Information/Write-up
Les Avalons were a distinctive late-1960s Quebec vocal group whose very makeup reflected the cultural crosscurrents shaping Montréal’s music scene at the time. Though active within the Canadian industry and recording for RCA Victor Canada, the group’s roots were international: most of its members originated from the United States and the Caribbean, bringing with them strong gospel, soul, and popular vocal traditions that translated naturally into both English- and French-language repertoire.
Formed in Montréal in the early 1960s, Les Avalons were built around a core of five singers, supported by an instrumental lineup of three guitars and organ, giving the group the flexibility to function as both a vocal ensemble and a self-contained live band. Their repertoire blended contemporary soul and pop with bilingual adaptations tailored to Quebec audiences, a strategy that aligned them with the growing demand for French-language versions of international hits during the decade.
The group’s musical and organizational centre was Bernard, a Virginian native and the founder of Les Avalons. Having emigrated to Montréal with his wife and three children, Bernard supported his family as a taxi driver while rebuilding his musical life in Canada. Drawing on earlier singing experience in Virginia—where he had already worked with fellow member George—he assembled the group and guided it into Montreal’s club circuit.
A key presence within Les Avalons was Shirley, a tenor and featured soloist of American origin. She had moved to Montréal with her family around 1962 and was already active in the city’s media landscape, working on Like Young at CFCF radio before joining the band. Within Les Avalons, Shirley became a central musical figure, conducting rehearsals and shaping the group’s vocal discipline and presentation.
George, also originally from Virginia, had arrived in Montréal earlier, around 1960, and brought with him broader experience gained from working with several groups prior to joining Les Avalons. His steady professional background helped anchor the ensemble as it transitioned from informal performances into more structured engagements.
The group’s cosmopolitan character was further reinforced by Tony, who emigrated from Barbados at the age of ten. Known within the band for his reliability and practical sense, Tony handled the group’s internal bookkeeping and organizational matters, helping maintain stability as the group pursued regular live work.
Completing the vocal lineup was Skipper, the only Canadian-born member, from Nova Scotia. Nicknamed the band’s “smart boy,” Skipper was informally designated as discipline supervisor, responsible for maintaining order and professionalism—an important role in a multi-member touring and club ensemble.
Les Avalons reached their recorded peak in January 1968 with the release of a bilingual soul single on RCA Victor’s Canada International series. The 45 paired ‘Le Secret De L’Amour’, a French adaptation of Ashford & Simpson’s ‘Your Precious Love’, with ‘L’Amour, C’est Un Jeu’, adapted from ‘Love Is Strange’. Produced by André Perry, the release placed Les Avalons squarely within the wave of Quebec artists bridging American soul repertoire and French-language performance during the period.
While their recorded output appears limited to this release, Les Avalons remain a compelling example of Montreal’s mid-1960s live music ecosystem: immigrant musicians building careers through clubs, radio exposure, and bilingual adaptation, and contributing to the rich, hybrid soundscape that defined Quebec’s pop and soul scene on the eve of the 1970s.
-Robert Williston
Musicians
Shirleen "Shirley" Lee (Jackie Richardson): tenor vocals, lead vocals, rehearsal director
Bernard: vocals, group founder, bandleader
George: vocals
Tony: vocals, business and bookkeeping coordination
Skipper Dean: vocals, discipline supervisor
Songwriting
‘Le Secret De L’Amour = Your Precious Love’
Written by Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson
‘L’Amour, C’est Un Jeu = Love Is Strange’
Written by Ethel Smith, Mickey Baker, Sylvia Robinson
Adapted by G. Brown
Production
Produced by André Perry
Notes
Canadian French-language adaptations of soul classics, issued as part of RCA Victor’s Canada International series, which focused on bilingual and French-language recordings for the domestic market.
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