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Valdy returns

Folk singer and former Sooke resident Valdy performs on May 4
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Valdy performs in Sooke on May 4.

There is not a harder working folk singer on the planet than Valdy. He averages 200 to 250 gigs a year.

The Sooke Folk Music Society always considers it a great pleasure every time we bring Valdy back to our community. This Saturday evening, May 4, he will grace our stage for yet another memorable performance.

“I’ve been lucky,” Valdy suggests.

Born Paul Valdemar Horsdal in September of 1945 in Ottawa, an inner city kid, his mother Lillian, was a social worker/psychiatric nurse who ran condoms into Quebec as a family planning advocate. His father Paul Horsdal, was a portrait photographer and outdoorsman, who became a mentor to many of Canada’s photographers, including Yosef Karsh.

When asked about his career’s longevity (38 years of recording and performingaround the world), Valdy says, “I’ve worked with some amazing people, players, like Norm MacPherson, Connie Kaldor; Jerry Scheff and Ronnie Tutt from Elvis’ band, George Koller, session/touring bassist with Holly Cole, Joe Sealy, Shuffle Demons, Loreena McKinnett), innovative producers, Eliot Mazer, who’s worked with Gordon Lightfoot, Neil Young; Paul Rothchild, who’s recorded Bonnie Raitt, the Doors; Rob Bryanton; Bill Henderson; Dan Donahue and great songwriters, like Bob Ruzicka, Lynn Miles, Ron Hynes, Jon Ims, Graham Shaw, Tom Paxton and Mike Williams.”

He pauses, pulls his whitening beard, “And I married the right woman.” That woman is Kathleen Mary Fraser Horsdal, Valdy’s creative advisor and wife of 22 years, sharing a lake front home with him, three dogs and a cat, on Saltspring Island. Another pause, then “Is that luck? Or is that moving at God’s speed? I mean, it’s more than strategy that puts these folks along my path.”

Few performers are capable of achieving the kind of energy Valdy generates on stage.

“Sure I’m good at what I do, and I’m getting better, I’m paying attention, and I’m learning.”

This is evident from two Juno Awards, SOCAN’s Song of the Year Award, four gold records and 16 albums.

“But I have lived a charmed life, with a supportive partner, a glorious daughter, Chelah Phoebe Horsdal and two vibrant sons, Theo Koumontaros Horsdal and Yani Horsdal Christie.  I am a really lucky man.”

Please be with us this Saturday, May 4, to witness this “lucky man” work his magic.

The place is Holy Trinity Anglican Church, 1062 Murray Road in Sooke. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. with the show starting at 8 p.m. Tickets at the door or in advance at Shopper’s Drug Mart.