You know, this Internet thing has really proven how small the world really is and this thread really compounds that thought.

Not only did I find someone who saw Lightfoot concerts at Humphrey's, where I saw my first Lightfoot concert, but now I read James' tale and find that we were in Panama during the same time frame. I lived there from July of 70 - July of 72. Of course, I was only a kid as it was my father who had the relationship with that same Uncle Sam http://www.corfid.com/ubb/smile.gif

James, at what base were you stationed? We were at Albrook the first year and Howard the second.


quote:Originally posted by James:
In 1970, I heard Gordon Lightfoot for the first time. I was in my '64 Dodge Dart equpited with only an AM radio and heard "If You Could Read My Mind." I still remember being almost entranced as I listened to it for the first time. Being a Folkie and playing an acustic guitar, well this fit right in with me. I did, however, believe he was new. I bought the album and I am sure wore my parents out playing it over and over. Well a short time later, "Summer Side of Life" came out and I bought that, too. One day while roaming through the record section at Treasure City in Haltom City, Texas, I saw the five UA releases and bought them, too. What a treasure those were. So many of these songs I had heard other sing but was unaware they belonged to GL. I wound up in Panama in '71-72 with Uncle Sam and bought Don Quixote while there. Well I wound up with about 16 or so LP's and almost as many GL books. I had the pleasure of seeing him in concert at The Dallas Convention Center and in Fort Worth at the Tarrant County Convention Center. I was standing back stage talking with a Fort Worth Police Officer who was providing security for the event. Barry Keene, Gord's drummer, came out and thanked us for providing secutiry. I told him that, although I was an officer, that I was not part of the security, that I was there for the concert and that I had all of GL's albums up to that time. Barry invited me to come back stage and meet Gordon. Gordon was extremely gracious and very friendly. We visited for several minutes and he thanked me for buying his albums and coming to the concert. I have all the vinyls still but have managed to get all of them on CD's as well, except for Harmony. I have looked for it and I am sure it will turn up somewhere soon. I can truly say that I have followed his music from start to present. It is almost amazing that you feel like he is a "good friend" after all these years, rather than just some singer/songwriter.

I just refound this old topic and thought our newer members should see it and if possible contribute
(also you stationmaster your postings here are notably delinquent and sadly missed).
As is [b]anything] by that once prolific Brit lass Gaby
(I'll try to remembeer to give her a steam type telephone call next week to check that she is OK)
John Fowles
Please help me stationmaster, is the evening train on time
The wells run dry up yonder there's another down the line

I just refound this old topic and thought our newer members should see it and if possible contribute
(also you stationmaster your postings here are notably delinquent and sadly missed).
As is [b]anything] by that once prolific Brit lass Gaby
(I'll try to remembeer to give her a steam type telephone call next week to check that she is OK)
John Fowles
Please help me stationmaster, is the evening train on time
The wells run dry up yonder there's another down the line

Didn't Stationmaster move to Newfoundland or Labrador?

When I was 16 (1977) a friend of mine threw a party and asked me to bring my stereo and music for dancing. There was one girl there for whom a felt a particular warmth, if I may wax euphemistic for a moment, and I selected "Carefree Highway" as a slow dance song with her several times that night (it's a fairly long song, and "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" didn't seem like much of a potential make-out tune). No, nothing ribald happened. It was disappointingly innocent, but I do fondly remember burying my face in what I then thought was the most beautiful hair I had ever seen and dancing away in utter bliss to Gordon's voice. That was 28 years ago, but I've never forgotten it, and I still think of that girl and her hair whenever I hear or play that song. Gosh she smelled good! :)

Well All Right.
I have just telephoned Gaby in England and given her a proverbial kick up the backside
and she wishes to tell everybody that she is fine and intends returning to the fold.
I will also be leaving her a private message suggesting she looks at this topic and replies
with a suitable anecdote
John Fowles
Come in New Found Land
Your call
the train passengers are getting restless but not young and restless too!!!

Well All Right.
I have just telephoned Gaby in England and given her a proverbial kick up the backside
and she wishes to tell everybody that she is fine and intends returning to the fold.
I will also be leaving her a private message suggesting she looks at this topic and replies
with a suitable anecdote
John Fowles
Come in New Found Land
Your call
the train passengers are getting restless but not young and restless too!!!

Re: My Lightfoot Connection...
 

I am bringing this thread (which for me suffers badly from the duplicated postings with a variety of inaccurate posting attributions syndrome, and which was started by our stationmaster), back to the top once again as it is an interesting thread for the newbies around here and also to refer to the picture I displayed on 7 June 2004 showing a friend's 1967-ish Montreal based folk singing group
http://www.johnfowles.org.uk/lightfo...Group_1967.jpg
Taken at a Pirates and Prostitutes themed party
From the left my Montreal era friend Dave Moxey partly hidden (in Pirate headgear!), Rae, Dave Taggart, Peter Wright
Dave Taggart always reminded me of Dave Guard one of the original Kingston Trio
It was Pete Wright (newly arrived from Toronto where he had seen Gord at the Riverboat) who got us to see Gord on Sunday May 21st 1967 at The New Penelope Coffee House In Montreal

http://www.johnfowles.org.uk/lightfoot/newpenelope.jpg
Dave subsequently bought a 12 string and very kindly lent me his 6 string to learn to "sort of" play guitar on.
I refound this thread on the old forum after I recently discovered that David Moxey was now in Australia

I went to Dave's s wedding in Marlborough UK in about 1982) and now know that he married a girl from Melbourne and as he has now retired they moved to Melbourne last year and he is having a house built in the suburb of Lower Plenty (no doubt a farm full of cows!!). I have phoned him and he is still a Lighthead (having received the box set for Christmas) (I have an old reel to reel tape with him rendering 'I'll Be Allright" that I now have on a CD so will be making an mp3 to pass on to him later) so I shall therefore try to put him in touch with the other fans I know of in Melbourne (Ron Peter and Mende we met up with last April)
I also noted that "our newest member" is "aussiejen", of course she might be an expatriate or might be yet another fan from down under, but there is no location information provided in her profile unfortunately and she has yet to post so perhaps she could now do so and tell us more so that we can welcome her into our friendly circle

Re: My Lightfoot Connection...
 

I first saw Gord in LA at the Troubadour in the late 1960s. I was hooked immediately. Bought every album (the vinyl kind) up to and including Dream Street Rose, as well as a number of song books (my sister gave me DQ for my birthday in 1972). Then I moved, sold my guitar, and somehow my music life went into hibernation. Then about a year ago I bought a mandolin (inspired by Sierra Hull) and it was in looking for music to play on it that I discovered the music books. Then of course I had to goodle him and discovered he was playing here (Portland) the next month (last August). Oh my gosh, was that a life-changing experience; now I'm a born-again Lighthead, listen to him all day at work, trying to make up for 27 years lost. I didn't even know he had been so ill; am so thankful he's still with us!
It's so great to know that all of you out there love him as much as I do...

Ann
Portland

Re: My Lightfoot Connection...
 

Really wonderful to hear this Ann. Welcome back to this great music man. :)

Re: My Lightfoot Connection...
 

Welcome to our corner of Lightheads, Ann. I am sorry you missed all those years, but how nice you are making up for lost time. Hopefully you will be able to see a concert or two during GordQuest 2008. :clap: :clap: :clap: Be well. :)

DSR