Around The Mountain by LJ James - A Little Off The Mountain This Week

SCHENECTADY — This week I ventured a little off the mountain with my friends Craig and Diane, and headed down to Frog Alley Brewing in Schenectady, to see a true New York legend, John Valby, better known to generations of fans as Dr. Dirty.

Born November 22, 1944, in Rochester, New York, Valby has been entertaining crowds since the mid-1970s with his unique blend of piano playing, limericks, parodies, and wildly inappropriate humor. Long before viral videos and shock comedy on the internet, Dr. Dirty was building a cult following the old-fashioned way, touring bars, colleges, and clubs all over the Northeast. His shows became legendary in the 70s and 80s, and cassette tapes of his songs passed around like underground comedy gold.

Now at 81 years old, the Doctor is still making house calls.

His humor is definitely juvenile, and by today’s standards probably not the most politically correct material you’ll hear, but that’s exactly what made him famous during a much wilder era of nightlife and comedy. The act is part stand-up, part piano bar sing-along, and part late-night locker room humor.

This was my first time seeing him live. Friends who’ve seen him many times told me he’s slowed down a bit over the years, but honestly, he was still pretty wild. From the moment he sat down at the piano, the crowd was roaring with laughter.

And let’s be honest… sometimes we could all use a little junior-high, juvenile humor just to forget about the world for a while. An

Dr. Dirty delivered exactly that. 

For my information about this native NY legend, check out his website at www.johnvalby.com

I am your Bro LJ James and I will see you around the Mountain (and beyond)