Holger Petersen, (born 23 November 1949) is a
Canadian
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
businessman, record producer and radio broadcaster. He founded the independent roots music record label Stony Plain Records in 1975 with partner Alvin Jahns. The label was sold to True North/Linus Music in 2018, but Petersen continues to act as executive producer on many recording projects. He was born in Pellworm Island, West Germany.
Petersen has hosted ''
Saturday Night Blues
''Saturday Night Blues'' is a Canadian radio program, which airs Saturday nights on CBC Music. Hosted by Holger Petersen, the program airs a mix of blues concerts, recordings and interviews with blues musicians. ''SNB'' first broadcast on CBC Radi ...
'' since 1987, heard on
CBC Radio
CBC Radio is the English-language radio operations of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The CBC operates a number of radio networks serving different audiences and programming niches, all of which (regardless of language) are outlined below ...
(at various times on CBC Radio One, CBC Radio Two, CBC Music, CBC Listen and SiriusXM 169) and ''Natch'l Blues'' since 1969, the longest running blues program in Canada, on the
CKUA Radio Network
The CKUA Radio Network is a Canadian donor-funded community radio network based in Edmonton, Alberta. Originally located on the campus of the University of Alberta in Edmonton (hence the UA of the call letters), it was the first public broadcaste ...
.
[
] Petersen was a founder of the
Edmonton Folk Music Festival
The Edmonton Folk Music Festival (EFMF) is an annual four-day outdoor music event held the second weekend of August in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, established in 1980 by Don Whalen. The festival continues to draw many people from around the world a ...
and served as the artistic director from 1986 to 1988.
He has served on boards of numerous industry organizations, including SOCAN, CMRRA, CARAS and CIRPA and helped found the Alberta Recording Industries Association (now Alberta Music).
His first book, ''Talking Music: Blues Radio and Roots Music'', was published in 2011 by Insomniac Press. His second book, ''Talking Music 2: Blues and Roots Music Mavericks'', was released in January 2017.
He has also been a drummer and was a member of Spiny Norman's Whoopee Band and Hot Cottage.
Petersen was inducted as a Member into the
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada (french: Ordre du Canada; abbreviated as OC) is a Canadian state order and the second-highest honour for merit in the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, after the Order of Merit.
To coincide with the ...
in 2003 for contributions to Canadian culture, and has received honorary doctorates from both the University of Alberta and Athabasca University.
He was appointed as a Member to the
Alberta Order of Excellence
The Alberta Order of Excellence (french: Ordre d'excellence de l'Alberta) is a civilian honour for merit in the Canadian province of Alberta. Instituted in 1979 when Lieutenant Governor Frank C. Lynch-Staunton granted royal assent to the Alberta O ...
in 2020.
Petersen has contributed to more than 180 music projects since 1970.
Petersen is based in
Edmonton
Edmonton ( ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta. Edmonton is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Alberta's central region. The city ancho ...
,
Alberta
Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Ter ...
.
Awards
References
External links
Stony Plain RecordsCKUA Natch'l BluesCBC Radio Saturday Night Blues*
*
* Entry for Stony Plain Records
Entry at thecanadianencyclopedia.caEntry at thecanadianencyclopedia.ca for Stony Plain Records
{{DEFAULTSORT:Petersen, Holger
Canadian record producers
Businesspeople from Edmonton
Members of the Order of Canada
Members of the Alberta Order of Excellence
Petersen, Holger
Living people
CBC Radio hosts
1949 births