Armand Labrecque, Father of the Montmagny Folk Gala

Black and white photograph of Armand Labrecque. He is on the right, holding an accordion. The shot was taken at a family gathering, with Mr. Casault standing next to him with a guitar.

Armand Labrecque (left), mid-20th century

Armand Labrecque grew up in a family of musicians. As a child, he would spend hours listening to his father play the fiddle. But it was his mother who taught him his first notes on the accordion. Listen as he describes his early experiences with the instrument:

Listen to the interview (FR) with transcript (EN).

Black and white photograph showing Armand Labrecque at the launch of Montmagny’s Carrefour mondial de l’accordéon in 1991. He is wearing a suit and tie.

Armand Labrecque, 1991

Having spent a few years honing his technique and developing a personal style, young Armand began playing at dance parties. He quickly gained a name for himself in the region. He was strongly influenced by the musicians he knew, as well as by the music of Alfred Montmarquette. But he is mainly remembered as the organizer of the first folk galas in the Montmagny area. For him, these gatherings were much more than just an evening out:

Listen to the interview (FR) with transcript (EN).

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