Valdy
Encyclopedia
Paul Valdemar Horsdal, CM
(born 1 September 1945 in Ottawa
, Ontario
), 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
.
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
.
Valdy is the winner of two Juno Award
s 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. Of Canadian folk artists in the mid-1970s, only Gordon Lightfoot
was more popular.
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.
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
(born 1 September 1945 in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
), commonly known as Valdy, is a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
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
A&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...
.
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
Blake Emmons
Blake Emmons is a Canadian country music singer and entertainer.Emmons is famous in Canada for his music, as well as his hosting of the 1974 CTV series Funny Farm, the Canadian answer to Hee Haw....
.
Valdy is the winner of two Juno Award
Juno Award
The Juno Awards are presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music...
s 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. Of Canadian folk artists in the mid-1970s, only Gordon Lightfoot
Gordon Lightfoot
Gordon Meredith Lightfoot, Jr. is a Canadian singer-songwriter who achieved international success in folk, folk-rock, and country music, and has been credited for helping define the folk-pop sound of the 1960s and 1970s...
was more popular.
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
Saltspring Island
Saltspring Island is one of the Gulf Islands in the Strait of Georgia between mainland British Columbia, Canada and Vancouver Island. It is the largest, the most populous, and the most frequently visited of the Gulf Islands...
in British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
with his wife Kathleen. His daughter, Chelah Horsdal
Chelah Horsdal
Chelah Horsdal is a Canadian actress and model.-Life and career:She grew up in the Kitsilano neighbourhood of Vancouver with her mother, Lindsay. Her father is the folk singer Valdy...
, is an actress.
His live albums include Family Gathering (A&M
A&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...
) recorded at Massey Hall
Massey Hall
Massey Hall is a venerable performing arts theatre in the Garden District of downtown Toronto. The theatre originally was designed to seat 3,500 patrons but, after extensive renovations in the 1940s, now seats up to 2,765....
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
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
in June 2011.
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 Gary Fjellgaard Gary Fjellgaard is a Canadian country music singer-songwriter. Fjellgaard has released fifteen albums and charted thirty-five songs on the RPM Country Tracks chart between 1977 and 1996, including the Top 10 singles "Walk in the Rain Tonight" , "The Moon Is Out to Get Me" , "Cowboy in Your... ) |
— |
| 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 |