Jesse Joe
10-31-2008, 07:22 AM
Music fans love story songs: Valdy
Published Friday October 31st, 2008
Canadian folksinger wraps up tour of New Zealand before returning home for shows on the East Coast
BY ALAN COCHRANE
TIMES & TRANSCRIPT STAFF
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CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand - No matter where he travels around this big old world of ours, Canadian folksinger Valdy can always find people who love a good song.
http://harvest.canadaeast.com/image.php?id=204089&size=265x0 (http://timestranscript.canadaeast.com/gallery/466176,204089)
photo contributed
Valdy
"People down here have a wicked sense of humour," Valdy said in a telephone interview this week from New Zealand. "They have an appreciation for music, especially narratives and story songs. They tend to like a good tale. And they really like songs with the 12-bar blues."
Valdy, who is best known for Play Me A Rock And Roll Song, is scheduled to fly home within a few days and resume his touring on the East Coast in early November. He will perform at Tantramar Regional High School on Nov. 13 with Saint John singer Jessica Rhaye. He was supposed to have The Keats as a support act, but they pulled out after being offered a trip to Afghanistan to entertain Canadian troops. Valdy said Rhaye would get a featured artist spot in the show.
Valdy is no stranger to sharing the stage with other performers. He regularly performs with people like Gary Fjellgaard and others at theatres, coffee houses, folk festivals and songwriter's circle events. During his current visit to New Zealand, he has been touring with local singer Graham Wardrop.
"It's marvelous to be able to see the world on a song," he said, noting that his second trip to New Zealand has allowed him to see a fair bit of the tiny island at the bottom of the world. Christchurch is a city of about 300,000 on the South Island of New Zealand and often known as the gateway to the Antarctic. Valdy says the island is a beautiful mix of flatlands and small mountain ranges where you can see farms and ski hills.
"The people of New Zealand are very much like Canadians. We don't wear ourselves on our sleeves like some other nationalities do. They are a genuine respectful and warm people."
But travelling to the other side of the world is a bit odd.
"When I fly back to Canada, I'll be going across the international dateline and make up half a day that I lost coming down here. It's an odd thing to be flying across the world and arrive before you left."
Born in Ottawa, Valday (Valdemar Horsdal) has been part of the fabric of Canadian pop and folk music since the late 1960s. He has toured extensively all over Canada, the United States, New Zealand, Denmark and Australia.
A singer, guitarist and songwriter, he has released 14 albums, won two Juno Awards and appeared on many stages. He's also done some acting, including a lead role in the Canadian TV series The Beachcombers and was twice a panelist on the Front Page Challenge TV show. He has also done many songwriting workshops, movie soundtracks, TV and film scores.
Valdy's recent CDs include Contenders, a collaboration with friend and fellow singer/songwriter, Gary Fjellgaard and Viva Valdy: Live at Last, a two-CD package, one live and one studio.
Today, he is based on Salt Spring Island, B.C. where he lives with his wife Kathleen, two dogs and two large cats. His three children are now grown up and on their own.
n Valdy and Jessica Rhaye of Saint John will appear at Tantramar Regional High School Auditorium on Thursday, Nov. 13 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $22.50 ($17.50 for students) and available at Tidewater Books in Sackville, Pugsley's Pharmacy in Amherst and Frank's Music in Moncton.
Published Friday October 31st, 2008
Canadian folksinger wraps up tour of New Zealand before returning home for shows on the East Coast
BY ALAN COCHRANE
TIMES & TRANSCRIPT STAFF
http://timestranscript.canadaeast.com/lifetimes/article/images/empty.gif
CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand - No matter where he travels around this big old world of ours, Canadian folksinger Valdy can always find people who love a good song.
http://harvest.canadaeast.com/image.php?id=204089&size=265x0 (http://timestranscript.canadaeast.com/gallery/466176,204089)
photo contributed
Valdy
"People down here have a wicked sense of humour," Valdy said in a telephone interview this week from New Zealand. "They have an appreciation for music, especially narratives and story songs. They tend to like a good tale. And they really like songs with the 12-bar blues."
Valdy, who is best known for Play Me A Rock And Roll Song, is scheduled to fly home within a few days and resume his touring on the East Coast in early November. He will perform at Tantramar Regional High School on Nov. 13 with Saint John singer Jessica Rhaye. He was supposed to have The Keats as a support act, but they pulled out after being offered a trip to Afghanistan to entertain Canadian troops. Valdy said Rhaye would get a featured artist spot in the show.
Valdy is no stranger to sharing the stage with other performers. He regularly performs with people like Gary Fjellgaard and others at theatres, coffee houses, folk festivals and songwriter's circle events. During his current visit to New Zealand, he has been touring with local singer Graham Wardrop.
"It's marvelous to be able to see the world on a song," he said, noting that his second trip to New Zealand has allowed him to see a fair bit of the tiny island at the bottom of the world. Christchurch is a city of about 300,000 on the South Island of New Zealand and often known as the gateway to the Antarctic. Valdy says the island is a beautiful mix of flatlands and small mountain ranges where you can see farms and ski hills.
"The people of New Zealand are very much like Canadians. We don't wear ourselves on our sleeves like some other nationalities do. They are a genuine respectful and warm people."
But travelling to the other side of the world is a bit odd.
"When I fly back to Canada, I'll be going across the international dateline and make up half a day that I lost coming down here. It's an odd thing to be flying across the world and arrive before you left."
Born in Ottawa, Valday (Valdemar Horsdal) has been part of the fabric of Canadian pop and folk music since the late 1960s. He has toured extensively all over Canada, the United States, New Zealand, Denmark and Australia.
A singer, guitarist and songwriter, he has released 14 albums, won two Juno Awards and appeared on many stages. He's also done some acting, including a lead role in the Canadian TV series The Beachcombers and was twice a panelist on the Front Page Challenge TV show. He has also done many songwriting workshops, movie soundtracks, TV and film scores.
Valdy's recent CDs include Contenders, a collaboration with friend and fellow singer/songwriter, Gary Fjellgaard and Viva Valdy: Live at Last, a two-CD package, one live and one studio.
Today, he is based on Salt Spring Island, B.C. where he lives with his wife Kathleen, two dogs and two large cats. His three children are now grown up and on their own.
n Valdy and Jessica Rhaye of Saint John will appear at Tantramar Regional High School Auditorium on Thursday, Nov. 13 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $22.50 ($17.50 for students) and available at Tidewater Books in Sackville, Pugsley's Pharmacy in Amherst and Frank's Music in Moncton.