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)'.
Valdy is much in demand on the touring circuit and on any given night, is playing to a packed concert house somewhere - performing some 250 to 300 show dates a year - while he continues writing and recording.
"Few performers are capable of achieving the kind of energy he generates on stage." - Globe and Mail
".....name probably doesn't ring a bell with most Americans, but in Canada this singer and guitarist is a legend." - Anchorage Times
".....unquestionably the most public performer in Canada today, and the most loved." - Macleans
"Valdy is regarded as one of Canada's most distinctive and successful minstrels." - Humber Log
"One of the best evenings of entertainment Confederation Centre has ever seen....a man of formidable talents." Charlottetown Evening Patriot
"Valdy remains one of the country's purest and most credible storytellers." Toronto Star
"He's a master of country, folk, rock and blues, and the catch is that whatever the sound, people know that Valdy is sincere." Saskatoon Star Phoenix
"Valdy's show is a disarming and practical blend of respect for the audience and show business expertise." Edmonton Journal
"Valdy elicited a genuinely warm standing ovation, the real kind, where the applause continues long after the encore is assured." - Winnipeg Free Press
You can visit Valdy's website for more information at his official home page - www.valdy.com
Sonny's Dream
Valdy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You can kick off your sneekers, and give up the race
You can lay your self down, by a sweet river bed
Sonny always remembers, what it was his moma said
Chorus
Sonny don't go away, I am here all alone
And the nights get so long, and the silence goes on
And I'm feeling so tired, I'm not all that strong
Sonny caries a load, He is barely a man
There's not all that much to do, still he does the best he can
And he lives in a room, at the top of the stairs
And the sea keeps on rollin in it's done that for years
Chorus
Sonny don't go away, I am here all alone
And your daddy's a singer, and he never comes home
And the nights get so long, and the silence goes on
And I'm feeling so tired, I'm not all that strong
Towns a hundred miles away Sonny's never been there
He just goes to the highway and he stands there and stares
And the mail comes at four and the mail man is old
Yet he's still dreaming dreams filled with silver and gold
Chorus
Sonny don't go away, I am here all alone
And your daddy's a sailor, and he never comes home
And the nights get so long, and the silence goes on
And I'm feeling so tired, I'm not all that strong
Sonny don't go away, sonny don't go away
"Sonny's Dream" by Canadian folk artist Valdy is a haunting ballad about the life of a young man named Sonny. The song tells the story of Sonny, who lives on a farm in the countryside, far away from the hustle and bustle of the city. His mother is all alone at home, as Sonny's father is a sailor and is never around to help her. The long, lonely nights take a toll on her, and she grows increasingly tired and weak.
The first verse of the song depicts Sonny's idyllic life on the farm. He is a hardworking young man who does the best he can with what he has. The chorus is a plea from his mother for him not to leave, as she needs him to be with her at home. The second verse reveals that Sonny's father is not a sailor but a singer, who is also absent from home most of the time. Despite this, Sonny dreams of silver and gold and hopes for a brighter future.
The song is a touching portrayal of the hardships faced by families who live apart due to work and other circumstances. It also captures the longing for a better life and the dreams that keep us going, even during the toughest times.
Line by Line Meaning
Sonny lives on a farm, in the wide open space
Sonny resides in the countryside, surrounded by wide open fields
You can kick off your sneekers, and give up the race
You can relax and stop competing with others
You can lay your self down, by a sweet river bed
You can lie down by the soothing and peaceful river
Sonny always remembers, what it was his moma said
Sonny never forgets the wise words his mother told him
Sonny don't go away, I am here all alone
Please don't leave me alone, Sonny
And your daddy's a sailor, and he never comes home
Your father is a sailor who is often away and never returns home
And the nights get so long, and the silence goes on
The nights feel endless and the quietness seems endless just like my loneliness
And I'm feeling so tired, I'm not all that strong
I feel exhausted and weak, and I can't take much more
Sonny caries a load, He is barely a man
Sonny has responsibilities beyond his age and is still growing up
There's not all that much to do, still he does the best he can
There aren't many options, but Sonny tries hard with what he has
And he lives in a room, at the top of the stairs
Sonny's room is located at the very top of the staircase
And the sea keeps on rollin in it's done that for years
The sea's waves continually come in, a scene that has repeated for years
Towns a hundred miles away Sonny's never been there
Sonny has never gone to the towns that are far away
He just goes to the highway and he stands there and stares
Sonny stands on the highway and gazes ahead
And the mail comes at four and the mail man is old
The mail comes at 4:00 and is delivered by an elderly mailman
Yet he's still dreaming dreams filled with silver and gold
However, Sonny still dreams of a future with wealth and prosperity
Sonny don't go away, sonny don't go away
Again, please don't leave me alone, Sonny
Contributed by Arianna V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@kevinlarson1522
What a beautiful man. Wish Canada had more singers and song writers like him.
@lapalan8149
I don't know what anyone can add to describe Valdy and his talent. I've seen him 3 times and he spoke as if he knew everyone in the club personally. He broke a guitar string and a guy in the club took Valdy to his house to get strings, and he was gone for over an hour. He had a good visit with the guy. I thought that was one awesome move on Valdys part.I love his guitar playing , and in my opinion , is the best guitar player we have in Canada, Always so damn good.
@christinamerry1303
Heading to the 2014 Kemp Shore Acoustic Music festival where we get the privilege of having Valdy attend again this year! What is so great about him and his music is is that he sounds the same on his recordings as he does live! THAT's a Music Man!:)
@dalem8332
Excellent. ♥️🎼🎶🎵🇨🇦🇨🇦
@MusicChannel44
Doris is such a beautiful singer
@jeffwilson6449
Saw him in Pembroke, Ont. recently.
Man he was good! Love the guy.
@allan8371
A Canadian icon. There should not be anyone who as not heard his name
@c7i6abc
Thank you for sharing this
@hesadjoker
who's the lady singer? She's good singer....!!
@fraserjs
Doris Mason.