We lost our primary Canadian troubadour Gordon Lightfoot this week. He was 85 years old.
An enormous talent with incredible music and lyrics left as his legacy. So many covers to his work they are uncountable.
His legacy is poetry, all songs a story.
When I lived in Toronto I never missed his annual concert at Massey Hall for countless years, forty, fifty?
But as I played all his albums I was profoundly shocked that I knew all the lyrics and sang along to every single word (with a tear or two for the memories they evoked).
And then I started to ponder on when did I stop singing?
I sang through so much in my life, I was a folk singer at one point, and on stage singing operettas, writing a musical ten years ago and having that performed to sold out shows. I grew up in a singing house, spent many nights at pubs singing my heart out back in the day.
Singing "party pieces" at parties and gathering, along with my family members. Singing solo pieces on stage here, a few years ago.
Singing joint playlists with Grandgirl on our road trips.
And then I stopped.
Until Gordy died.
Thank you, Gordy. Soar with the stars, buddy.
A true Canadian, a man of enormous talent, a musician,a historian, a story-teller, an inspiration to many. My daughter and I went to a concert of his at Massey Hall many years ago and remember it fondly to this day. May his memory be a blessing.
ReplyDeleteI remember queuing for hours to get to see him in concert in UK early 1970s . The live performance was worth the wait and he played encore after encore . I could have stayed there singing along all night . The memory came back so clearly when I saw the sad news.
ReplyDeleteHe sure did write some beautiful songs, and sang them perfectly. One of a kind. -Kate
ReplyDeleteSoar with the stars indeed.
ReplyDeleteA star among stars. His songs were perfect; his singing unforgettable!
ReplyDeleteOlease keep singing now that you have found it again. I wish I could sing, but my voice is better suited to keeping my mouth shut.
ReplyDeleteI am not famililar with him but he's being well remembered in blogdom tonight.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you're singing again. It's one of my favourite things
I thougth I did not know him, but I know so many of his songs. I'm sad that he died, but happy that you're singing again. This is the one thing about me I would change if I could. Thanks for this tribute.
ReplyDeleteLoved his music and voice. So much so that husband named a cat Gordon Whitefoot in his honor. The music and the cat live on... Kim in PA (USA)
ReplyDeleteCanada has had several incredible male singers: Lightfoot, Cohen and Stan Rogers. People who don't know them can find them on You Tube free. These all passed. I can't think of any of this generation. Emma
ReplyDeleteI grew up in a singing family too, but I can't carry a tune to save my life so you will never hear me sing. I don't even sing in my head. I got too tired of hearing "but everybody in your family can sing!".
ReplyDeleteI can't even imagine the courage and bravery of the men who fight our forest fires, the smoke jumpers. And thankfully, we have those men who sing about it: Canadian James Keelaghan and Cold Missouri Waters: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6d-rt9jfiQQ
ReplyDeleteEmma
Another from James Keelaghan who sings about the loss of the Captain Torres, the men who died and the women they left behind. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1G8TunLW1ic
ReplyDeleteEmma