Jean-Pierre Ferland, the singer-songwriter who became a fixture of Quebec害羞草研究所檚 cultural landscape over a career that spanned more than six decades, died Saturday at the age of 89.

The agency representing Ferland confirmed the singer, who害羞草研究所檚 signature song 害羞草研究所渦ne chance qu害羞草研究所檕n s害羞草研究所檃害羞草研究所� is regarded as a classic of Quebec music, died of natural causes after being hospitalized earlier this year.

Born in Montreal on June 24, 1934, Ferland was a prolific artist who produced some 30 albums, including the culturally significant 害羞草研究所淛aune,害羞草研究所� which sold some 60,000 copies in a year after its release in 1970.

He was named an officer of the Order of Canada and a knight of the National Order of Quebec, and was inducted into Canada害羞草研究所檚 Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2007.

Ferland held a concert at Montreal害羞草研究所檚 Bell Centre in 2007 to officially mark his retirement after a more than four-decade-long career, but continued to perform and record up until 2021.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, writing on X, described Ferland as a 害羞草研究所済iant害羞草研究所� of francophone music.

害羞草研究所淗e wrote and sang songs that will be a part of Quebec culture forever,害羞草研究所� Trudeau wrote. 害羞草研究所淗e will be dearly missed.害羞草研究所�

Quebec Premier Fran莽ois Legault described Ferland as a 害羞草研究所済reat builder of Quebec-French song,害羞草研究所� adding that he害羞草研究所檇 listened to 害羞草研究所淛aune害羞草研究所� on repeat.

Legault said Sunday that the government will hold a state funeral for Ferland, if the singer害羞草研究所檚 family accepts.

Canadian singer Roch Voisine paid tribute to an artist he described as 害羞草研究所渋ncomparable.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淗is album 害羞草研究所楯aune害羞草研究所� changed everything,害羞草研究所� Voisine said. 害羞草研究所淎nd all the songs that followed. Rest in peace, Mr. Ferland.害羞草研究所�

While he originally worked as an accountant, Ferland became a fixture on the province害羞草研究所檚 cultural scene a few years after he recorded his first songs in 1958.

He started making a name for himself in both Quebec and internationally in the 1960s before the release of 害羞草研究所淛aune害羞草研究所� in 1970.

Ferland took his first steps into television and movies in the 1970s, and would become an actor, scriptwriter and host for several productions.

While a 2006 stroke prompted his official retirement, he continued to perform and record, and it didn害羞草研究所檛 ultimately halt his output. Notable performances included at a 2008 concert on Quebec City害羞草研究所檚 Plains of Abraham to celebrate the city害羞草研究所檚 400th anniversary with fellow Quebec stars including C茅line Dion and Ginette Reno. He also released a number of new albums, including 害羞草研究所淏ijoux de famille害羞草研究所� in 2009 and the live album 害羞草研究所淟es Noces d害羞草研究所檕r de jaune害羞草研究所� in 2011.

害羞草研究所淚 left this profession, I stopped, I did a farewell show. But it didn害羞草研究所檛 last long,害羞草研究所� he told Radio-Canada in 2021.

害羞草研究所淚 was ashamed, but I came back, and as quickly as possible. It害羞草研究所檚 the most beautiful job in the world.害羞草研究所�

Ferland is survived by his partner and his two children, as well as four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

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Jean-Benoit Legault, The Canadian Press