M.SOUL, Né Marcel Soulodre, is a musician, singer-songwriter, born in Saint-Boniface (Canada) his father of French origin and mother of English and American extraction. Nurtured since childhood on the traditional music played by his parents, it was on his grandmother’s piano that he began playing music at 6 years of age.
In his teens, he received his first guitar but it wasn’t until the age of 21, after a near fatal car accident, that M.Soul began to seriously play music and also to learn the French language of his father.
His first group ‘The Ministers of Soul’, played the clubs of Winnipeg extensively and it was during that time that he encountered some Cajun musicians at the ‘Festival du Voyageur’.
Seeking them out in Louisiana, M.Soul dove headlong into their music and their culture and it was this long journey which sparked his deep desire to compose his own songs beginning in English and then very soon in French.
M.Soul accomplishments have been many. Between 1987 to 1990, he composed music and songs for five plays for the theatre ‘Le Cercle Molière’. He recorded his first album ‘Marcel Soul’ in 1986 and won ‘Song of the Year’ for CBC Manitoba with ‘Ain’t Times Tough’ in 1990.
In 1993 he won the award for best singer-songwriter for the ‘Gala de la chanson du Manitoba’ followed by best singer-songwriter at ‘Le Chant Ouest’ in Vancouver as well the award for best song ‘King Louis’ and was invited to perform at Le Festival International de la Chanson de Granby (Québec).
He subsequently made the acquaintance of a journalist in Saint-Boniface, a native of the Alsace region in France. Together they began an ongoing partnership that produced nearly a hundred songs such as ‘Au pays de la radio’ to celebrate the 50th anniversary of RadioCanada Manitoba CKSB in 1996.
In 1996, he and his Cajun friends were invited to perform at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and in 1997 he was invited to sing his songs the ‘Expo-langues’ at La Villette in Paris.
This was his first visit to France.
He also performed in Strasbourg, Lyon Toulouse, Angoulême and Nantes.
That same year he composed and performed ‘Giddy Up’ live on national television for the opening ceremonies of the Canada Summer Games in Brandon (Manitoba).
In 1999 he was chosen to sing ‘City of the Plains’ by composer Victor Davies for the opening ceremonies of the Pan Am Games in Winnipeg before 500 million viewers.
In 2000, released the albums ‘Giddy Up’ and ‘Que je recommence’, the later winning a Western Canadian Music award for outstanding francophone album.
In 2002, the idea came to M.Soul of creating a show paying homage to the life and songs of Johnny Cash.
Attributing the song ‘I Still Miss Someone’ as being the impetus to opening the door to the universe of Johnny Cash, M.Soul created a 2 hour performance rich with details of the life of Johnny Cash, the ‘50’-‘60’s-‘70’s and of his own personal experiences as a child growing up in Winnipeg.
A tour of three weeks was scheduled for September 2003. With the passing of Cash on the eve of the tour, what was to be 3 weeks became an intense 3 years traveling throughout Canada and the USA.
‘Wanted Man – A Tribute to Johnny Cash’ continued to tour with over 300 shows in North America and Europe.
In 2009, after several visits to France, M.Soul decided to settle in Strasbourg, France
Starting a new career on the other side of the Atlantic is no easy matter but M.Soul quickly found himself talented musicians to perform and participate in festivals throughout Europe with shows in Germany (Country Nuremberg), France (West Country Festival-Bain de Bretagne), Switzerland (Country Festival Interlaken), Belgium (Cerexhe).
M.Soul returns every year to his northern native land, happy to visit friends, fans and family and to tour with his ever faithful Canadian musical team.
DISCOGRAPHY
– Marcel SOUL (1986) cassette– Gates OF Heaven (1990) cassette– The Chapel Sessions (1992) cassette– Marcel Soulodre (1994) cassette– J’avais dans les yeux (1995)– Que je recommence (1999)– Giddy Up (1999)– Wanted Man (2005) M.Soul Sings The Songs Of Johnny Cash– Sur le chemin des rencontres (2007)– Let It Go : EP (Avril 2013)– Don’t Take Your Guns To Town (2013) Songs Of J. Cash– This Time The Girl’s In Trouble (2016)– New album : ‘ Hello out There le Manitoba vous répond’ (September 9th 2022) |
Click on the picture to see the playlist from my 2 first singles :
‘Swingtime Baby’ & ‘Galère’
Hello Out There le Manitoba vous répond.
Listen to the songs on line:
Official release was on September 9th 2022 at the Pôle culturel de Drusenheim
1 comment
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