Traditional French Songs with Michael Parent and Greg Boardman
As a fellow Franco-American singer and performer, I came to know Michael Parent as a true cultural treasure, an elder statesman and keeper of songs for our heritage, and a kind, generous mentor to me and many others. When he passed away in 2023, the loss reverberated throughout our community. I was honored to accompany Greg Boardman on a few numbers from this collection at Michael’s memorial celebration, an emotional experience which inspired me to take up the torch, so to speak, in the great tradition of passing on folksongs through the generations. My hope is that this collection will continue to serve as a foundational repertoire not only for those with Québécois and/or Acadian heritage, but for all of us who have been touched by Franco-American culture. To that end I have endeavored to re-release Chantons-Let’s Sing, with Greg’s blessing,in a format that can be easily shared by printing the booklet on legal-sized paper and downloading the songs online. Please feel free to do so by following the link here: www.robertsylvain.com/chantons/
In loving memory of Michael Parent,
-Robert Sylvain