Aimé Major

Aimé Major was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada on 7 February 1924^[1] or 7 February 1926.^[2] His father was a singer and his mother was a pianist.^[3]: 310 He was cousin to Léo Major.^[4]

Major studied singing, notably with Albert Cornellier and Ria Lensenns, then theater at the Conservatoire Lasalle. He had his radio debut in 1947 in the show Horizons dorés. In 1948, he won the first prize at the competition show Les talents de chez nous (Radio-Canada).^{[3]: 310–311}

From 1949 to 1953, Aimé Major sang with the Variétés lyriques in numerous operettas including Le voyage en Chine, Balalaïka, La Margoton du bataillon and La vie parisienne. During this period, he was the star of the radio show Aimé Major chante. He was an actor with the Compagnons de Saint-Laurent in the plays La dame de l'aube, Le bourgeois gentilhomme, Le malade imaginaire, Roméo et Juliette et Le voyage de monsieur Perrichon. In 1952, he played in Shakespeare's Henri V at the Festival of Stratford, in Ontario. He was invited to the Edinburgh Festival with other members of the Théâtre du Nouveau Monde troupe.^[3]: 311

In the mid-1950s, Aimé Major turned to pop songs. He was a regular guest on variety shows and from 1959 to 1967 released the successful ballads on disc "Un train bleu dans la nuit". "Tu m’as donné (Merci mon Dieu)", "Maman", "Je reviendrai" and "J'avais 20 ans". He hosted the show La belle époque for a few years with Margot Campbell and sang in Quebec's cabarets. He still sang in a classical style on occasions, notably with Mathé Altéry on the show L'heure du concert in 1965 and in the operetta Monsieur Beaucaire in 1969.^[3]: 311

In the mid-1970s, Aimé Major returned to disc with religious and spiritual songs. He published a new album in 1980, and then gave recital tours in churches and seniors' residences.^[3]: 311

Major died on 9 June 1996.^[1] In 1998, a street was named in his honor in Rock Forest–Saint-Élie–Deauville, Sherbrooke.^[4]

Major's style was similar to Michel Louvain's style.^[5]: 57