Valdy

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Valdy (born Paul Valdemar Horsdal on 1 September 1945 in Ottawa, Ontario[1]) is one of Canada's established folk musicians. Valdy has been part of the folk scene in Canada since the early 1970s and is perhaps best known for his composition "Rock and Roll Song," which according to Valdy is a "Song about being rejected as an artist at a folk festival in the late '60's." While performing live following a loud rock 'n Roll act with a gentle folksinger style, the audience apparently wanted to hear more rock and roll and the experience sent Valdy back to write what would be a major hit song as a result of the experience.

Valdy is the winner of two Juno Awards for Folk Singer of the Year and Folk Entertainer of the Year, and has received seven additional Juno nominations. His fourteen albums have achieved sales of close to half a million copies, with four of them going gold.[2]

Valdy lives on Saltspring Island in British Columbia with his wife Kathleen. His daughter, Chelah Horsdal, is an actress.

Many professional and amateur artists in Canada and around the world have drawn influence from the writing and performing style of Valdy. His musicianship has won acclaim from music critics across Canada and where ever he has performed internationally. More than a folksinger, Valdy is a story teller and entertainer that moves all walks of life and all age groups. His writings have moved many from casual listeners to loyal followers, and in some cases, bobble head fans. It is a widely accepted notion that today, Valdy is a true living legend in the Canadian Music landscape as well as a respected artist in the United States and around the world.

Valdy's milestone album Valdy & the Hometown Band (A&M, 1976) gave Valdy's impressive fan base a monumental production of compositions by Valdy ("Every One Of Them," "Blister," "Come On My Canada," "Cold Water Castle,") Canadian songwriters Bob Ruzicka ("Yes I Can") and Gary Fjellgaard ("Me And Martin.") Produced by Canadian musician and producer Claire Lawrence, "Valdy & The Hometown Band" is often referred to as an "almost perfect balance of production and artistic presentation" that can be achieved at a time when "over-production" was a major component in commercial success. Shari Ulrich plays violin and performs background vocals. The record achieved a technical level of perfection such that the raw talent of the artist was not compromised; an enginerring and production feat seldom achieved in the recording industry.

Earlier album releases also were significant achievements in artistic presentation such as Family Gathering (A&M, 1974), recorded live at Massey Hall in Toronto Ontario, Canada; the only "live" production (prior to "Viva Valdy - Live At Last) offered by an artist who's live performaces are often preferred over "studio productions." It has taken many years to convince Valdy to release another "live Album," the result being Viva Valdy: Live at Last (Rack-On-Tour, 2003).

Valdy continues to tour Canada at a pace that few could match, with over 200 performances per year from the West coast to the East coast.


[edit] Discography

  • Country Man (Haida Records, 1971)
  • Landscapes (Haida Records, 1973)
  • Family Gathering (A&M, 1974)
  • See How The Years Have Gone By (A&M, 1975)
  • Valdy & the Hometown Band (A&M, 1976)
  • Hot Rocks (A&M, 1978)
  • 1001 (Sloth Records, 1979)
  • Passport: Best Of Valdy (A&M, 1980)
  • Valdy's Kids' Record (Rack-On-Tour, 1981)
  • Notes From Places (Duke Street, 1986)
  • Classic Collection (A&M, 1988)
  • Heart @ Work (Peg Records, 1993)
  • Smorgasbard (Rack-On-Tour, 1996)
  • Contenders with Gary Fjellgaard (Stony Plain, 1999)
  • Valdy: Millennium Collection (Universal, 2001)
  • Viva Valdy: Live at Last (Rack-On-Tour, 2003)
  • Contenders Two: Still In The Running with Gary Fjellgaard (Stony Plain, 2007)

[edit] References

  1. ^ Valdy - Biography. Valdy official website: Press Kit. Retrieved on 2007-01-19.
    "Want Ads: Births", Ottawa Journal, 3 September 1945, p. 12. 
    "Want Ads: Births", Ottawa Citizen, 3 September 1945, p. 12. 
  2. ^ Career Bits. Valdy official website: Press Kit. Retrieved on 2007-01-19.

[edit] External links

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