009, Benoit's version of the song "Vive la rose" was the basis of a
mixed media
In visual art, mixed media describes artwork in which more than one medium or material has been employed.
Assemblages, collages, and sculpture are three common examples of art using different media. Materials used to create mixed media art incl ...
animated short of the same name, directed by
Bruce Alcock
Bruce Alcock is a Vancouver-based, Newfoundland-born multimedia filmmaker, creative director, and founder of animation studios Cuppa Coffee Studio (with Adam Shaheen) and Global Mechanic. Born in Corner Brook, Newfoundland, he has directed severa ...
and produced by the
National Film Board of Canada
The National Film Board of Canada (NFB; french: Office national du film du Canada (ONF)) is Canada's public film and digital media producer and distributor. An agency of the Government of Canada, the NFB produces and distributes documentary f ...
.
He was the inspiration for
College of the North Atlantic
College of the North Atlantic (CNA, formerly CONA) is one of the largest post-secondary educational and skills training centres in Atlantic Canada, with a history dating back 50 years. The college has 17 campus locations throughout the province ...
's 2015 intersession film project ''Emile's Legacy'' which detailed Figgy Duff's pursuit in convincing Emile to join them on a world tour..
Discography
;Albums
*''Emile's Dream'' (1979)
*''It Comes from the Heart'' (1982)
*''Vive la Rose'' (1992)
;Contributing artist
*'' Atlantic Fiddling (1979)
*''
The Rough Guide to the Music of Canada
''The Rough Guide to the Music of Canada'' is a compilation album originally released in 2003. Part of the World Music Network Rough Guides series, it gives a wide overview of the music of Canada. Though contemporary styles are represented, the al ...