Viva Valdy: A Canadian Folk Icon Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Where in Canada was the singer Paul Valdemar Horsdal, known as Valdy, born?

Answer: Ottawa, Ontario

Valdy was born on September 1, 1945. His father was Danish and his mother English.

At a young age he took guitar and piano lessons.

The title of this quiz references his 2003 album "Viva Valdy: Live At Last".

2. Which folk group did Valdy perform with in the 1960s?

Answer: The London Towne Criers

Formed in London, Ontario, in 1961, The Towne Criers were initially a quintet. "London" was added to the name in 1964.

The band gigged across Canada at folk clubs and festivals and could claim to have had a hand in getting started the careers of Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, and Gordon Lightfoot.

The band went through several lineups before Valdy joined in 1964. That was to be the last incarnation of the band, which broke up in 1965. Valdy also played with a band called The Prodigal Sons.

3. In the early 1970s, Valdy put his Martin guitar aside for a time to concentrate on a new enterprise. What work did he do?

Answer: Farmer

The music called him back again and he began performing as a solo artist.

In the mid 1970s, Valdy rivalled Gordon Lightfoot as Canada's most popular folk singer. Four of his 16 solo albums were certified Gold in terms of sales.

A prolific tourer, he often performed more than 250 concerts a year.

4. In 1972, the Canadian folksinger Valdy wrote and recorded a breakthrough single that was to reach number 17 on the Canadian charts. What was it called?

Answer: Rock and Roll Song

"I came into town as a man of renown
A writer of songs about freedom and joy
A hall had been rented and I was presented
As the kind of a singer that all could enjoy
As I climbed up the stair to the stage that was there
It was obvious something was missing
I could tell by the vibe they wouldn't be bribed
They weren't in the mood to listen
They yelled out
Play me a rock 'n' roll song
Don't play me songs about freedom
and joy
Play me a rock 'n' roll song
Or don't play me no song at all..."

The song was on the 1972 album "Country Man". A second song from the album, "A Good Song", was to be his biggest hit, reaching number nine on the Canadian charts.

5. In 1973, a Valdy song was to feature on the soundtrack of a Hollywood movie that starred Steve McQueen as an ex-convict on the run after a robbery went wrong. What was it called?

Answer: The Getaway

Ali McGraw starred as the wife on the run with McQueen.

Valdy's "A Good Song" was on the soundtrack, but was uncredited.

6. Valdy was to become a winner in 1973 in one of Canada's most prestigious music awards. What was it?

Answer: Juno Award

The Junos are awarded annually to recognise the achievements of Canadians in the music business.

Valdy's award was for outstanding folk performance. He won a second Juno for Folk Entertainer of the Year.

7. Which Canadian folkie did Valdy collaborate with on two albums in 2000 and 2007?

Answer: Gary Fjellgaard

Gary Fjellgaard was born in Saskatchewan in 1937 and during a busy music career had ten top ten hits on the RPM charts.

He and Vadly recorded "Contenders" in 2007 and "Contenders Two: Still In The Running" in 2007. They also performed in concert together.

8. From singing to acting, in which long-running Canadian TV show set in British Columbia did Valdy make a guest appearance playing an eccentric inventor?

Answer: The Beachcombers

"The Beachcombers", renamed "Beachcombers", ran for 19 years on CBC, from 1972, totalling some 387 episodes. Storylines were based around rival salvage loggers working off the shores of British Columbia.

Valdy appeared in Season 14 episode six as Halibut Stu, a musician/inventor first seen playing saxophone to the whales.

And there was guest appearance as himself in 1986 in the Canadian children's television show, "Today's Special".

Valdy and his wife eventually settled in British Columbia.

9. What honour was bestowed on the Canadian folksinger Paul Valdemar Horsdal, known to his many fans as Valdy, in 2011?

Answer: Order of Canada

Awarded by the Governor General, The Order of Canada "recognizes a lifetime of outstanding achievement, dedication to the community and service to the nation. The Order recognizes people in all sectors of Canadian society." [Official website]

Like the other recipients, Valdy is entitled to style himself with the letters "CM" after his name.

10. Valdy and his wife Lindsay had an actor daughter, Chelah, who was to win a Leo Award for her performance in an alternate history television drama. Which was it?

Answer: The Man In The High Castle

"The Man In The High Castle" (2015-2019) was an 'alternate history' show that imagined what would have happened in the USA had Germany and Japan won WW2

Chelah Horsdal played Helen Smith, wife of John Smith, one of the leaders of the Nazi administration in the eastern part of the occupied USA.

In 2017 Chelah won a Leo for best supporting performance by a female in a dramatic series. (The awards are presented by Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Foundation of British Columbia.)

In an busy career, she also appeared in "Blackstone", "Hell on Wheels", "When Calls the Heart", and "Firefly Lane".

The four seasons of "The Man In The High Castle" were based on a novel by Philip K. Dick. The three wrong answers were all alternate history books series by Harry Turtledove.

Source: Author darksplash

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor agony before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

Paul Valdemar Horsdal, familiarly known as Valdy, was a Canadian folk and country singer. Here are ten questions about this music award winner.

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