Denny Eddy, a long-time country artist, isn’t planning on stopping any time soon.
The Coombs-based resident who turned 71 in January said he still has some competition such as fellow country singer Dick Damron who turned 82 in March.
“Willie (Nelson) just turned 83, and he’s still going, so what would a young pup like me quit for?”
Last month, Eddy was inducted into the BC Country Music Hall of Fame. He was one of 10 inductees at the hall of fame’s 30th anniversary.
“It was a long time coming,” said Eddy, who has been an entertainer for more than 60 years.
He said his first on-stage performance back in 1952. Eddy’s uncle owned a dance hall and paid the then seven-year-old Eddy a nickel and an ice cream cone for his performance.
“It was the best pay I ever got,” Eddy said.
It was after that, that Eddy said he realized performing was the way to go.
Eddy said he started learning to play the guitar when he was six with a Hank Williams songbook. Williams was Eddy’s favourite singer. Eddy said in the songbook, the chords were just above the notes, so he could figure them out.
“When I was growing up, the biggest DJ in our town was country,” said Eddy, who grew up in Ontario before slowly moving west.
Now, Eddy said he probably knows thousands of songs off the top of his head, most of which are classic country.
“I can cover pretty much just about everybody.” He added that he was around when rock ’n’ roll started.
He said he started on the road when he was 15, and he’s been “been picking and grinning ever since.”
Eddy will be performing at the Errington Farmers’ Market next weekend. He said that he loves playing the local shows, adding that it always seems to be good weather.
“So I’m going to say it’s going to be a real good day at the Errington Farmers’ Market,” Eddy said.
Eddy said he’s been living in the Coombs area for about eight years.
In the late 70s, Eddy said he started playing the Frontiersman Pub in Coombs, adding that he loved the area.
“I decided if I ever retire in any place, it’s going to be in Coombs Errington area,” he said. “I’ve been trying to retire for about eight years. It hasn’t really worked out as a retirement.”
Eddy described himself as semi-retired.
“I don’t tour as much as I used to. I used to be on the road pretty much all the time.” Eddy said he does about 150 to 160 shows a year.
In the summer, Eddy tours east across Canada.
“I stay as busy as I want to be in the summer,” Eddy said.
He said he tries to be back on the Island by mid-September because he doesn’t like the cold.
Eddy said he has toured all of Canada and the U.S. and part of Mexico. He said a friend is trying to get him to play in Ireland.
Eddy said he’s been lucky over the years to be able to perform like he does.
“I go to places most people have to pay to go to, but they pay me,” he said. “I’ve probably had more fun in my life than most people get to have.”
On the heels of Expo 86’s 30th anniversary, Eddy remembers his multiple performances at the world expo.
“Expo was really a big year for me,” Eddy said, adding he remembers playing a three-hour set one afternoon because two other bands didn’t show up for their performances.
Eddy said he performed more than 80 times at Expo and played at the Plaza of Nations.
Over the years, Eddy has been the B.C. country entertainer of the year twice, past-president of the BC Country Music Association and a lifetime member of the Canadian Country Music Association and he produced three B.C. country music award shows
Just As I Am was originally recorded as a single in 1972 in Calgary, and later become a full album in 1975. Eddy’s latest album, Homegrown, was put together just last year.
Both albums are available to purchase on his website www.dennyeddy.com.
