Valdy

Valdy
Birth name Paul Valdemar Horsdal
Born 1 September 1945 (1945-09-01) (age 66)
Ottawa, Ontario
Genres Folk
Occupations Singer-songwriter, musician
Instruments Vocals
Years active 1960s–present

Paul Valdemar Horsdal, CM (born 1 September 1945 in Ottawa, Ontario[1]), commonly known as Valdy, is a Canadian folk musician whose solo career began in the early 1970s. He is known for "Rock and Roll Song", his first mainstream single released in mid-1972 on Haida/A&M.[2]

He was a member of the London Town Criers during the 1960s and subsequently joined Montreal band The Prodigal Sons. Prior to beginning his solo career, he was based in Victoria working with various artists, including Blake Emmons.[2]

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 nearly half a million copies, four of which are certified gold.[3] Of Canadian folk artists in the mid-1970s, only Gordon Lightfoot was more popular.[2] His music was featured in the Steve McQueen film The Getaway. Valdy also appeared on the CBC TV show The Beachcombers as the environmental activist "Halibut" Stu. He also managed to secure a part in the reunion production of The New Beachcombers performing a song he wrote, "It's The Water," as part of a jug band.

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

His live albums include Family Gathering (A&M) recorded at Massey Hall in Toronto for 1974 release, and 2003's Viva Valdy: Live at Last (Rack-On-Tour). As of mid-2009, Valdy continued to regularly tour across Canada.

He was appointed a member of the Order of Canada in June 2011.[4]

Contents

Discography

Albums

Year Album CAN
1972 Country Man 39
1973 Landscapes 39
1974 Family Gathering 35
1975 See How the Years Have Gone By
1976 Valdy and the Hometown Band 40
1978 Hot Rocks 65
1979 1001
1980 Passport: Best of Valdy
1981 Valdy's Kids Record
1986 Notes from Places
1988 Classic Collection
1993 Heart at Work
1996 Smorgasboard
1999 Contenders (with Gary Fjellgaard)
2001 Valdy: Millennium Collection
2003 Viva Valdy: Live at Last
2007 Contenders Two: Still in the Running
(with Gary Fjellgaard)

Singles

Year Single Chart Positions Album
CAN AC CAN CAN Country
1972 "Rock and Roll Song" 31 17 Country Man
1973 "A Good Song" 9 9
"Simple Life" 22 16 Landscapes
1974 "Landscapes" 87
"Renaissance" 23 Family Gathering
1976 "Yes I Can" 12 63 Valdy and the Hometown Band
"Peter and Lou" 15 58
1978 "Dirty Old Man" 38 singles only
1981 "Easy Money" 17
"Thank God He's a Stranger" 28
1985 "Sonny's Dream" 17 Notes from Places
1993 "Link in a Chain" 36 Heart at Work
1994 "Dreams About You" 48

References

  1. ^ "Valdy - Biography". Valdy official website: Press Kit. http://valdy.com/dates%20n%20data.htm#press%20kit. Retrieved 2007-01-19. 
    "Want Ads: Births". Ottawa Journal. 3 September 1945. p. 12. 
    "Want Ads: Births". Ottawa Citizen. 3 September 1945. p. 12. 
  2. ^ a b c "Valdy (biography)". Jam!/Canoe. http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Pop_Encyclopedia/V/Valdy.html. Retrieved 2009-05-06. 
  3. ^ "Career Bits". Valdy official website: Press Kit. http://valdy.com/dates%20n%20data.htm#press%20kit. Retrieved 2007-01-19. 
  4. ^ "Appointments to the Order of Canada". Governor General of Canada. 30 June 2011. http://www.gg.ca/document.aspx?id=14175. Retrieved 1 July 2011. 

External links