The Late Great Gordon Lightfoot

Gordon Lightfoot, the legendary singer/songwriter who had such hits as "If You Could Read My Mind," "Sundown," and "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald," died on May 1 2023 at the age of 84.

Gordon Lightfoot was born on November 7 1938 in Orillia, Ontario. His mother encouraged his musical talent and he started performing while still young. He sang in the choir of St. Paul's United Church in Orillia and he performed from time to time on local radio in Orillia. When he was twelve years old he appeared at Massey Hall in Toronto for the first time. In high school he was competed in track-and-field, and even set school records for for shot-put and pole vault. He studied music at the University of Toronto. He was twenty years old when he moved to Los Angeles and studied jazz composition at the Westlake College of Music in Hollywood.

After two years Gordon Lightfoot returned to Toronto. He performed on the CBC television program Country Hoedown as part of the  Singin' Swingin' Eight. He also performed as the various coffee houses around Toronto, both as a soloist and as a part of folk ensembles. His first single, "(Remember Me) I'm the One," was released in 1962. It went to no. 3 on the Canadian singles chart. It was followed by "It's Too Late, He Wins" and "Adios, Adios" that same year. In 1963 he moved to the United Kingdom where he hosted the BBC's  Country and Western Show. He returned to Canada in 1964. His first album, Lightfoot!, was released in 1966. In 1967 he was commissioned by the CBC to write the "Canadian Railroad Trilogy" for the television special One Hundred Years Young, celebrating Canada's centennial. He also performed the song in the special. In 1970 he appeared on the CBC's The Wayne & Shuster Comedy Special.

It was also in 1970 that he signed with Warner Bros./Reprise. This would result in Gordon Lightfoot's first hit in the United States. His single "If You Could Read My Mind" went to no. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and no. 1 on the Canadian singles chart. That same year his album Sit Down Young Stranger (from which "If You Could Read My Mind' was from) went to no. 12 on both the Billboard album chart and the Canadian album chart.

The Seventies would see Gordon Lightfoot release several successful albums. He would also have some of his biggest hits during the decade. His song "Sundown" went to no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1974. That same year "Carefree Highway" went to no. 10 on the chart. The following year "Rainy Day People" reached 26 on the Billboard Hot 100. The year 1976 produced his second biggest hit, "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald," which peaked at no. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The Seventies marked the peak of Gordon Lightfoot's popular success, but he recorded seven more albums from 1982 to 2020. He also continued to perform and appear on television. Mr. Lightfoot wold also have two acting roles. He appeared in Western Harry Tracy, Desperado (1982) and a 1988 episode of the TV series Hotel.

Gordon Lightfoot was an incredible talent. He was gifted with a rich baritone with which he could convey any emotion. More importantly, he was an incredible songwriter. Mr. Lightfoot told stories with his songs. "If You Could Read My Mind" addressed the failure of a romantic relationship. With "Don Quixote" he dealt with the famous character from Cervantes's novel. "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" told the story of the sinking of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald on Lake Superior on November 10 1975. Gordon Lightfoot was a skilled lyricist who told compelling stories capable of moving his listeners.