Bob Bissonnette

A lovable bruiser known for his equally strong passions for sports, music, and comedy, Bob Bissonnette became one of Quebec’s most unique entertainers before his tragic passing in 2016. Born in Venezuela in 1981 and raised in Sainte-Foy, Quebec, Bissonnette wielded sticks for a variety of major junior and semi-professional hockey teams before diving deeper into the musical interests that had always been a big part of his life. In fact, Bissonnette studied violin for eight years before developing the skills as a singer, songwriter, and guitarist that flourished when he retired from the game. His love of hockey and the rugged sensibility that surrounds the sport shone through stirring folk-rock songs like “Mettre du tape su’ ma palette,” which translates to “Put Tape on My Hockey Stick Blade”), and “La machine à scorer” ("The Scoring Machine"), two examples of the rough-hewn, raucous, and often witty songs that filled Bissonette’s three self-released albums. In his short career, he played nearly 600 shows all over French-speaking Canada and was loved for the musical numbers he performed during games for the Quebec Capitales, the Frontier League baseball team he co-owned. Though Bissonette has been missed since his death in a 2016 helicopter crash in New Brunswick, his one-of-a-kind tributes to Canada’s national game continue to foster his following.