Ferland began work with Radio-Canada in 1956 as an accountant, but his career there was short lived. Shortly after, he began taking guitar lessons with Stephen Fentock and began to fall in love with music, writing his first musical pieces. After two years of work with Radio-Canada, in February 1958, he began recording the first songs that would eventually comprise his first album "Jean-Pierre". However, it was not until 1961 that he became known to the public, with the release of his second album, "Rendez-vous à La Coda".