The Ultimate Fan Girl--A Tribute to Gordon Lightfoot~by Grace Augustine #originalitybydesign

 photo: Canadian Music Blog

Most of my inner circle of friends know that I am obsessed with Gordon Lightfoot. I grew up in Northern Montana listening to his music on a Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada radio station and watched his early performances on the Tommy Hunter Show and Don Messer's Jubilee (both Canadian programs.)  I truly believe he is my reason for the innate longing I have to move to Canada.

I had the pleasure of meeting this incredible man following a concert in 1991 at the Paramount Theatre in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. We visited behind the venue while his roadies loaded the vehicles with his equipment. I found him to be a gentle, kind, soft-spoken man with a passion for music. I was thrilled that this meeting allowed me to gift him a barn-wood framed counted cross stitch of the lyrics of "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" that I had created. I knew once I'd finished it, he had to have it. Several years ago, Lightfoot was a guest on CBS's Sunday Morning program and while he was showing the interviewer the memorabilia and history of the shipwreck, I spotted my framed counted cross-stitch there on the wall with other pieces of history. Tears fell.

Photo: Pinterest

Gordon Meredith Lightfoot, Jr. was born in Orillia, Ontario on November 17,1938. He just celebrated his 80th birthday and is still performing. While he can no longer belt out the songs as in the past, his enthusiasm for music and his craft still shine.

In 1958, Gordon moved to California to study jazz composition and orchestration at Hollywood's Westlake College of Music.  He returned to Canada in 1960 and it remains his place of residence today.

Photo: lightfoot.ca

He has performed with many different groups, hosted one-hour television specials, and toured worldwide. In 1968 at the Mariposa Folk Festival, his reputation as a viable songwriter gelled when Canadian singing duo, Ian and Sylvia recorded "Early Morning Rain" and "For Loving Me." Both of those songs were later recorded by Peter, Paul, and Mary.

Early Morning Rain  YouTube

1970 saw the recording of "If You Could Read My Mind" which became a huge hit in the US, selling over one million copies--earning him an industry gold record. On the heels of this successful song, came eight albums in the next seven years with such hits as "Sundown," "Beautiful," "Canadian Railroad Trilogy," and "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald." 

In 2002, Gordon suffered a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm and was rushed to a hospital in Hamilton, Ontario. Surgery was performed and he remained in ICU in a coma for 6 weeks. His condition was grave. All remaining concerts for the year were canceled.

Photo: Pinterest

The adage of not keeping a good man down held true with Gordon. He signed a new recording contract in 2004 and released his 20th album of original songs. This man has received sixteen JUNO awards for top folk singer, JUNO awards for composer of the year, ASCAP songwriting awards, and a five time Grammy nominee. "Sundown" was named the 1974 song of the year by Music Operators of America.

Sundown   YouTube

In 1986, Gordon was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame. He also was made a Companion of the Order of Canada, the highest civilian honor. In 2012 he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in New York City.

Photo: The Globe and Mail

His hometown of Orillia, Ontario honored him with a bronze sculpture titled "Golden Leaves-A Tribute to Gordon Lightfoot." This sculpture features Lightfoot sitting cross-legged playing a guitar under an arch of golden maple leaves...each representing something from one of his songs on his Gord's Gold 1975 duo album.

Photo: Pinterest

To date, Lightfoot has 19 studio albums, 16 compilation albums, 3 live albums, and 1 tribute album. He has written and recorded more than 250 songs and penned many, many others.

Lightfoot works out six days a week, continues touring, and doing interviews. If you have a chance. I highly recommend you see this legend. In my opinion, no other singer/songwriter has contributed to the music industry's depth, knowledge of this art, and compassion for music for 7 decades as much as the incomparable Gordon Lightfoot. 

There is only one Gordon Lightfoot. He has captured my musical soul, and he is pure gold!  I leave you with my favorite Lightfoot song..."Song for a Winter's Night."

Song For a Winter's Night  YouTube