Gordon Lightfoot

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Gordon Meredith Lightfoot, Jr., (born November 17, 1938) is a Canadian singer and songwriter who achieved international success in folk, country, and popular music. As a singer-songwriter, he came to prominence in the 1960s, and broke through on the international music charts in the 1970s with songs such as “If You Could Read My Mind” (1970), “Sundown” (1974) and “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” (1976). His songs have been recorded by some of the world’s most successful recording artists, including Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan. Robbie Robertson of The Band declared that Lightfoot was one of his “favourite Canadian songwriters and is absolutely a national treasure.”

Lightfoot was born to Gordon Meredith Lightfoot Sr. and Jessica Lightfoot in Orillia, Ontario, Canada. As a youth, he sang in the choir of St. Paul’s United Church under the direction of choir-master Ray Williams. Lightfoot remarked in 2005 that it was Williams who “taught him how to sing with emotion and how to have confidence in his voice”.

Lightfoot moved to Los Angeles, California during the 1950s where he studied at Hollywood’s Westlake College of Music. He returned to Canada by the early 1960s and began performing in coffee houses in the Toronto folk scene. He sang with Terry Whelan in a duo called the Two Tones. They released a live album recorded in 1962 called Two Tones at the Village Corner. In 1966, his debut album Lightfoot! was released and it brought him recognition as a songwriter.

Tagged as:

folk, singer-songwriter, canadian, 70s, acoustic
See more…

1	If You Could Read My Mind	1,099
2	Beautiful	455
3	Canadian Railroad Trilogy full track	371
4	Bitter Green full track	262
5	Song for a Winter's Night full track	234
6	Sundown	202
7	Early Mornin' Rain full track	192
8	For Lovin' Me full track	177
9	Steel Rail Blues full track	175
10	The Way I Feel	164
11	The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald	154
12	Pussywillows, Cat-tails full track	111
13	Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald	108
14	Carefree Highway	102
15	Early Morning Rain full track	98

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Corvair1963 wrote:
Wednesday afternoon

Gordon is 70!!?? Yikes!!! "Carefree Highway" is one of my favorites. Tony Rice does a nice version of "Early Mornin' Rain."

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Sportsnut wrote:
Tuesday morning

Happy 70th! Can't wait for your concert in Edmonton!

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richardrw wrote:
last week

This month is your birthday, and now you'll be seventy/ You have 72,000 listeners which must be quite heavenly,/ I don't know your music, it's not much my kind/ Perhaps I'd feel different if I could read your mind.

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RuthieRader wrote:
last week

Watch out for those moose.

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Montesol wrote:
15 days ago

I would love to hear Sundown covered with a bit more scuzzbucket electric train guitars. what a lovely, grimy song.

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dvk5453 wrote:
20 days ago

this man is a true legend fantastic out of this world great song writer

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beebers1256 wrote:
last month

A richer, sweeter, more lovely baritone voice you won't find anywhere in music. His best days, sadly, are behind him now, but in the 80's he was THE singer-songwriter. Check out "Shadows", "Salute" and "Dream Street Rose". Great stuff!!

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darthsketch wrote:
September 2008

Good music.

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branleur wrote:
September 2008

I found out the other day that my godmother supported Gordon on his Australian tour. That was ages back though.

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DeadBody wrote:
August 2008

So glad i finally got to see him on tour this year. He's completely amazing.

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[deleted-user] wrote:
July 2008

Brilliant
VenerableBean wrote:
June 2008

Love this guy

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NOHIDDENPATH wrote:
June 2008

Yet another under-rated artist. Good to see he has many fans here :) It's so lovely to hear Sundown again...not heard in manymany years. www.myspace.com/foxyladydee

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DeNelo wrote:
June 2008

Thanks engelmeine - guess I should be able to hear it, huh! Just funny none of the pictures show him with a 12-string...

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engelmeine wrote:
June 2008

Yep, he still plays that beautiful 12 string. =))

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ChadFromCanada wrote:
June 2008

Pussy Willows, Cat Tails is the best.

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DeNelo wrote:
June 2008

I seem to remember he used to play a 12-string guitar, but I can't see that from any of the photos. Am I wrong..?

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animus17 wrote:
May 2008

bitter green is my favorite of his. my whole family sings that one together when it comes on. thank god he sounds better than any of us!

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Empyrium666 wrote:
May 2008

Just discovered "The Wreck of The Edmund Fitzgerald" thanks to "Heart Songs" by Weezer. Very good song I must say, Gordon has an incredible voice.

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ttangel wrote:
May 2008

Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald is seriously the best.

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