La Bottine Souriante

Few folk groups have kept a boot-stomping pulse as long as La Bottine Souriante, the Quebec ensemble whose name translates as "the smiling boot". The name refers to a work boot worn through at the sole, pointing to both the group's working-class roots and the stomping that drives much of its music. Formed in 1976 in Joliette, Quebec, the band reworks traditional Québécois repertoire with a modern edge, and its sound has shifted alongside its personnel, beginning with a distinctly French Canadian mix of guitar, accordion and fiddle before reaching further afield.

Their reach has been broad, with extensive touring through Europe and North America. In 1990 the band added a four-piece horn section to its accordion, fiddle, guitar, piano and double bass, bringing a jazz element into the mix. Eight years later they contributed a track to Fire in the Kitchen, The Chieftains' compilation of Canadian Celtic music. Membership has changed many times and all three founders have since left, yet the group continues, with a new generation of young musicians arriving in 2002 and recent arrivals such as accordionist Timi Turmel, who joined in 2023.