Johnny Vallis still fits, fittingly, into the suit he wore at 15.
He’ll wear the duds on stage in Sidney to reprise his role as Buddy Holly.
“I’m bringing Buddy Holly back because of demand,” Vallis said. “People are still wanting that from me, I still fit the same vintage tuxedo that I had … The custom guitar and the glasses and all that, it all still gels so well.”
It’s a role he knows well, having spent nearly a decade as part of the Legends of Rock and Roll show that featured himself as Holly alongside Elvis Presley and Roy Orbison.
“My five year-old actually thinks I am him because policemen dress up and they are police, and firemen dress up like firemen and go to work,” Vallis said. “The sad thing is, I’ve done more shows as Holly than Holly did.”
At 38, the West Shore performer known as The Man of Many Voices, has a few years on the legendary singer-songwriter who died in a plane crash at 22.
“You do it for the right reasons and people still enjoy it,” Vallis said. “I enjoy doing it, I’d slowed down a bit because I wanted to do my own thing.”
“Holly was amazing … he was pretty innovative,” Vallis said. Despite the short-but-hot career Holly had, he left a decent catalogue of material — a selection Vallis enjoys. “When I was with the Legends I would do the same five songs every night. Now I can pull out the catalogue and play what I want.”
Traveling the world, he has played top venues in Canada, Australia, the US, the United Kingdom and delivered a highly regarded command performance for the King and Queen of Malaysia. A devoted fan of many different musical genres, this popular singing impressionist has also performed alongside such legendary figures as Buddy Knox, Tommy Sands, Long John Baldry and Randy Bachman.
Constantly touring with his vast array of voices, this multi-talented showman has also performed for the Grey Cup and the CFL. However, his proudest moment came when he staged an outside concert in Kamloops to aid the food bank and performed for nearly 5,000 people.
Locally, Vallis has brought Dean Martin, Mick Jagger, Louis Armstrong and others to venues across Greater Victoria and the Saanich Peninsula in the past, but Holly’s never been to the pavilion in Beacon Park. “It’s the first year that I’m going to include any Holly at the band shell,” Vallis said.
Lennon and Jagger will make appearances but Holly will be the added surprise during Vallis’ show in the Summer Sounds Series in Beacon Park on Aug. 21.
