Re: Barry Harvey
Another mid-morning sleepless night;
jj- I too laffed when Barry told me of his love for ROCK - hard rock music when I spoke with him about being so lucky to hear Lightfoot music in so many places and so often over the years!
Yes that night in Hamilton was so special and he (and the band) all seemed so proud of Gord and happy to be back performing.
He had to be tough at times and he always tried (and succeeded) to do the best for Gord, the band and ultimately the fans.
I think I'll always laff when I remember how he was at Mariposa this year during that terrible rain and lightning..how he kept coming up the side stairs to stage level, watching Gord, running his hands thru his hair, coming back up with a guitar case and standing there, it seemed he was willing Gord to leave, to get the hell out of there..He'd leave and be gone for a few minutes and then he'd be right there again and even from the distance away that I was it seemed he was being so protective of Gord and the others. He had his shoulders hunched and he'd turn and look up at the lightning and head backstage again when it was clear that no one was going anywhere.. yet he kept trying..
I'll also remember his and Anne's bafflement (much like mine) regarding the phone call that Gord was going to make to me...we all had a chuckle about it but were still baffled..
It will be a very different concert when next I attend one...that familiar fellow rushing around doing a hundred things, talking to a hundred people before and after the show and from what I always saw with the fans and expereinced myself, he was always polite and a gentleman. Sometimes hard to get a smile from but he was doing a monumental job with a myriad of unknown surprises on a constant basis..he was always scanning around watching it all, assessing the comings and goings of everyone and making sure that the fans experienced the finest show he could give us via the music and talents of the band and Gord when they set foot on the stage.
In the last few years I had said thank you to him in person and I'd sent cards to both him and Anne at the office to express my thanks for their diligence, talents and hard work. I hope he knew that we all understand and gave thanks for all he did to bring us Gordon Lightfoot onstage and in recordings and other appearances for us for so many years.
His loss is huge to the EMP family but immeasurable to his family.
My thoughts are with them at this terribly sad time.
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