For almost 50 years, Claude Meunier dreamed of starting a Western music project. Because it is never too late, he arrives here with La Famille Denuy. An album is due to be released in the spring with the participation of Mara Tremblay, Sara Dufour, Simon Proulx and a certain Serge Thériault.
• Also read: Claude Meunier on Serge Thériault: “He found a kind of peace”
In 1976, Claude Meunier and Serge Thériault founded the Denuy Brothers. This duo of Western musicians, which the comedians performed in their Paul and Paul shows, had recorded two songs: Bonjour Huguette and C'est Noël. But the project never got any further.
A big fan of Western artists like Willie Nelson and Emmylou Harris, Claude Meunier continued to write his own songs over the years. “In my head I always wanted to recreate a Western band,” he says.
About two years ago, Claude Meunier received a call from guitarist Jean-Sébastien Chouinard. “I know him because our wives are friends,” says Meunier. The Cowboys Fringants performed at Dix30 [à Brossard] and Jean-Sébastien accompanied her. He asked me if I would like to sing Bonjour Huguette with them. They had already done it on the show. I was there and we had a lot of fun.”
Experienced musicians
A few months later, Chouinard invited Meunier to his studio. “I brought him a few songs, including a new one that I had just written,” says Meunier. It was a joke. But he asked me if I had any others.”
In a short time, Jean-Sébastien Chouinard contacted other musician friends to form a group. The Denuy family was born. “It was actually him who pushed this project forward,” Claude mentions. It's a very solid western band. Because musicians don't have common sense. It's just the singer who's tough! [rires]»
In addition to Meunier and Chouinard, La Famille Denuy also includes Jocelyn Tellier (Dumas), Gautier Marinof (2Frères) and Pierre Fortin (Les Cowboys Fringants, Galaxie).
The Denuy family with Gautier Marinof, Jean-Sébastien Chouinard, Claude Meunier, Pierre Fortin and Jocelyn Tellier. Courtesy of Sophie Doyon
“It's as if I had brought the cake tin with me and the boys had baked a wedding cake with it,” says Claude Meunier about his companions. I bring relatively simple songs and they develop them further. It is very family friendly and above all very fun. […] It’s a bit like a western Trois Accords.”
Guests of honor
In the last few months, the musicians have recorded around ten songs written by Meunier. These songs are specifically called “Alone in my grave”, “Our dog is dead”, “Le yodel du cuckold” and “Le shake du bayou”. “These are songs that are a little exotic, fun and pleasant to listen to. That’s naivety of the third degree,” says Meunier.
Simon Proulx of Trois Accords offered the song Nouveau-nez to the group and lent his voice to another song. Mara Tremblay and Sara Dufour also went into the studio, Claude Meunier mentions.
Serge Thériault sang backing vocals on C'est Noël and Bonjour Huguette. “He agreed straight away,” says Claude about his friend. He is not featured on the entire album as he was not there at the beginning of the project. It was made alongside La Petite Vie.”
Enema shows
La Famille Denuy's first album on the La Tribu label (Les Cowboys Fringants, Robert Charlebois) is scheduled to be released in the spring. Until then, from January 22nd to February 12th, the musicians will give four preliminary concerts in the Salle Claude-Léveillée at the Place des Arts.
“I don’t want to make this stressful,” said Claude Meunier. The small room was available – it has a capacity of 128 seats. We will have four short montages. There is nothing else at the moment. […] It's just a sneak peek to see what this story looks like on the show. It’s a serious hobby, without any pretensions.”
On stage, the five musicians will wear cowboy shirts and hats. Even though they all gave themselves names (Noël, Jean-Juillet, Doctor, Gaugau and Croco Denuy), the musicians do not represent real characters, explains Meunier.
“We don’t create a theater concept. It's up to the rest of us, we're just kidding. We pretend to be cowboys. I will be Noël Denuy. But he is also known by the name Claude Meunier. I'll talk between songs. Maybe I speak in Dong or like Ti-mé, I don’t know!”
“The idea is not to remake La Petite Vie or Paul et Paul,” says Meunier. It's a part-time job. This is a project that is perhaps narrower in scope. Maybe it won't take so many people, we'll see. But we think the world will like it.”
The Denuy Family – The Western tour was progressing in advance will be presented at the Salle Claude-Léveillée in Montreal on January 22nd and 29th and February 5th and 12th. For information: placedesarts.com.