La Bottine Souriante

Biography

La Bottine Souriante (LBS) is a folk band from Canada. The band specializes in traditional Québécois music, often with a modern twist.
Formed in 1976 in Joliette, Quebec, by Yves Lambert, Andre Marchand, and Mario Forest, they have toured extensively through Europe and North America. In 1990, the band integrated a four-piece horn section with traditional instruments, such as the accordion, fiddle, guitar, piano and double bass, in order to add an element of jazz to their music. In 1998, they contributed a song to the Canadian Celtic music compilation album by The Chieftains, Fire in the Kitchen.
The group's name means "the smiling boot", which refers to the appearance of a work boot with worn-out soles. This is both a reference to the band's working class roots, as well as the incorporation of boot-stomping in their music.

Members

The line-up for LBS has changed numerous times (which is not unusual for folk groups), and its sound has evolved accordingly. The band started out with a very French Canadian feel with guitar, accordion and fiddle, but has expanded to include other styles and instruments. Although all of the founders have left the group, LBS continues to perform, and a new wave of young musicians joined the group in 2002.
LBS's current line-up is:

Éric Beaudry (podorythmie, guitar, bouzouki, mandolin, (solo) vocals) 2002–
David Boulanger (violin, podorythmie, percussion, vocals) 2007–
Robert "Bob" Ellis (bass trombone, tuba, percussion) 1990–
Jean Fréchette (saxophone, flute, penny whistle, clarinet, percussion, vocals) 1990–
Jean-François Gagnon-Branchaud (violin, (solo) vocals, podorythmie, guitar, mandolin) 2011–
Mathieu Gagné (electric bass, acoustic bass guitar) 2022–
Jocelyn Lapointe (trumpet, flugelhorn) 1993–
Olivier Salazar (keyboards, piano) 2022–
Sandy Silva (percussive dance) 1998–
Timi Turmel (accordion, vocals) 2023–
André Verreault (trombone) 1990–
Past members include:

Yves Lambert (accordion, jaw harp, harmonica, melodeon, (solo) vocals) 1976-2002 (founding member)
André Marchand (guitar, feet, (solo) vocals) 1976–1990 (founding member)
Mario Forest (spoons, harmonica, vocals) 1976–1979, 1980–1984 (founding member) (deceased)
Gilles Cantin (guitar, feet, (solo) vocals) 1977–1981 (deceased)
Jacques Landry (bones, bodhrán, fiddle) 1977
Pierre Laporte (fiddle, (solo) vocals) 1977–1981
Lisa Ornstein (piano, fiddle) 1979, the first woman to join the band
Guy Bouchard (spoons, guitar, fiddle, vocals) 1980
Martin Racine (guitar, mandolin, feet, fiddle, vocals) 1980–1997
Daniel Roy (flageolet, jaw harp, bones, bodhrán, (solo) vocals) 1982–1985
Bernard Simard (guitar, (solo) vocals) 1984–1986
Michel Bordeleau (snare drum, guitar, mandolin, feet, fiddle, (solo) vocals) 1987–2002
Régent Archambault (double bass, electric bass, vocals) 1988–2008
Denis Fréchette (piano accordion, flugelhorn, piano, trumpet, vocals) 1988–1999 (deceased)
Laflèche Doré (flugelhorn, trumpet) 1990–1993 (deceased)
André Brunet (violin, guitar, vocals, podorythmie, percussion) 1997–2006
Pierre "Pedro" Bélisle (keyboards, piano accordion, piano, trumpet) 2000–2021
Pierre-Luc Dupuis (vocals, accordion, harmonica) 2002–2008
François Marion (electric bass, acoustic bass guitar)2009–2022
Benoît Bourque (accordion, bones, podorythmie, vocals) 2009–2022
Louis-Simon Lemieux (vocals, accordion, harmonica, podorythmie) 2013–2023 (alternating)
Guest players

Dominique D'Haiti (fiddle) on Je voudrais changer de chapeau
Ron di Lauro (trumpet, flugelhorn) on La Mistrine
Michel Dupire (percussion) on La Mistrine
Jacques Landry (bodhrán, bones) on La traverse de l'Atlantique
Danielle Martineau (piano) on La traverse de l'Atlantique
Dominique Messier (drums) on La Mistrine
Lisa Ornstein (fiddle, piano) on Les Épousailles, Chic & Swell and Je voudrais changer de chapeau
Anne Perrot (cello) on Je voudrais changer de chapeau
Daniel Plamondon (viola) on Je voudrais changer de chapeau
Daniel Roy (spoon) (bones) on Les Épousailles

Awards and achievements

La Bottine Souriante has received the Canadian Juno award for Best Roots & Traditional Album on three occasions for Je voudrais changer d'chapeau×Je voudrais changer d'chapeau1988 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Le festin de campagne / Marie sauce ton pain4:012La gigue de M. Lasanté / La gigue à Médée3:503C'est dans Paris2:584Le rêve du Quêteux Tremblay 11:365La brunette est là / Le reel des quatre fers en l'air4:326Belle Virginie1:427Je voudrais changer d'chapeau / Reel Béatrice4:478Les filles de La Rochelle2:599La valse des bélugas3:3210Hommage à Edmond Parizeau / Dédicado à Jos4:4911La contumace3:3812Le rêve du Quêteux Tremblay 21:58 in 1989, Jusqu'aux p'tites heures×Jusqu'aux p'tites heures1991 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1La chanson du quéteux4:232Le reel de Pointe-au-Pic5:043Un p'tit coup mesdames4:524Nuit sauvage3:485Par un dimanche au soir (Ou Ninette)4:216L'Acadienne3:287Émilien3:448Corps mort / Fleur de Mandragore5:009Turlutte des 33 voleurs2:1810Brandy Payette5:0611Picoro6:0312"Dérap" de la guerre1:41 in 1992, and Cordial in 2002. They have also received several Félix Awards from the Quebec recording industry: four Best Folk Album of the Year awards for Jusqu'aux p'tites heures in 1992, La Mistrine×La Mistrine1994 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Le reel des soucoupes volantes2:352Ici-bas sur Terre3:323Martin de la Chasse-Galerie3:524La Mistrine2:505Le reel de la main blanche2:206La tourtière3:227Le reel irlandais ou Bees Wax, Skin Sheep3:438Christophe6:049La complainte du folkloriste3:1210Le rap à Ti-Pétang4:0111Reel de la sauvagine4:1312Dans nos vieilles maisons3:41 in 1995, En spectacle in 1997, and Xième in 1999, two Best Traditional Album awards for Cordial×Cordial2001 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1Dans Paris y'a t'une brune3:112La Grondeuse4:043Le Démon sort de l'enfer4:344Set à Ubert3:315En p'tit boggie2:436Aimé3:427Lune de miel3:448Suède Inn3:119J'ai fait une maîtresse2:3710À bas les rideaux3:5211Les noces d'or2:1712Viens-tu prendre une bière?2:3513Ma paillasse3:0514Chant de la luette2:5515Reel de Baie St-Paul5:4116Et boucle La Bottine7:24 in 2002 and J'ai jamais tant ri×J'ai jamais tant ri2005 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1Tiguidou pack-sack3:132Paye la traite2:493La Gronde4:284J'ai jamais tant ri3:285De Tido à Ti-douard5:156La vie d'un garçon3:287Le moine Simon3:328L'homme à deux femmes4:149Le bon curé3:4510La veillée du voisin2:2411Hommage à Gilles Brunet3:5312Ma femme est morte4:3213Reel ados3:2214Si l'hiver peut prendre3:1315Reel à Ti-Mile3:0616La p'tite boulangère2:24 in 2004, and one Best Sound (Technical) of the Year award in 1993. Furthermore, they have received four gold records for Y'a ben du changement, En spectacle, Xième, and Anthologie and three platinum records for Tout comme au jour de l'An, Jusqu'aux p'tites heures, and La Mistrine. They are known for their high energy live performances and in 2000 were voted Best Live Act at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. BBC Radio 3 has also played their music in mainstream programmes.