Folk singer Paul Valdemar Horsdal, best known as Valdy, is pleasantly surprised to have been able to make a career in music for the past 45 years.
he makes along-awaited return to Letbridge to play the Lethbridge College Cave for the Lethbridge Folk Club, Nov. 19 with special guests Jolene Draper and the Inquisitive Few.
“Life is good,” said Valdy from a tour stop in Kerrville, Ontario.
“I’m busy, I still try to play 200 gigs a year, though I don’t always get there,” he said.
He just released the third “Contenders” CD with his good friend and frequent touring companion Gary Fjellgaard and is working on a new solo CD.
And he’s always playing somewhere, either alone or with friends like Fjellgaard
“ I’m surprised but I’m mostly grateful there is still demand for me and that I can sell tickets because people want to hear me sing,” said Valdy, a well known songwriter just received the order of Canada who has won two Juno awards, has been nominated seven times and has toured the world. He even acted in an episode of the Beachcombers and has been in two movies. He is best known for songs like “Play Me A Rock and Roll Song” which has been covered by artists like John Kay of Steppenwolf.
It has been a while since Valdy has played Southern Alberta.
“I remember playing the South Country Fair about 25 years ago. I remember Fred Eaglesmith and Willie P Bennett were there,” he said.
“I remember playing for the folk club too. It was the third floor of the horse racing track,” he recalled.
“Any money I make from CD sales goes into a separate account to fund the next CD. So CDs are self sustaining. So I’m pretty happy when people buy CDs, ” he observed.
He said the new CD will explore a variety of different genres.
“I don’t have a title for it, but I’m thinking Valdy’s Fritata because it has a variety of different ingredients and styles,” he said.
“There is a little bit of jazz, a little bit of Latin and it will have a lot of different voices accompanying me,” he said, adding that will be added to his usual blend of country, rock, blues and folk music.
This show will be a solo show.
“I’m going to be alone and I like it that way because I can take the show in any direction I want,” he said.
He will be playing old favourites as well as a few brand new songs to appear on the new CD.
“I have a song about returning home to Fort McMurray after the fire called ‘Rolling North on Highway 63.”
Tickets are $25 for members, $30 for non members including a membership for the season. This show is officially sold out as of Nov. 16.
The concert begins at 8 p.m.
