Valdy delivers familiar charm in solo concert at River Run Centre
GUELPH, ON March 31, 2026 — Valdy’s live performances feature sincere storytelling, beautiful folk music, and comforting nostalgia. For more than five decades, this Juno Award-winning singer-songwriter has been bringing audiences together across the country and around the world. Valdy graces River Run Centre’s Studio Theatre with an intimate performance on Wednesday, April 22 at 8 p.m.
Casual fans will know Valdy for “Play Me a Rock ‘n’ Roll Song,” his most mainstream single which has been covered by many artists, such as John Kay of Steppenwolf. A song about finding himself, it features earnest lyrics that quickly became an element of Valdy’s music throughout his impressive 14-album catalogue.
Fifty years of making music is an extraordinary feat, especially for a solo artist. Valdy’s enduring career is a testament to his relaxed and amiable songwriting and storytelling which make audiences feel at home. On his albums like 1974’s Family Gathering, 1985’s Notes from Places, and 1993’s Heart at Work, Valdy displays his knack for writing about the small but telling moments that make up life.
Valdy’s legacy includes both commercial and critical success. In 1973, he won the Juno for Outstanding Folk Performance and in 1974 for Folk Artist of the Year. He has received seven additional Juno nominations, four of his albums were certified Gold, and in total, his albums have sold nearly half a million copies.
Valdy has a reputation as one of the country’s purest and most credible storytellers. The StarPhoenix in Saskatoon calls him “a master of country, folk, rock and blues, and the catch is that whatever the sound, people know that Valdy is sincere.”
Part of River Run’s Idols of String Series, this cozy and delightful show is generously supported by Season Sponsor Richardson Wealth with program funding from the Government of Canada.
Tickets to Valdy are $30 for adults, $28 for patrons over 60 years old, and $25 for those under 30. For more information or to purchase, call 519-763-3000, visit River Run’s Box Office at 35 Woolwich Street in Guelph, or purchase tickets online.
FOR INFORMATION
Kasia Rusiniak | Program Manager, Development and Marketing
River Run Centre
City of Guelph
519-837-5662 ext. 2589
[email protected]