RIP Gordon Lightfoot

For me, it’s Carefree Highway that tops the playlist.

RIP

 

The Rhino anthology (with notes from Gord on each song) had a sticker on the cover I always kept
88 songs
4 CDs
1 Canadian

 

Way way back in the late '70s I was fortunate enough to attend a concert at Ft. Adams St. Park in Newport, Rhode Island. It was Lightfoot with Steve Goodman as opening act. Pretty good. The park is on an island and one went to the venue by small boats in the harbor. Also cool. What I remember most is that as Lightfoot played Edmund Fitzgerald, a super dense fog descended on the park, the harbor, and Newport. It was close to the closing song, so we concertgoers had it ringing in our minds as we returned to the small boats and were navigated back to the mainland without being able to see more than six feet. A spooky experience that left me with a lifelong fondness for Lightfoot's work. RIP after a very full creative life.

 

The all-star tributes should come thick and fast in the upcoming spring/summer concert season.

 

Lightfoot said when he recorded Sundown everybody knew it was going to be a big hit
His only No.1 was inspired by one of his backup singers, girlfriend Cathy Evelyn Smith, the woman who later gave John Belushi his fatal speedball

 

An absolute giant in music history up here. Never saw him (the missus and I talked about going to see him in Florida when we were there in March, shows he eventually postponed) but the doc If You Could Read My Mind (which aired on CBC up here) is essential viewing.

Early Morning Rain is probably my fave song but will always have a soft spot for For Lovin' Me, Daylight Katy, Carefree Highway and loads of others. His music is the soundtrack to Canadian summer camp fires and road trips.

RIP to one of our finest exports.

 

Watched the first half hour of Today this morning. News of Mr. Lightfoot's death wasn't mentioned. Didn't know whether I should be surprised or not.

Casting another vote for Carefree Highway as favorite. RIP

 

The Gordon Lightfoot channel on Spotify has long been a favorite of mine. RIP, what a songwriter

 

Was driving through Arizona when I saw the sign....Such a a great songwriter and sang the truth.

 

Had a story about five minutes into the second hour
CNN only had him on their crawl

 

Gord on the Johnny Cash show