Serge Fiori, Canadian singer, guitarist, and co-founder of the seminal Quebec folk-rock and progressive rock band Harmonium, died on June 24 at age 73 after a long illness. He passed away at his home in Saint-Henri-de-Taillon, Quebec.
Born in Montreal in 1952 to an Italian father and French-speaking mother, Fiori launched Harmonium in the early 1970s with Michel Normandeau and Louis Valois. The group’s three acclaimed albums, Harmonium (1974), Si on avait besoin d’une cinquième saison (1975), and L’Heptade (1976), helped develop Quebec’s musical identity with their poetic lyrics, elaborate arrangements, and progressive rock influences, specially the extensive use of the Mellotron. Their 1974 debut, recorded in six days, sold over 100,000 copies and included the breakout hit “Pour un instant.”
Although the band sang exclusively in French, it reached progressive rock audiences beyond Quebec and toured California in 1978. That same year, Fiori released the award-winning album Deux cents nuits à l’heure with Richard Séguin before retreating from the spotlight due to health issues.
Fiori returned to music in 2014 with a self-titled solo album that earned multiple Félix awards (top Quebec music industry awards). His work also included collaborations with major Quebec artists and soundtrack compositions, notably for the 2009 film Babine.