Michael Breen (musician)

Michael Breen is the former stage name of Michel Pépin (born 1960 in Nicolet, Quebec) a Canadian pop and rock singer and session musician.[1] Although he released only one album as a solo artist, he had a hit single with "Rain" in 1987 and received a Juno Award nomination for Most Promising Male Vocalist at the Juno Awards of 1989.[2]

Michael Breen
Birth nameMichel Pépin
Born1960
Nicolet, Quebec
Genresrock, pop
Occupation(s)Singer
InstrumentsVocals
Years active1980s
LabelsAlert Records
Associated actsLuba, Sass Jordan, Kate and Anna McGarrigle, Sarah McLachlan

Pépin first moved to Montreal at age 17 to pursue work in the music industry.[1] He released one album with the band Concert in 1982.[3] Although a francophone, he was more interested in pursuing stardom in the much larger English-language market than in limiting himself to the French language music scene in Quebec, and worked with Bill Sweetman and Geoff Hughes to write and record English language songs.[3] Their first collaboration, "Face to Face", was a finalist in the 1985 National Talent Search sponsored by Music Express and MuchMusic.[3]

He signed to Alert Records, and under the stage name Michael Breen he released a self-titled album on the label in 1987.[3] Two singles, "Rain" and "How Will I Know", were released from the album.[4] "Rain", which was written by Sass Jordan,[5] was a Top 40 hit in RPM, peaking at #33 the week of November 21, 1987,[6] but the album was only a modest seller, peaking at #91 in the week of November 7.[7]

His video for "Rain" garnered a Prix Félix nomination for Best Video in 1988,[8] and he was nominated for Most Promising Male Vocalist at the Juno Awards in 1989.[2]

Pépin never released another album as a solo artist, although he continued in the music business as a session guitarist for artists such as Luba,[9] Kate and Anna McGarrigle, Sarah McLachlan, Martha Wainwright, Emmylou Harris and Jean Leloup.[10]

References
  1. "Quebec singer takes care making leap into English". Toronto Star, February 11, 1988.
  2. "Juno candidates announced". Vancouver Sun, February 2, 1989.
  3. "Breen, Michael" at canoe.ca's Pop Music Encyclopedia.
  4. "He prefers to learn from own mistakes". Windsor Star, February 12, 1988.
  5. "Sassy singer finally a hit". Ottawa Citizen, January 25, 1989.
  6. "RPM100 Singles". RPM, November 21, 1987.
  7. "RPM100 Albums". RPM, November 21, 1987.
  8. "Pop goes Quebec Oct. 23; Nominees announced for popular music prizes". Montreal Gazette, September 14, 1988.
  9. "Luba lights up the stage at Stages with a high-voltage performance". Kingston Whig-Standard, December 6, 1989.
  10. "Michel Pepin: Credits". AllMusic.
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