Ray St. Germain
Affectionately dubbed “Winnipeg’s Elvis,” Ray St. Germain is remembered as a singer, host, author, and promoter of Métis history and culture. Born in 1940, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Ray entered show business at 14, playing talent shows and house concerts.
At 16 he was asked to join a travelling radio show western band, and at 18 he won a cross-Canada CBC Television talent contest – Talent Caravan. As his career grew, Ray became a mainstay on Canadian tv, radio, and in live performances, sharing stages with the likes of Johnny Cash, Anne Murray, and Kenny Rogers.
Ray was featured in over 600 television shows, including the award winning, nationally syndicated Big Sky Country, which ran for 13 years. With MMF President David Chartrand he created Métis Hour X2, hosting the music and call-in radio show for 23 years. Ray also released a number of iconic singles: “The Métis” and “I’m Mighty Proud to be Métis” becoming anthems at Métis gatherings.
Together for 50 years, Ray and his wife Glory traveled internationally, delivering groundbreaking performances, and his family-centered shows, featuring his children and grandchildren, delighted sold-out crowds. He proudly headlined the first-ever Métis-produced show for the Canadian Armed Forces, and was inducted into the Order of Manitoba, the Aboriginal Order of Canada, the Order of the Sash, Manitoba Aboriginal Music Hall of Fame, and Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame.
Ray passed away in 2024 at the age of 83, leaving a vibrant legacy of music, family and Métis pride – his voice connecting Métis citizens across the country.
