Gordon Lightfoot Forums - WILKES-BARRE-PA-Nov.16-2015

Gordon Lightfoot at the F.M. Kirby Center in W-B. Warren Ruda / The Citizens' Voice

Gordon Lightfoot performs at F.M. Kirby Center
BY KRISTEN GAYDOS
Published: November 17, 2015
WILKES-BARRE — Gordon Lightfoot celebrated the night before his 77th birthday by treating his audience to a tour of his decades-spanning musical catalog Monday evening.

The singer songwriter performed as part of the 50 Years on the Carefree Highway Tour at the F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts.

The Canadian folk-rock artist has quite the career since he released the single “I’m Not Sayin’” in 1965. He’s released 19 studio, three live and 16 greatest hits albums. He released his debut record “Lightfoot!” in 1966, and his most recent live album “All Live” came out in 2012. He achieved international fame with hit songs like “If You Could Read My Mind,” “Sundown” and “Rainy Day People.”

Wearing a red velvet jacket, The still 76-year-old (his birthday is today) emerged to applause and opened the night with “The Watchman’s Gone” from 1974’s “Sundown,” his only album to reach number on the United States pop chart.

“All right, 1-2-3-4-5-6,” Lightfoot counted as the band went into “Waiting For You,” from his 1993 same-titled album, the 18th of his career.

“Well, hi. I’m Gordon Lightfoot and reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated,” Lightfoot said to laughter.

Several people in the crowd yelled out “Happy birthday,” and Lightfoot expressed his appreciation before continuing with “All the Lovely Ladies” from the 1975 album “Cold on the Shoulder.”

His soft, weathered voice still lent itself well to “I’d Rather Press On” from “Waiting For You,” “A Painter Passing Through” from the 1998 same-titled album, and “Beautiful” from 1972’s “Don Quixote,”

“I got my start back in the folk revival, 1963. As soon as the Beatles came along …” he made a noise of exasperation, which got laughter.

“I will continue to amaze you as the evening progresses,” he said, going into “Shadows” from the 1982 same-titled album.

The show was rescheduled from its original August date — since that show was supposed to start at 8 p.m., and Monday’s was supposed to start at 7:30 p.m., Lightfoot split the difference.

“So we decided to start at 7:45,” he said. “We always try to start on time and finish on time. We play good and get out of here.”

He verified Wilkes-Barre’s pronunciation with the audience, then played a few notes before saying, “Don’t you hate it when you forget the words to a song?” to laughter from the audience.

Lightfoot, who stood throughout the night, then moved to “Much to My Surprise” from “A Painter Passing Through,” and then “Cold on the Shoulder.”

He got a hearty round of applause in recognition of “Carefree Highway” from “Sundown,” a song that reached 10 on the Billboard Hot 100.

“Did She Mention My Name” from the 1968 same-titled album, then “Ribbon of Darkness” from his 1966 debut album “Lightfoot!” The audience cheered for “Sundown,” Lightfoot’s only single to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100.

After a brief intermission, Lightfoot emerged to pick it back up with “The Pony Man” from the 1970 album “Sit Down Young Stranger” (the record re-named “If You Could Read My Mind” shortly after release.

Before the moving “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald,” Lightfoot spoke about going up to the memorial earlier this fall on the 40th anniversary of the tragedy. Lightfoot wrote the 1976 song about the tragic sinking of the so-named bulk carrier on Lake Superior in 1975. All 29 crew members died.

Other second half highlights included “Sweet Guinevere” from 1978’s “Endless Wire,” “Never Too Close” from 1976’s “Summertime Dream,” and “Don Quixote” from the same-named-album.

kgaydos@citizensvoice.com, 570-821-2118