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Born in Sainte-Foy, on the outskirts of the province’s capital, Claude Méthé has for more than 50 years been dedicated to playing and preserving traditional Québécois music.
A self-taught fiddler, his style was deeply influenced by nearly twenty years in the Lotbinière region, near the St. Lawrence River, where he learned and played countless tunes with his good friend and mentor, fiddler Aimé Gagnon. Today, he lives in Sainte-Béatrix, in the heart of Lanaudière, known worldwide as the epicenter of Quebec traditional music.
Claude has performed with many musical groups, including the legendary Rêve du Diable which he founded in 1974 with Gervais Lessard (winner of a Félix for best traditional music record in 1983). Other groups include Joséphine (alongside Danielle Martineau), Manigance (Quebec), Jeter le Pont (Vermont), Dentdelion, Ni Sarpe Ni Branche, Entourloupe. He continues the tradition with current group Zigue (Dana Whittle, son Aimé Méthé and multi-instrumentist Mario St-Germain), with performances across Canada, in Europe and the US.
A prolific composer of « old » tunes, it is not unusual to hear his compositions played in traditional sessions in Canada, the US, France, and the UK. In fact, his music has often been mistakenly credited to the public domain on others’ recordings precisely because it feels so traditional, a problem that is equally frustrating and flattering. In addition to his own albums, his tunes appear on numerous recordings by other artists, including the soundtrack for the Oscar-winning animated film “CRAC” by Frédéric Back (1982).
Recognized for his warm and expressive voice, Claude has over the years gathered an impressive repertoire of traditional songs from different pockets of French-Canadian culture. He has also benefited from a rich musical heritage in the form of the unique fiddle repertoire of M. Aimé Gagnon, who died in 1997, and whose music lives on through Claude, his family, and the many with whom he has shared it.
In 2012, Le Rêve du Diable was honored by Québec’s National Assembly for their contribution to the preservation of Quebec’s musical heritage. The group was influential in a subsequent traditional music renaissance that helped to bring Québec’s musical heritage out of the shadows and stereotypes that at times continue to plague the genre.
Claude is in his element teaching traditional repertoire, whether in front of his woodstove, at festivals, in schools or at music camps. Transmission is a top priority for him – his son Aimé Méthé is a member of band Zigue (on fiddle and banjo), and his daughter Béatrix Méthé is part of young indie-folk formation “Rosier” – both shining examples of his ability to pass along his lifelong work and passion to others. With his encouragement, his grandchildren have already begun their own musical journey, ensuring that the tradition continues.
Since 2021, weekly video series entitled « Sur le bout du banc » (produced by Dana Whittle) features friends who play old and new tunes with Claude, always in keeping with tradition.