Cowboys Fringants named Quebec 'Patriot of the Year' for 2023

Members of Les Cowboys Fringants perform at a tribute to the late band lead singer Karl Tremblay in Montreal, Tuesday, November 28, 2023. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press)

The Cowboys Fringants continue to rack up the honours, as on Wednesday evening they received the title of ‘Patriot of the Year,’ awarded by the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society of Montreal, for the year 2023.

In a press release, the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society of Montreal explained that it had chosen to nominate the music group as ‘Patriot of the Year' to recognize and honour their ‘exceptional' contribution to Quebec's cultural scene.

In its opinion, “the members of Cowboys Fringants have become true cultural ambassadors on stages both here and abroad.”

Marie-Annick Lépine, Jean-François Pauzé and Jérôme Dupras accepted the award at a ceremony held Wednesday evening at the Maison Ludger-Duvernay, while the group's lead singer, Karl Tremblay, was honoured posthumously.

Since 1975, the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society of Montreal has awarded the title of 'Patriot of the Year' each year to a person who has distinguished himself or herself in 'the advancement of the national interest and the democratic struggles of people.”

Jacques Parizeau, Bernard Landry, Camille Laurin, Julie Snyder and Hélène Pednault have all received the honour. In 2022, the title was awarded to former Parti Québécois MNA Véronique Hivon.

Since the death of Karl Tremblay last November, Les Cowboys Fringants have received an impressive amount of love and honours.

At the most recent Juno Awards gala, the group's album recorded with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra was crowned best French-language album. Its members will also be inducted into the Quebec order of Arts and Letters, at a ceremony on June 10.

The album 'Pub Royal,' recorded in the last months of Karl Tremblay's life and completed after his death, was released to great public acclaim at the end of April.

On Monday, the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society of Montreal will once again pay tribute to the Cowboys Fringants, playing only their songs along the route of its National Patriots' Day march.

- This story by The Canadian Press was first published in French on May 16, 2024