Valdy

Valdy (born Paul Valdemar Horsdal on 1 September 1945 in Ottawa, Ontario[1]) 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. 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. Of Canadian folk artists in the mid-1970s, only Gordon Lightfoot was more popular. Valdy also appeared on the CBC TV show The Beachcombers as the environmental activist "Halibut" Stu. 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.