Among his many compositions are the musical themes for the television programs Les Beaux Dimanches, Le Point and Le Téléjournal. He also is the creator of the 1976 Montreal Olympics theme song, Je t’aime, performed by Estelle Sainte-Croix.
Des croissants de soleil was one of Jean Robitaille’s first songs. “Lee Gagnon asked me to write the lyrics for a song he was planning to propose to Ginette Reno,” he says. “I was excited by the opportunity, as this was to be my first songwriting experience.” Des croissants de soleil became one of Ginette Reno’s greatest hits, and an unqualified success for Robitaille and Gagnon. “I heard our song everywhere and on all occasions,” Robitaille recalls. “My mother sang it at home, I heard it in Western bars, at weddings, in commercials and so on. This song is now a Quebec classic, and I still find it hard to believe that the inspiration behind it came from myself and my friend Lee Gagnon.”
Few performers have tried to cover this song – Ginette Reno’s version still reigns and leaves little room for competition.
Jean Robitaille has been operating a studio and a successful production company in Montreal for many years. Among his recent productions are the soundtracks for Sans Elle and for the IMAX film Adventure in 3D Animation as well as an acclaimed participation in the scoring of the films No Good Deed (Samuel Jackson, Mila Jonovitch), Head in The Clouds (Penelope Cruise, Charlize Tyron), Ma vie en cinémascope (about Alys Robi’s life), in collaboration with Paul Bisson and Jean-Sébastien Robitaille, and many musical themes, including those of Le Gala des Oliviers and Macaroni tout garni.
Jean Robitaille has released many high-quality instrumental recordings throughout his prolific career as well as the concept album Fais de beaux rêves, which includes an amazing duet, St-Jovite, with Renée Claude. More recently, he released Hotel St-James, a critically acclaimed album combining lounge and jazz music. Still active as a commercial writer, many people have found themselves humming some of his recognizable jingles.
