Daniel Lavoie was in a grocery in St. Chrysostome one morning when he heard one of his old songs on the radio. Not happy with what he heard, he wanted to remake his favorite songs. Nine months later it `s done, the singer offers" J'écoute la radio" which includes his essential hits revisited.
This year Daniel Lavoie celebrates 40 years of his career. This has also weighed in the balance when the idеa to remake his songs was germinating in him. For posterity the singer wanted to leave behind an album he would be proud of.
The last time his success ended up on an album was ten years ago," an incoherent jumble of old staff "- he regrets.
This time he was surrounded by a large gang of valuable collaborators, including Jorane, Keane, Renaud and Charlebois for cameos and good musicians, including Marc Pérusse for the realisation. Together they remade 13 of his best plays, the ones we heard on the radio a lot -here are the titles: Ils s'aiment, Je voudrais voir New York, Qui sail, Je pensais pas, Tension attention и La Danse du smatte.
"We finally found something coherent, says the singer, something that looks like me and sounds good.
It's like to update the kitchen. You change your refrigerator, stove. You redo the cabinets, you change the tarpaulin. It's the same kitchen, but you're happy when you come in».
Daniel Lavoie was really pleased by rediscovering his own songs.
"Some of them I was no longer able to hear over the years, - he says, - I was surprised to experience the real shivers because of these songs. It feels good. "
During 40 years of his саrrier, Daniel Lavoie has been creating songs. But the process of creating has varied a lot from one album to another. Often, he no longer recognizes himself by listening to his old hits.
"We are influenced by the current tenement, fashion and budgets, he sais. One week I recorded an album with just $ 5,000. It was just enough to pay the studio and ask musicians to volunteer. We had no time to mix and masterise and it appears.
This time with the technique that has changed you can take time. On this album there is not too much synthesizer, but there are very good musicians, chosen with love, including Richard Beaudet, who was on my 1st CD 40 years ago, Mario Légaré, Marc Vallée and Muhammad Abdul Al-Khabbyr. "

God`s Blessing

At the age of 62 Daniel Lavoie with 40 years of experience behind him seems to be in a better shape than ever ... and he has not yet begun to cash his RRP cheques .
"I has been delaying it as long as possible, - he said amused. Thank God, I don `t need that for now. I'll leave it for the others. "
With his sixties the singer attacks his business with a new look. He said there is nothing left to do and at the same time it is all to do.
"Where I am it does not matter if I do things or not", - he believes. "I`m blessed by God. I get to do the job I love and try to do it without a purely commercial interest. I have a great desire to please the world. The music makes me feel good and
I hope my music in turn can also do good to others."
"I don`t have high expectations", - he recovers - "but if everybody destroy my new album, I'll be disappointed. Serenity has its limits! "
Daniel Lavoie will begin a concert tour in spring. 30 dates has been already held here in France and Russia, where Notre-Dame de Paris was a great success.
He hopes the show will be running over a long period. Having the solo-shows, alone on stage, for years he is pleased with the idea of being on stage, surrounded by musicians.
The album "J'ecoute la radio" will be in stores on November 15 under the Spectra Musique label.
Daniel Lavoie will be touring since March 2012. His return will be in Montreal on March 14 in the 5th Chamber of the Place des Arts, the dates are available on lavoiedaniel.ca roads.
______________________________________

The first book for posterity

November 12, Monreal
The age seems to have no impact over Daniel Lavoie, yet soon he will be grandfather for the 3d time. Except his hair turned white the singer has changed very little.He summarizes his secret in a few words with a big smile.
"I don`t take life one day at a time, he said, I don`t plan ahead too much.We aren`t even insured against accidents! "
The singer said that he may have, like everyone else, suffered the midlife crisis, a crisis "which was well fructeuse, he says, to exit at the other end even more calmer. "
Father of three children, grandfather of two and soon of the third toddlers who reminds all Lavoie, it tempers its environmental and social concerns.
"I try not to think about it too much, he said. Like everyone else watching what is happening in the world, I'm a bit desperate, but I have confidence that it `s going out with a little luck. I hope my grandchildren will have happy and healthy life.
Grandchildren and great-grandchildren will in any case have many songs in memory of the family`s singer and also a book. Daniel Lavoie releases his first book in a few days, a collection of amusing and poetic texts entitled Finutilité published by Manitoban Publishing House - Plains. He will present it on November 18th at the Book Fair in Montreal as well as in Toronto and his native Manitoba and France.
Some of his texts have been served for songs presentation on stage and spectators asked him where to get them, without knowing that they were actually his.
"One day from excess of my pride", - says Daniel - I thought "Why not". "I`ve come to the point just like everyone else it would be the fun to publish a book . "