Roméo Beaudry
Encyclopedia
Louis Roméo Beaudry was a French Canadian
author
, composer
, pianist
and record producer
, who established Éditions Radio and served as the director general of the Starr Records
company of Canada as a music producer. As a composer Beaudry wrote more than 75 songs which went on to be recorded.
, Beaudry grew up primarily in Quebec City
. After finishing his schooling at the Quebec Seminary in 1900, he obtained a job at the National Bank of Canada
. Beaudry soon left that job to become a partner in his father's music store, Willis Piano Company.
In 1912 Beaudry obtained a sales representative job with Starr Records
which required him to move to Montreal. While in Montreal he obtained a job as a music critic for La Patrie
as well.
In 1915, the Columbia Gramophone Company of New York
requested that Beaudry put them into contact with Québécois
artists in the hopes they could obtain French language
music for their francophone customers in New England
. Beaudry did so, and Jean-Marie Magnan, Joseph-Henri Thibodeau, Hector Pellerin, François-Xavier Mercier, Damase DuBuisson, Alfred Nohcor and Honoré Vaillancourt all recorded with Columbia as a result of these efforts.
In 1918, the Starr Piano Company of Richmond, Indiana
set up a Canadian branch named the Starr Company of Canada. Beaudry was hired as the director general of the company on the strength of his existing relationship with the Starr company and his knowledge of music and musicians in Quebec. During that time, he became a close business associate with Herbert Berliner. In 1919, Beaudry awarded the contract for pressing records from Starr's subsidiary Gennett Records
for all of Canada to Berliner's Compo pressing factory. In 1920, he founded Starr Phonograph of Quebec which used Berliner's recording studios to record francophone artists under the Gennett label. Berliner formed a new record company in 1921, first called Sun, but quickly renamed Apex Records, which began producing records for the Starr 12000 series in July 1921. Apex began selling records at 65¢ each, and with the same production Starr also sold records at 65¢ each. The other major record sellers in Quebec, Columbia and His Master's Voice, priced their records at 85¢. This competitive pricing scheme led to the Quebec music market being dominated by Starr.
Around 1920, Beaudry began a collaboration with J Hervey Germain, who recorded eighteen of Beaudry's songs between 1920 and 1925, including: Au revoir Mimi, non pas adieu (1920), Au printemps ma Lizon (1921), Nos vieux parents (1921), Rien qu’un baiser (1921), Mimi printemps (1921), N’oubliez pas (1922), La rose du boulevard (1922), Le sheik d’Arabie (1922), Ah! Ce qu’il a le nez gros (1923), Bonjour ma ninette (1923), Ma jolie danseuse (1923), Mon ami m’a volé mon amour (1924), Printemps d’amour (1924), Riez un peu et tout ira bien (1924), Une fille que les hommes oublient (1924), Il est quelque part mon cœur (1925) and Je ne veux plus pleurer pour toi (1925).
Hercule Lavoie began recordings songs written by Beaudry in 1924, recording more than a dozen songs of Beaudry's over the next few years. These included L’amour pardonne (1924), L’amour se souvient (1924), Berce mon rêve (1924), Chante rossignol chante (1924), Dis-le moi (1924), Hier, aujourd’hui, demain (1925), Il ne faut pas pleurer pour ça (1925), J’ai toujours vingt ans (1925), Mais si tu reviens un jour (1925), Laisse-moi te dire (1926), Il fallait des anges au paradis (1927), Pour quelqu’un qu’on aime (1927) and Tu prends plaisir à me voir souffrir (1927).
In 1925, Compo purchased Starr Phonograph of Quebec and Beaudry remained with the company. During this time most of the prominent singers in Quebec appeared on the Starr label. Beaudry's most insightful move may have been supporting Mary Bolduc in spite of the lack of success on her first release, Y'a longtemps que je couche par terre. The sale of Bolduc's records would later be critical to the survival of Starr through the Great Depression
.
In 1927, Beaudry began an association with Georges Beauchemin
. Over the next four years, Beauchemin would record more than a dozen songs written by Beaudry. Beauchemin recorded Au milieu de la nuit (1926), Bonjour l’amour (1927), Ramona (1928), Un coin de ciel bleu (1928), À l’ombre des lilas (1928), Jeannine au temps des lilas (1928), Mademoiselle Mimi (1928), Mon Angéline (1929), Mon château d’Espagne (1929), Au sommet du monde (1929), Bonjour mon bel oiseau bleu (1929), Dis-moi que tu pardonnes (1929) and J’ai trouvé l’amour (1929) by Beaudry.
Beaudry died in Outremont
of a heart attack on May 6, 1932.
French Canadian
French Canadian or Francophone Canadian, , generally refers to the descendents of French colonists who arrived in New France in the 17th and 18th centuries...
author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
and record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, who established Éditions Radio and served as the director general of the Starr Records
Starr Records
Starr Records was a record label manufactured by the Starr Piano Company of Richmond, Indiana, which was also the parent company of the better known Gennett Records....
company of Canada as a music producer. As a composer Beaudry wrote more than 75 songs which went on to be recorded.
Career
Born in MontrealMontreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Beaudry grew up primarily in Quebec City
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
. After finishing his schooling at the Quebec Seminary in 1900, he obtained a job at the National Bank of Canada
National Bank of Canada
National Bank of Canada is the 6th largest bank and 8th largest financial institution in Canada. The bank's headquarters are in Montreal, Quebec....
. Beaudry soon left that job to become a partner in his father's music store, Willis Piano Company.
In 1912 Beaudry obtained a sales representative job with Starr Records
Starr Records
Starr Records was a record label manufactured by the Starr Piano Company of Richmond, Indiana, which was also the parent company of the better known Gennett Records....
which required him to move to Montreal. While in Montreal he obtained a job as a music critic for La Patrie
La Patrie
La Patrie was a Montreal, Quebec daily newspaper founded by Honoré Beaugrand on February 24, 1879. It became a weekly in 1957 and folded in 1978....
as well.
In 1915, the Columbia Gramophone Company of New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
requested that Beaudry put them into contact with Québécois
French-speaking Quebecer
French-speaking Quebecers are francophone residents of the Canadian province of Quebec....
artists in the hopes they could obtain French language
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
music for their francophone customers in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
. Beaudry did so, and Jean-Marie Magnan, Joseph-Henri Thibodeau, Hector Pellerin, François-Xavier Mercier, Damase DuBuisson, Alfred Nohcor and Honoré Vaillancourt all recorded with Columbia as a result of these efforts.
In 1918, the Starr Piano Company of Richmond, Indiana
Richmond, Indiana
Richmond is a city largely within Wayne Township, Wayne County, in east central Indiana, United States, which borders Ohio. The city also includes the Richmond Municipal Airport, which is in Boston Township and separated from the rest of the city...
set up a Canadian branch named the Starr Company of Canada. Beaudry was hired as the director general of the company on the strength of his existing relationship with the Starr company and his knowledge of music and musicians in Quebec. During that time, he became a close business associate with Herbert Berliner. In 1919, Beaudry awarded the contract for pressing records from Starr's subsidiary Gennett Records
Gennett Records
Gennett was a United States based record label which flourished in the 1920s.-Label history:Gennett records was founded in Richmond, Indiana by the Starr Piano Company, and released its first records in October 1917. The company took its name from its top managers: Harry, Fred and Clarence Gennett....
for all of Canada to Berliner's Compo pressing factory. In 1920, he founded Starr Phonograph of Quebec which used Berliner's recording studios to record francophone artists under the Gennett label. Berliner formed a new record company in 1921, first called Sun, but quickly renamed Apex Records, which began producing records for the Starr 12000 series in July 1921. Apex began selling records at 65¢ each, and with the same production Starr also sold records at 65¢ each. The other major record sellers in Quebec, Columbia and His Master's Voice, priced their records at 85¢. This competitive pricing scheme led to the Quebec music market being dominated by Starr.
Around 1920, Beaudry began a collaboration with J Hervey Germain, who recorded eighteen of Beaudry's songs between 1920 and 1925, including: Au revoir Mimi, non pas adieu (1920), Au printemps ma Lizon (1921), Nos vieux parents (1921), Rien qu’un baiser (1921), Mimi printemps (1921), N’oubliez pas (1922), La rose du boulevard (1922), Le sheik d’Arabie (1922), Ah! Ce qu’il a le nez gros (1923), Bonjour ma ninette (1923), Ma jolie danseuse (1923), Mon ami m’a volé mon amour (1924), Printemps d’amour (1924), Riez un peu et tout ira bien (1924), Une fille que les hommes oublient (1924), Il est quelque part mon cœur (1925) and Je ne veux plus pleurer pour toi (1925).
Hercule Lavoie began recordings songs written by Beaudry in 1924, recording more than a dozen songs of Beaudry's over the next few years. These included L’amour pardonne (1924), L’amour se souvient (1924), Berce mon rêve (1924), Chante rossignol chante (1924), Dis-le moi (1924), Hier, aujourd’hui, demain (1925), Il ne faut pas pleurer pour ça (1925), J’ai toujours vingt ans (1925), Mais si tu reviens un jour (1925), Laisse-moi te dire (1926), Il fallait des anges au paradis (1927), Pour quelqu’un qu’on aime (1927) and Tu prends plaisir à me voir souffrir (1927).
In 1925, Compo purchased Starr Phonograph of Quebec and Beaudry remained with the company. During this time most of the prominent singers in Quebec appeared on the Starr label. Beaudry's most insightful move may have been supporting Mary Bolduc in spite of the lack of success on her first release, Y'a longtemps que je couche par terre. The sale of Bolduc's records would later be critical to the survival of Starr through the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
.
In 1927, Beaudry began an association with Georges Beauchemin
Georges Beauchemin
Georges Beauchemin was a Canadian singer and veterinarian, who released records for both the Starr and His Master's Voice recording companies, as well as two recordings under the pseudonym Roger Mainville for the Duprex company...
. Over the next four years, Beauchemin would record more than a dozen songs written by Beaudry. Beauchemin recorded Au milieu de la nuit (1926), Bonjour l’amour (1927), Ramona (1928), Un coin de ciel bleu (1928), À l’ombre des lilas (1928), Jeannine au temps des lilas (1928), Mademoiselle Mimi (1928), Mon Angéline (1929), Mon château d’Espagne (1929), Au sommet du monde (1929), Bonjour mon bel oiseau bleu (1929), Dis-moi que tu pardonnes (1929) and J’ai trouvé l’amour (1929) by Beaudry.
Beaudry died in Outremont
Outremont (borough)
Outremont is a borough of the city of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It consists entirely of the former city on the Island of Montreal in southwestern Quebec, Canada...
of a heart attack on May 6, 1932.