Valdy plays the Branlyn Community Centre in Brantford, Friday June 10th 2016
In August of 1977 my parents took my sister and I
for our first family concert, mom was very excited about seeing Valdy at the
Lucan fair. As a thirteen year old, I
can’t say I was overly impressed as I squirmed in the plastic chair while Valdy
performed his catalog of hit songs, but by the time he played ‘Rock and Roll Song,’
and ‘Peter and Lou,’ I was definitely warming up to the man.
Almost 39 years
later I was sitting on a plastic chair with Valdy on the stage before me yet
again, but this time it was different, I was excited to be there. There was a low
turnout for this show held at the Branlyn Community Centre in Brantford, but it
didn’t affect Valdy’s energetic performance as he ran through his list of hits,
rare treats and even a brand new song about the Fort McMurray tragedy which I
believe was called ‘Driving on Highway 63.’ Valdy captivated the audience right
to the end, and then didn’t want to stop as his encore stretched into four
songs.
After the crowd had left and Valdy began putting his
equipment away (he is his own soundman, lighting technician, and even his own
opening act!) he spoke with me for about fifteen minutes. I began our chat by
mentioning that I’d seen him 39 years ago with my family, and he remembered the
Lucan Fair gig very well. Apparently he played on the back of a flatbed truck,
and after the show he got a great deal on a big plastic jug of nuts, bolts,
screws, cotter pins and such. He still has the jug, about a quarter full, although
it’s getting a little ratty these days. I mentioned that he’d played with Blake
Emmons, and that brought back some good memories. Valdy played bass in Blake’s
band, travelling across the country in an old Pontiac from venue to venue.
Blake Emmons was later the host of the TV show Funny Farm which featured ‘Maple
Street’ as the house band. Maple Street was the Thunderbird connection.
After his time with Blake, Valdy travelled to
Toronto in 1964, and set himself up in a room at the Waldorf-Astoria for a week
and a half learning the guitar parts for Gordon Lightfoot's repertoire of songs.
He’d heard that Gord was looking for a new guitar player. When Valdy went out
to audition, he learned that Red Shea had already gotten the job. But he still
put a positive spin on the experience, saying that he came out of the hotel
room a much better guitar player.
In 1968 he found himself playing the Aldergrove Rock
Festival in BC, and this experience became the basis for the lyrics of his 1972
hit, ‘Rock and Roll Song.’
During 1978 he recorded ‘Dirty Old Man,’ which had
been a hit for George Hamilton the 4th in 1973, not too long before that performer launched his Canadian TV show. Both Whisky Hollow and Roger Quick were
featured on George’s program.
I asked Valdy about his acting career; he played
Halibut Stu on the Beachcombers and was featured on an episode of ‘Today’s
Special.’ He had a lot of fun with the Beachcombers, which I never missed.
Halibut Stu had to save the whales from barmy Russian fishermen; he achieved this
by getting them drunk on a moonshine-like concoction he'd cooked up. As for
Today’s Special, he had a vivid memory of a vacuum cleaner blowing up in his
face! That episode was called ‘Trash!’
In 2005 he won the ‘National Achievement
Award’ given out by SOCAN for his classic hit, ‘Rock and Roll Song.’ Valdy has now recorded three albums with Gary
Fjellgaard, a country artist who at one time was on the same label as Terry
Sumsion, namely Savannah Records. I mentioned
to Valdy that it was very cool how there were subtle connections with my Thunderbird
Project and his career. It was great to meet and talk with Valdy, now that I
appreciate the man’s time. Not so much 39 years ago! Valdy was born in Ottawa,
but for many years now has called Salt Spring Island in British Columbia his
home with his wife Kathleen.
Thanks very much to Nigel Husing for inviting me to
the concert, and to my girlfriend Bernice Marcotte for not only attending with
me, being patient while I chatted to Valdy after the show, but also for taking some
great pictures!
Author Tom Ryerson chats with Valdy as he packs up his equipment after a very energetic concert.
This photo was taken by Bernice Marcotte on June 12th 2016 at The Barn Dance held at the Commercial Tavern in Maryhill, ON. Left to right, Doug Dietrich, Grant Heywood, John R. Heaman, Paul Weber, Geneva Heaman, Gerald Davidson, Jim Swan, Diane Ditner, and Larry Mercey. Thank you to Marilynne Caswell for the great seats, and arranging a meeting with Larry to get him caught up on my Thunderbird project! A great day was had by all!
