Career
He and his friends formed the country rock ensemble Abbitibbi in the 1970s. Desjardins played piano, guitar, and sang. When the group disbanded in 1982, Desjardins pursued a solo career.
He also found work scoring films, especially documentaries.
This involvement in the Quebec film industry even led him to co-direct a number of feature length documentaries. As well as his singing career, he is well known for his environmental activism, especially with regards to protecting forests from over-exploitation.
In 1994 Desjardins realized an old dream, the reunion of Abbittibbi. He brought the group back together and they recorded an album called “Chaude était la nuit” ("The night was hot").
In 1996 they put out "Desjardins - Abbittibbi Live ".
His third solo album, entitled "Boom Boom", appeared in 1998. In 1999, “L’erreur boréale” was released. In September 2003 the Civil Defense “Kanasuta” was released.
On 25 February 2010, Richard Desjardins has signed, together with 500 artists, the call to support the international campaign for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against alleged Israeli apartheid.
À double tour (English title: Twice Convicted), by Marie Cadieux, 1994
Le party, by Pierre Falardeau, 1990
Louisiana Nuit avec Hortense (The night with Hortense), by Jean Chabot, 1988
Noranda, by Robert Monderie and Daniel Corvec, 1984
Le doux partage (Soft Sharing) by Sylvie van Brabant, 1983
L’hiver bleu (Blue winter) by André Blanchard, 1978
Beat by André Blanchard, 1976 (Desjardins and Abbittibbi as well as other musicians)
Composed music for and was musical director of ”Têtes rondes et têtes pointues“ ("The Roundheads and the Peakheads") by Bertold Brecht, at the 1986 Brecht International Festival in Toronto.