Diane Bibaud -- Habs' Organist since 1987
Nov 1, 2016 18:18:26 GMT -5
Post by CentreHice on Nov 1, 2016 18:18:26 GMT -5
Chapeau, Diane!
How did you get the job with the Montreal Canadiens?
I was 27 years old. In 1985, they had an issue with an organist, and I was playing already in Ville Lasalle for the Junior Cyclones. Since eight-and-a-half years old, my dream of a lifetime was to play for the Montreal Canadiens. Every Saturday night, my father watched Hockey Night in Canada, Channel 2. So it was my goal to play for the Canadiens. I went to the management in 1985, I knew they had a little issue, so I said, “I’m here. I’m not taking nobody’s place. If you’re stuck, I’m here. I have the expertise, I have the experience with the Lasalle Cyclones. I did a lot of minor hockey leagues too, tournaments.” They said, “Listen, it’s not us, we have the agencies. So they communicated my request with the agency. I became a substitute organist, and I started doing replacements. In 1987, when the other organist retired, they asked me if I wanted the job. That’s how I started for Montreal.
And it’s been the same for the last 29 years?
Well, I was there from 1987 to 1992, then the organization tried to put only DJ, so they let go the organ. They phone me back in 1997 and I stayed again until 2002, then they decided again to let go of the organ and the keyboard. When Mr. Geoff Molson bought the Canadiens back, he asked for me and I went back. With pleasure. As I’ve always said, I think the best is to keep both, because the audience goes from 7 years to 77 years. There are time signatures too. You have to stop, go, with the referees. The DJ can do that, but not as fast. So now we go hand-in-hand, and I think everybody’s happy in the Bell Centre.
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Personally, I like how she's kept all the standard, classic Habs' riffs--and tone--that fans of my "vintage" heard throughout the 70s and early 80s.
How did you get the job with the Montreal Canadiens?
I was 27 years old. In 1985, they had an issue with an organist, and I was playing already in Ville Lasalle for the Junior Cyclones. Since eight-and-a-half years old, my dream of a lifetime was to play for the Montreal Canadiens. Every Saturday night, my father watched Hockey Night in Canada, Channel 2. So it was my goal to play for the Canadiens. I went to the management in 1985, I knew they had a little issue, so I said, “I’m here. I’m not taking nobody’s place. If you’re stuck, I’m here. I have the expertise, I have the experience with the Lasalle Cyclones. I did a lot of minor hockey leagues too, tournaments.” They said, “Listen, it’s not us, we have the agencies. So they communicated my request with the agency. I became a substitute organist, and I started doing replacements. In 1987, when the other organist retired, they asked me if I wanted the job. That’s how I started for Montreal.
And it’s been the same for the last 29 years?
Well, I was there from 1987 to 1992, then the organization tried to put only DJ, so they let go the organ. They phone me back in 1997 and I stayed again until 2002, then they decided again to let go of the organ and the keyboard. When Mr. Geoff Molson bought the Canadiens back, he asked for me and I went back. With pleasure. As I’ve always said, I think the best is to keep both, because the audience goes from 7 years to 77 years. There are time signatures too. You have to stop, go, with the referees. The DJ can do that, but not as fast. So now we go hand-in-hand, and I think everybody’s happy in the Bell Centre.
==========
Personally, I like how she's kept all the standard, classic Habs' riffs--and tone--that fans of my "vintage" heard throughout the 70s and early 80s.
