Renée Martel / Renee Martel

A Quebecois country singer born in June of 1947, Renée Martel would have an extremely prolific and successful career, starting out singing French versions of American and British pop hits before switching gears to become a star country vocalist in the '70s. She got her start as a child, performing with her family. Her father, Marcel Martel, was known as one of Canada's best loved and most respected Francophone country & western singers. Eventually, in 1967, Renée moved to the city of Montreal, and began to see her star rise, first getting named Discovery of the Year before making a number of television appearances. In 1969, her first three single releases, "Liverpool," "Je Vais à Londres," and "Viens Changer Ma Vie," were all huge hits, and made her a household name. From there she recorded nearly 25 full-length albums and more than 50 singles over the next 40 or so years, and won a number of Felix Awards. In 1999, her father passed away, and Renée began making fewer and fewer appearances. In 2002, she returned to the public eye, not as a musician but as a memoirist, publishing her autobiography, entitled Ma Vie Je T'Aime (or, in English, My Life, I Love You). A battle with cancer was overcome in 2006, leading to a step back into her career as a vocalist, and in 2006 Renée released the album Un Amour Qui Ne Vent Pas Mourir. She also began performing again, and in 2008 released the album L'Héritage.