Gordon Lightfoot

at: Mayo Civic Center - Auditorium

9/21/2007 7:30 PM

Gordon Lightfoot is the author and voice of these and many other timeless songs: "Early Morning Rain", "Canadian Railroad Trilogy", "Sundown", "If You Could Read My Mind", "Carefree Highway", "The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald", "Beautiful", "Ribbon Of Darkness", "Rainy Day People", "That’s What You Get For Lovin’ Me", "Did She Mention My Name", "I’m Not Sayin’ That I Love You", "Race Among the Ruins", "Softly", "Song For A Winter’s Night", "Summer Side Of Life"...

Gordon Lightfoot has five Grammy nominations and 17 Juno Awards in his native Canada. In November 1997 he was presented the Governor General’s Award—the highest official Canadian honor, which is conferred on very few, for their international efforts in spreading Canadian culture. Gordon was also honored as a charter member of Canada’s Walk of Fame and most recently was elevated to the "companion" of the Order of Canada (highest level) in December. Lightfoot also was just inducted into The Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame. Six of his albums have gone "gold" or higher in the US, the most recent of which was Gord’s Gold Volume 2 which was certified gold in September, 2001.

Artists who have recorded Lightfoot’s songs include Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, Sarah McLachlan, Barbra Streisand, Peter Paul & Mary, Harry Belafonte, Jane’s Addiction, Richie Havens, Glen Campbell, Anne Murray, Nana Mouskouri and George Hamilton IV.

All of this discussion is mostly about the music; always beautiful, inventive, and performed with perfection at every concert appearance - a tribute to his fine backup band as well as to Lightfoot himself. But it is perhaps his lyrics, and the combination of his words and music, that set him apart from all the others. What is unique about Lightfoot is that he appears to have heightened senses; he sees, hears and feels things that most of us don’t; and then he can create the music and lyrics to help us see, hear, and feel what he does. Whether it is a love song, or a song of lost love, a historical ballad - which he writes like no other songwriter of the last half-century - or a highly personal song, what he says and how he says it leaves a lasting and often evolving impression as the listener uncovers new layers of meaning in the song.