CBC interview-July 2020

[charlene]

www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMmPbE-wJzQ

EVAN MATSUI - PHOTOGRAPHER;
Back in January, pre-pandemic, I got to spend some time with living legend Gordon Lightfoot at his home in Toronto’s Bridal Path (Drake’s place is across the street.) The new coronavirus took over the world, and the news cycle, shortly afterward so the interview was shelved, until this week (you can see it on the National’s YouTube channel.)
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Anyway, Lightfoot is 81 and still writes, practices and performs. At the time of the interview he was gearing up for a tour, which he still plans to do once COVID-19 restrictions allow.
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During the interview I wandered around his home, which is full of artifacts spanning his 50-years-long music career. The Edmund Fitzgerald crafted out of foam (made by the same guy who does the Green Bay Packers cheese heads) was a highlight. Thanks to @brock_boogie for pulling it all together.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50139233007_953a0f7930_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2joCF9B)Jan.2020-Evan Mitsui photo1-Toronto (https://flic.kr/p/2joCF9B) by char Westbrook (https://www.flickr.com/photos/8539259@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50138456348_37c0f0e665_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2joyGgW)Jan.2020-Evan Mitsui photo2-Toronto (https://flic.kr/p/2joyGgW) by char Westbrook (https://www.flickr.com/photos/8539259@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50138456323_59312996c7_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2joyGgv)Jan.2020-Evan Mitsui photo3-Toronto (https://flic.kr/p/2joyGgv) by char Westbrook (https://www.flickr.com/photos/8539259@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50138456308_7905b5964f_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2joyGgf)Jan.2020-Evan Mitsui photo4-Toronto (https://flic.kr/p/2joyGgf) by char Westbrook (https://www.flickr.com/photos/8539259@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50139232932_4c05923731_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2joCF8j)Jan.2020-Evan Mitsui photo5-Toronto (https://flic.kr/p/2joCF8j) by char Westbrook (https://www.flickr.com/photos/8539259@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50138456278_52b5dde91b_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2joyGfJ)Jan.2020-Evan Mitsui photo6-Toronto (https://flic.kr/p/2joyGfJ) by char Westbrook (https://www.flickr.com/photos/8539259@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50138996341_c8d5ea8874_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2joBsNa)Jan.2020-Evan Mitsui photo7-Toronto (https://flic.kr/p/2joBsNa) by char Westbrook (https://www.flickr.com/photos/8539259@N07/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50138996341_c8d5ea8874_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2joBsNa)Jan.2020-Evan Mitsui photo7-Toronto (https://flic.kr/p/2joBsNa) by char Westbrook (https://www.flickr.com/photos/8539259@N07/), on Flickr

[paskatefan]

Thanks, Char. Always so good to hear directly from Gordon!



Gail

[Off Yonge Street]

Thank you, Charlene.

Here is a link to the full (10 minutes and 29 seconds) feature that aired on CBC's "The National" last night: https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/1765656643827.

(The facebook link above that was posted on July 18 was to a segment that was only 2 minutes and 20 seconds long.)

When Ian Hanomansing introduced the feature on "The National" last night, he mentioned that his interview of Lightfoot took place in January 2020.

I found the interview particularly interesting when Lightfoot briefly talked about sometimes having a short fuse.

It was great when Hanomansing asked Lightfoot about the essential playlist of Gordon Lightfoot songs (for example, for someone who is new to Canada or younger and does not know Lightfoot's music) and the following seven songs were named:

If You Could Read My Mind
The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
Sundown
Early Morning Rain
Canadian Railroad Trilogy
Song for a Winter's Night
Carefree Highway

It's too bad that Early Morning Rain, Canadian Railroad Trilogy and Song for a Winter's Night were not included on the 10-track CD "An Introduction to Gordon Lightfoot" (which was released in 2018) and that Song for a Winter's Night was not included on the 20-track CD "Gordon Lightfoot - Completed Greatest Hits" (which was released in 2002).

Hanomansing put it nicely when he said the following to Lightfoot near the end of the interview:

"I don't know that you fully appreciate how many people have been touched by your music and still are and I've told you there are songs of yours I can listen to in any circumstance at any time and they just are moving and it really is a remarkable thing so it's really nice to have a chance to talk to you."

[Andy T.]

Thanks for linking the full interview. I really liked it.

[paskatefan]

Another gem of an interview! Thanks, char!



Gail