by Richard Skelly » Mon May 14, 2018 2:02 am
Hands down my favourite Valdy song from his 1976 alliance with the Hometown Band. Peter And Lou is simply one of those heartwarming mid-tempo narratives that lifts your spirits as much on the hundredth listen as the first. Great harmonies from violinist-vocalist Shari Ulrich. And a soothing alto sax accompaniment by producer Claire Lawrence.
Peter And Lou was written by Craig Wood. He was the “Papa Bear” in the late 1960s iconoclastic Vancouver band Papa Bear’s Medicine Show which, at times, featured keyboardist extraordinaire Robbie King. A few years later, Robbie joined the Hometown Band when it was assembled by ex-Chilliwack multi-instrumentalist Lawrence.
King passed in 2003. Shortly before his death, Hometown bassist Doug Edwards was too ill to participate in a summer 2016 reunion with Valdy. Looking back, Valdy And The Hometown Band worked because each side of the alliance made the other sound better.