Oscar Thiffault

Canadian (Québec) folk musician born April 6, 1912 in Montréal and died February 6, 1998 in Trois-Rivières (aged 85). Lived most of his life in Ste-Étienne-des-Grès.

Working on construction sites, Thiffault composed new versions of Quebecois folk songs and wrote many songs setting new lyrics to traditional melodies. He first found success in 1954 with "Le Rapide-Blanc", a humorous song written in 1935 while working on the Rapide-Blanc Energy plant. The song was a country and western adaptation of the traditional song "Le moine tremblant et la dame".
Thiffault wrote songs honouring local sports figures, including hockey players Maurice Richard, (Le Rocket Richard), and Guy Lafleur (La Toune A Ti-Guy Lafleur).
In 1988, a documentary film about his life was made by Serge Giguère.
Grand Prix de L'Académie Du Country (1988).

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