Quick Facts
Biography
Holger Petersen, CM., D Litt. (born Pellworm Island, West Germany, 23 Nov 1949) is a Canadian businessman, record producer and radio broadcaster. He owns and operates the independent roots music label Stony Plain Records, (see below) founded in 1975 with partner Alvin Jahns. Recognition for the label includes Grammy Award nominations, W.C. Handy Blues Awards, Juno Awards, Canadian Country Music Awards, Maple Blues Awards and Western Canada Music Awards.
Petersen has hosted Saturday Night Blues since 1987, heard on CBC Radio One, Radio Two and SiriusXM 169 and Natch'l Blues since 1969, the longest running blues program in Canada, on the CKUA Radio Network. Petersen was a founder of the Edmonton Folk Music Festival 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 is set for release 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 into the Order of Canada, CM, in 2003 for contributions to Canadian culture and has received Honorary Doctor of Letters Degrees from both the University of Alberta and Athabasca University. He is also the recipient of the Alberta Centennial Medal and both the Queens Golden Jubilee and Diamond Jubilee Medals. (other recognition and awards - see below)
Holger Petersen has been credited on over 180 music projects since 1970.
Petersen is based in Edmonton, Alberta.
Radio
Known as Canada’s “Ambassador of the Blues”, Petersen is the host of the popular radio show “Natch’l Blues”, which is broadcast every Saturday afternoon from CKUA, a radio station based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Natch’l Blues has been broadcasting for over 40 years, Canada’s longest running blues program. Petersen has also hosted Saturday Night Blues on CBC Radio One since its founding year in 1986.
Awards
| Maple Blues Award - Blues With A Feeling Lifetime Achievement | 1987 |
| Canadian Country Music Association - Record Company Person of the Year | 1989 |
| Edmonton Cultural Hall of Fame | 1992 |
| Maple Blues Award - Media Person of the Year | 1997 |
| Prairie Music Association - Outstanding Producer | 1999 |
| Alberta Recording Industries Association - Record Producer of the Year | 1999 |
| Canadian Country Music Association - Record Company Person of the Year | 2001 |
| American Foundation for Independent Music - Record Producer | 2002 |
| Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal | 2002 |
| Member of the Order of Canada | 2003 |
| Blues Foundation - Keeping The Blues Alive | 2008 |
| Calgary Blues Music Association - Lifetime Achievement Award | 2010 |
| Canadian Blues Museum Hall of Fame Induction | 2011 |
| NAIT Top 50 Alumni Award | 2012 |
| Western Canadian Music Award - Industry Builder Award | 2013 |
| Edmonton Blues Hall of Fame - Builder | 2014 |
In 2012 he was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Letters degree by the University of Alberta.
Music festivals
Petersen was the artistic director of the Edmonton folk Music Festival for three years.
Recording Company
Holger Petersen founded the Stony Plain Recording Company in his kitchen in 1975 with partner Alvin Jahns. Today Stony Plain’s catalogue includes almost 300 titles. The record company accepts orders from all over Canada and internationally.