La Bolduc (Mary Travers)

Marie-Rose-Anne Travers (Known as "Queen of Canadian Folksingers")

Folk Singer-Songwriter, Master of Turlutte, Voice of the Great Depression

Born Jun 04, 1894

Newport (Gaspésie, Quebec), Canada

Passed Away Feb 20, 1941 Montreal, Canada

Lifespan 46 years old

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Notice / Correction

"It will come, don't get discouraged! Hard times will pass and joy will return."

Archival Overview

Gaspé-born singer and harmonica virtuoso known as 'La Bolduc', whose lively mouth-music (turlutte) and satirical Depression-era folk songs made her Quebec's first commercial musical superstar.

Biographical Record

Daughter of an English-speaking Irish father and French-Canadian mother in the Gaspé, Mary Travers moved to Montreal at thirteen to work as a domestic servant. Playing fiddle, accordion, and harmonica at traditional kitchen parties, she recorded her first 78-rpm disc in 1929.

Her hit song 'La cuisinière' sold an unprecedented 12,000 copies in 1929, launching a legendary career. Known as 'Madame Bolduc', her fast-tempo mouth-music (turlutte) and witty, topical songs (Ça va venir, découragez-vous pas) gave hope and laughter to working-class families across French Canada throughout the Depression.

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Final Resting Place

Perpetual Memorial

Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery
Montreal, Canada

                         GPS: 45.4986, -73.6053                    

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