Holger Peterson
Broadcaster and Founder of Stony Plain Records | born 1949
BornNovember 23, 1949 in Pellworm Island, West Germany
Biographyby Jason Anderson
Holger Petersen first came down with the blues as a teenager in Edmonton. He gravitated toward the raw roots of rock ’n’ roll after reading the small-print songwriting credits on records by British Invasion acts like the Animals. That youthful passion for roots and blues music is something the veteran broadcaster has retained over the years, whether he’s talking about a legendary artist or a brand new find on his two long-running radio programs—CBC’s Saturday Night Blues and CKUA’s Natch’l Blues. He’s applied a similar fervour to his roles as a a co-founder and former director of the Edmonton Folk Festival and the head of the Stony Plain record label. Tireless in his efforts to foster connections between great musicians and grateful listeners, “Canada’s ambassador of the blues,” now nearly 70 years old, remains an intrepid investigator of the music that moves him. “There’s always a sense of discovery,” he’s said, “wonder and an ongoing learning experience—it’s never-ending.”
Holger Petersen first came down with the blues as a teenager in Edmonton. He gravitated toward the raw roots of rock ’n’ roll after reading the small-print songwriting credits on records by British Invasion acts like the Animals. That youthful passion for roots and blues music is something the veteran broadcaster has retained over the years, whether he’s talking about a legendary artist or a brand new find on his two long-running radio programs—CBC’s Saturday Night Blues and CKUA’s Natch’l Blues. He’s applied a similar fervour to his roles as a a co-founder and former director of the Edmonton Folk Festival and the head of the Stony Plain record label. Tireless in his efforts to foster connections between great musicians and grateful listeners, “Canada’s ambassador of the blues,” now nearly 70 years old, remains an intrepid investigator of the music that moves him. “There’s always a sense of discovery,” he’s said, “wonder and an ongoing learning experience—it’s never-ending.”
Canadian Music Icon and Broadcaster | 1936 - 2018
