- Roger Doucet
Roger Doucet (
21 April 1919 –19 July 1981 ) was a Canadiantenor best known for singing the Canadiannational anthem , "O Canada ", on televised games of theMontreal Canadiens ,Montreal Alouettes , andMontreal Expos during the 1970s. He was particularly known for his bilingual version of the anthem, which began in French and ended in English, in recognition of the two languages of Montreal and of Canada.In 1980, he was made a Member of the
Order of Canada , Canada's highest civilian honour, "in recognition for the feeling of pride he has instilled in his fellow citizens". [ [http://www.gg.ca/honours/search-recherche/honours-desc.asp?lang=e&TypeID=orc&id=1936 Order of Canada citation] ]During the inaugural Canada Cup tournament, Doucet was scheduled to sing the national anthems at a game between
Czechoslovakia and theSoviet Union on3 September 1976 . However, the lyrics for "Hymn of the Soviet Union" were omitted since the mid-1950s due to their Stalinist content. Doucet consulted with theUniversité de Montréal 's Russian department staff who provided a modified anthem to sing at the game. These lyrics were approved by the Soviet Union the following year for use in its national anthem. [cite web | url=http://www.histori.ca/minutes/lp.do;jsessionid=21002BC0D6B8055736A492D981AD0506.tomcat1?id=13113 | accessdate=2008-01-01 | title=The Great Teams | publisher=Historica Foundation of Canada | work=History by the Minute ]Roger Doucet died in Montreal on
19 July 1981 after sustaining a brain tumour. [cite web | url=http://www.braintumour.ca/braintumour.nsf/files/1698/$file/MontrealRelease2007.pdf?openelement | publisher=Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada | accessdate=2008-01-01 | date=25 April 2007 | format=PDF | title=Continuing the Doucet Legacy of Bringing Hope to Others ]References
External links
* [http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=U1ARTU0001005 Roger Doucet] at
The Canadian Encyclopedia
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VA734I6l9b0 Roger Doucet Sings "O Canada"-"How to Sing a National Anthem"]
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