Dancing With

René Trudel, a pioneer of rock'n'roll music in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, died last Saturday in Sherbrooke from generalized cancer. Mr. Trudel, a talented saxophonist, led the rock group The Four Pladds with whom he recorded an album and several 45s in the early 1960s.

From Nédélec to Montreal
For music pioneers, we are not many, I'll be honest with you. In the groups that left Rouyn, it was René and The Four Pladds and it was The Time Twisters who became Caesar and the Romans. That is in the beginning of rock'n'roll, underlines Gerry Gareau, pianist who knew René Trudel well, having played with him in The Four Pladds.

Born in Nédélec in Témiscamingue on February 16, 1939, René Trudel began his career in Rouyn-Noranda at the end of the 1950s. In particular, in The Midnight Rockers, with whom he played in dance halls such as the Canadian Corps, today known as The Small theater of Old Noranda.

It was in the early 1960’s that he recruited new musicians, including Gerry Gareau and Yves Baril, and renamed his orchestra René and The Four Pladds. The group was quickly spotted by Roger Miron, singer and producer, who invited them to a studio in Montreal. A first composition by René Trudel entitled’ Mama Sita’ is marketed by the Rusticana label.

Starting from Rouyn, we made a couple of places in Abitibi like La Sarre, Senneterre. We opened the Dix hotel-motel in Val-d'Or, where we stayed for nearly a year, says Mr. Gareau.

The group was then hired in Jonquière, Chicoutimi, then finally in Montreal where an agent took them in.

There, we performed for a year, a year and a half or so. We played clubs in Montreal like the Café de l'Est, the Tourbillon, and the Maple Leaf.

The Four Pladds released several 45 singles, most notably for the pieces Honky Twist, a composition by René Trudel, and Gros Chicken, which clearly demonstrate the “rock'n'twist” sound adopted by Mr. Trudel. and his associates.

A first album, also produced by Roger Miron, was released in 1963. The first cover of Dancing with The Four Pladds shows a young couple dancing rock'n'roll seen from a low angle. Some people see it as a problem: the girl's underwear is visible. A second, more prudent cover is put on the market. The figures of the musicians are brought to the fore.

René Trudel then continued in the music industry as a saxophonist, trumpeter and singer in various groups, including The Gentlemen, Les Étincelles then he returned to the name of the Four Pladds with new musicians from Lac-Saint-Jean where he settled for several years.

The path of music then took him to Quebec, then to Sherbrooke. This is where he spent his final days.

Huguette Marceau, wife of René Trudel, mentions that he quit music about 10 years ago, weakened by illness.

“He started very, very young. He toured Quebec. He's been making music his whole life, she said.

René Trudel passed away on Saturday September 24 at the Aube-Lumière palliative care home.

René is a guy who was forging ahead, who wanted so much to succeed. If he had a little bad luck, he would go over it and start over again. He had the heart, a good heart for that, the music. It was his dream, his life.
-Gerry Gareau

René Trudel: lead vocals, saxophone
Pat Morin: vocals, guitar
Buddy Clark: drums
Gerry Gareau: guitar
Yves Baril : guitar