Serge Fiori: National funeral bids farewell to singer

Quebecers paid tribute to iconic musician - Serge Fiori - who died on St. Jean Baptiste Day.

Quebec bid a final farewell to Serge Fiori, a prominent figure in Quebec music, who leaves behind an “immortal body of work.”

Thousands of people attended Tuesday’s national tribute ceremony commemorating the artist at Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier at Place des Arts in Montreal.

The event, which lasted nearly two hours, featured testimonials, anecdotes and memorable songs by the singer-songwriter.

• READ MORE: Quebec music legend Serge Fiori dies at 73

The ceremony opened with a speech by Premier François Legault. He described the co-founder of the band Harmonium as “a musical genius, a great singer-songwriter, a major figure in Quebec music.”

“We will miss his warm voice and the smile in his eyes, but he will remain in our hearts as a wise man. Life passes quickly, very quickly, too quickly, but his work will remain immortal,” said Legault.

Recounting the artist’s career, Legault noted that Fiori had also experienced “darker days, including crippling anxiety.”

“The fact that he dared to talk about his anxiety, I am convinced that it helped many Quebecers who suffer from anxiety to identify with Serge Fiori. Thank you for your courage,” said the premier.

Serge Grimaux, Fiori’s long-time friend and manager, was the master of ceremony. Following the premier, he also paid tribute to the artist, who died on June 24 at the age of 73, recalling some humorous moments.

“He was humble. Shy? No. Affable? Absolutely. Sincere and with a great sense of humour,” said Grimaux.

Actor Luc Picard also paid tribute to the man who released three albums with Harmonium: Harmonium in 1974, Si on avait besoin d’une cinquième saison in 1975 and L’Heptade in 1976.

Louis Valois, bassist and founding member of the legendary progressive rock band, followed suit.

“We went on a unique journey,” he said, addressing Fiori and looking at his urn, which stood on the stage next to his guitar.

Richard Séguin, with whom Serge Fiori formed a duo, performed Ça fait du bien, one of their songs released in 1978.

Singer-songwriter Michel Rivard invited everyone to observe a moment of silence after sharing his own tribute to his friend and former roommate.

A man of conviction

Former mayor of Quebec City Régis Labeaume received a standing ovation when he spoke of Fiori’s sovereignist convictions.

“You left us with that immense thirst for political freedom for Quebecers still burning inside you. Throughout your life, you called for it with all your heart, the country of Quebec. You never accepted that we would say no,” saidLabeaume.

Later, host and actor Normand Brathwaite emphasized the importance for the Montreal-born artist to sing in French.

“Serge never sang in English. He could have. He would have made millions of dollars,” said Brathwaite, inviting other Quebec artists to “spare a thought for Serge” before choosing to turn to English.

Rapper Biz from Loco Locass also spoke about the musician’s convictions.

“While some may be tempted to distort his memory, it’s good to remember that this son of Italian immigrants’ convictions about Quebec independence and the French language were non-negotiable,” he said, triggering applause from the audience.

“The guy turned down a million dollars to have L’Heptade translated into English. Respect,” the singer continued.

Comedian Michel Barrette also shared a story, recalling the time he found himself, somewhat by chance, attending a Harmonium rehearsal in preparation for a show in Chicoutimi.

The ceremony concluded with the song Un musicien parmi tant d’autres (One Musician Among Many), one of Harmonium’s biggest hits. After being sung by several artists, the song was briefly performed by Celine Dion in a short video appearance, just as the urn and guitar were leaving the stage.

• READ MORE: Legendary Quebec singer-songwriter Serge Fiori to receive national funeral

The audience then stood up and sang along to the lyrics that the Quebec singer had just sung: “Where have all the people gone who had something to say? We brought someone into the world. Maybe we should listen to them.”

At the end of June, the Legault government announced that a state funeral would be held in the form of a national tribute ceremony, in accordance with the wishes expressed by Serge Fiori’s family and loved ones.

As part of this day of tribute, the Quebec flag flying above the Parliament Building was flown at half-mast from dawn to dusk.

– This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on July 15, 2025.