Gregory Charles | |
|---|---|
 Charles in Bedford, 2010 | |
| Born | Gregory Nigel Charles (1968-02-12)February 12, 1968 (age 57) |
| Occupation(s) | Radio host, television host, classic singer, pianist, dancer, actor |
| Website | www |
Gregory CharlesOC (born February 12, 1968) is a Canadian performing artist of Trinidadian origin.
Charles' father Lennox was a black anglophone of Trinidadian origin; his mother was a white francophone Canadian.[1] Charles was born in Montreal,Quebec, was raised inSaint-Germain-de-Grantham and studied at École de musique Wilfrid-Pelletier in Montreal. At the age of 7, he won a category of the Canadian Music Competition, after which he performed with most of the country'ssymphonic orchestras. In 1979, he representedCanada at an international piano contest in Paris and atCarnegie Hall inNew York. Charles was also a part ofPetits-Chanteurs du Mont-Royal choir, which performs at theSaint Joseph's Oratory in Montreal and graduated from College Notre-Dame high school in Montreal as well.Shortly after entering law school in 1989, Charles obtained a television role which brought him to the attention of a wider public: that of Julien, a young student who comes to study in Montreal, in a TV show calledChambres en ville (Rooms in Town).He also co-hosted the show The Débrouillards alongsideMarie-Soleil Tougas from 1990 to 1997.
Charles then became host of a daily radio show at the Montreal stationCKOI-FM in 1991. The following year, he began hosting a television game showQue le meilleur gagne (May the Best Man Win) onRadio-Canada, for five years. In 1995, he began hosting a late night talk-showCha-ba-da.
From 1998 to 2000, Charles worked onCéline Dion's world tour, mostly in the chorus but also as a pianist. The same year, as a singer Charles made the first of nine appearances at theJust for Laughs Festival inMontreal.
From 2000 to 2002, Charles was cast in the Canadian off Broadway hit two pianos four hands and toured in Canada and in the United States.
From 2001 to 2009, Charles has hosted a weekly radio show on the nationalCanadian Broadcasting Corporation/Radio-Canada network, and a series of television shows, such asCulture Choc and "Les Debrouillards", in French and English, and a variety show on TV5.
Charles was a conductor of thechœurs du nouveau monde (New World Choirs) which included notablyLes Petits Chanteurs de Laval andLes Voix Boréales, he went on as conductor of the College Vocal, a youth choir that won international competitions inIndonesia,Malaysia,China,Italy andGermany.
Charles presented his first variety show,Noir et Blanc (Black and White) to more than 400,000 spectators across Quebec and the rest of Canada. He also performed at New York City'sBeacon Theatre in 2004 and again in 2015. A unique feature of his show is the second half, in which he offers to sing and play on the piano and with his band any known song submitted randomly by the spectators.
At the end of 2004, Charles released his first album calledGospel Live Noir et Blanc.On October 16, 2006, he launched his albumI Think of You, which sold 109,000 copies in its first week, making Charles the highest selling Canadian artist in a one-week period for the year 2006. It debuted at number 1 on theNielsen SoundScan album chart.[2] Charles sold more albums in 2006 than all other Canadian musicians exceptNelly Furtado.[3]
Charles was one of the headliners onParliament Hill at the 2007Canada Day celebration there, playing the evening's longest set, to an audience of thousands. He performed in English and French.
However, one of his next scheduled appearances in Ottawa, where audiences were required to pay, did not fare so well. According to reports in theOttawa Sun, Doug Moore, the city's manager of Venture Properties, said that Grégory Charles' scheduled concert at the Ottawa SuperEx was cancelled due to poor ticket sales.[4]
In the fall of 2007, Charles began hosting a CBC radio program,In the Key of Charles until September 6, 2009.[5]
In April 2012, Charles did a one-year stint at the Cafe Carlyle in the famousCarlyle Hotel inNew York City.[6]
In December 2015, Charles acquired the two Radio-Classique radio stations,CJPX-FM in Montreal andCJSQ-FM in Quebec City, under the banner Groupe Musique Greg, pending approval by theCanadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). While financial details were not announced, theJournal de Montréal reported that he paid at least $10 million.[7] The same year, Charles won theMartin Luther King Jr. Achievement Award for his musical achievements.
On June 30, 2016, Charles was appointed anOfficer of the Order of Canada byGovernor GeneralDavid Johnston for "his infectious energy, creativity and dedication to ensuring that the performing arts and culture thrive in Canada and abroad."[8]
From 2015 to 2019, Charles produced and hosted two youth oriented television programs for the French network of the cbc: virtuoses, a variety program dedicated to young classical musicians and crescendo, a show dedicated to high school students who perform with their school choirs.
In 2017, Charles founded an online music school called Gregory's Academy, where thousands of young and adult students learn music in an innovative way.
In 2019, Charles produced and hosted a series of television programs dedicated to theplight of immigrants who came from war stricken countries called le Vrai Nouveau Monde.
In 2020, Charles was on the first leg of a European tour when the pandemic hit. Shows in France were postponed. Later that year, Charles won the Félix for best instrumental album of the year at the gala de l’ADISQ for his album LEN. It was his 5thFélix. Charles is also the recipient of 5 "Gémeaux" awards for his work in television and oneArtis award as youth personality of the year in television, back in 1995.
In 2021, Charles joined the cast ofStar Academie on theTVA network. He reprised his role in 2022.
Charles is married to Nicole Collet, a Microsoft executive and is the father of one daughter, Julia, born in 2012.
In September 2022, there was mild controversy when a video of Prime MinisterJustin Trudeau was circulated on social media signingBohemian Rhapsody with Charles at the piano, while travelling toLondon for thefuneral of Queen Elizabeth II[9]
GOSPEL LIVE EN NOIR & BLANC (2004)
This album wascertified 2× platinum in Canada in December 2006.[10]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
| Other | |
