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Originally Posted by ifchildrenhadwings
Thank you all (y'all) for the warm welcome. Speaking of looking for GL tapes or records in odd places, I recall finding a stash of Summer Side of Life 8 track tapes in a Newberry's store (locally called "the Dime Store") in Pineville, KY perhaps 25 or 30 years ago. I think I went back a couple of times, and finally wound up buying three or four of them, either at $1.99 or $2.99 each. I sure didn't have a lot of disposable income in those days, but I would always tend to buy any GL record or tape I would find in a bargain bin, partly because I couldn't bear to see his stuff so disregarded. I used to be so puzzled at how he wasn't better known, and didn't get more airplay, more Grammys, and more awards. It took me a long time to realize that the broader public really has poor taste in music (just look at some of the garbage that wins awards), and almost always goes for the novel, the catchy, the bubbly, the superficial... It also took me a long time to realize that it really doesn't matter that much - music is so much about personal preference anyway, and what resonates with one may leave another cold, etc., etc.
It must have been so frustrating for the artists like GL, to see schlock get all the record sales and awards, while his great stuff got very little notice. I would guess that it's better now, with fan groups like this one, showing their appreciation to the artist. I hope GL peruses this and similar sites sometimes and feels the love...
To hell with the Grammys anyway - Bob Marley defined a whole genre of music, and he never won any - at least while he was alive.
As far as my user name, If Children Had Wings is one of my top five GL favorites. I think it is pure genius, and it comes from a tremendous album, though one that is much maligned. I seem to have been shortened to "wings", and that's fine - the whole name is kinda unwieldy.
And, no, I didn't get to see GL in KY last year, but I'm going to make an effort to see him this year at one place or another. I'll let you know, and would be glad to meet any other fans.
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wings- I would think that Gordon's earlier recordings had relatively respectable sales. As far as airplay...mid-late 60's I surely can recall hearing songs like Pussywillows, Cattails and Early Morning Rain everyday on the radio. These songs and some others of his were being played right up there with all the other 'easy listening' songs of the day.
This is when he first became widely known and very popular...he was a pretty big deal. His level of popularity and not the heaviest of record sales was more related to the audience his music appealed to at the time, how his music was being marketed, amount of exposure, etc.
I would tend to think that rather than being frustrated, Gordon would have extremely pleased (and must still be) even estatic that his music was being played right along with 'softer' Beatles songs like Yesterday, Dionne Warwick's Bacharach songs and so on. Not too shabby!
His music appealed more to the older generation, rather than the teenagers at that time. My mother was in her early 40's during the mid-60's, buying his records. Had it not been that she was in her late 30's when I was born and I was young enough to be still at home and hearing these songs played during my nap time...I wouldn't have been exposed to his music until his later songs and more far-reaching exposure in the 70's.
Just timing there for me...that I wasn't yet in school and even while in Kindergarten and still taking naps when I got home. My mother always had to have the easy listening station on for me. And ended up that when I finally got my own radio, I had to have it playing at bedtime and all through the night. A habit that I didn't break until my son was a toddler.
So I kinda have to disagree with you about the broader public having poor taste. I think we have to consider what's relative here and not forget about the older generation.
I have yet to come across anyone of that generation who isn't familiar with Gordon. They have liked his music throughout the years..from the very first time it was marketed. This was his fan base and not so much the teenaged baby boomers. I'm mainly referring to - people like my mother's age (she would have been 83 this year) and older. If I mention Gordon Lightfoot to anyone who by now is in their late 80's early 90's...these are of that generation that were Lightfoot's 1st and earliest fans. They all immediately know who he is and that's stemming way back to those early years and into his more widely popular times.
Of course, I wouldn't be so familar with how popular Gordon has been with the older generation if not for my very early exposure and that I have spent much time with this generation through my work.
Pam