Gordon Lightfoot Forums - View Single Post - CHat-SURPRISE call and I'll Tag Along-Mariposa/2010/50th SURPRISE

charlene · 07-13-2010, 11:22 PM

Mariposa – 50th anniversary celebration – Tudhope Park - Orillia, Ontario
http://www.mariposafolk.com and http://www.orilliapacket.com/Article...aspx?e=2664219

Friday July 9, Saturday July 10 and Sunday July 11, 2010

We arrived in Orillia around 11 a.m. on Sunday morning. The weather was perfect – no clouds, slightly humid and no rain in the forecast. The drive up with Brian (he drove), Melanie, Bonnie and Lisa was about 90 minutes and we listened to an old Jim Croce album that had EMR on it as well as J.P.Cormiers’ “The Long River” tribute CD of Lightfoot tunes.

The winding Highway #12 out of Whitby leads right into Orillia and past farmers fields of hay and corn dotted with beautiful old homes and churches, barns and silos. Horses and cows enjoying a beautiful summer day 90 minutes north of Toronto dotted the grassy areas.

Due to heavy rains on Thursday the parking area had been cut in half and was available in town at the arena with shuttle buses bringing people back to the park. We parked about5 minutes up the highway on the side of the road and trekked back to Tudhope Park with our chairs and blanket.

On either side of the highway near the park both Lake Simcoe and Couchiching waters were calm and had boaters out enjoying the weather and kids swimming along the shore.
Tudhope Park was filling fast with folks walking through the vendors area, down the winding paths to the various tents set up under the trees. In front of the main stage thousands of chairs and blankets marked the spots folks had saved while they went off to hear various artists performing on the other stages. Live music was available on all stages all day as it had been on Saturday and on Friday from 4.

Alongside the mainstage was a huge video screen and camera on a huge boom. This would be great for those who really wanted an up close view of the performers.
We set up our spots and started wandering through the park enjoying the respite from the hot sun under the beautiful old trees. We saw Murray McLauchlan with Catherine MacLellan and Little Miss Higgins doing a workshop entitled “The Field Behind the Plow”..Murray told us that every anniversary/birthday etc. he writes a poem or some such thing in a leather bound book for his wife. This year he wrote her a song and he sang it for us. It was absolutely lovely, entitled “Please Don’t Wake Me Up.”

Ian Tyson designed the original Mariposa ‘sun’ logo and several years ago Murray re-designed it to the winking eye on the suns face. I remember seeing Murray at High Park in Toronto back in the early 70’s singing his big hit “Farmer’s Song”, a tribute to the people who put food on our table. He was saving it for the mainstage show later in the evening.
http://www.myspace.com/murraymclauchlan
http://www.catherinemaclellan.com
http://www.littlemisshiggins.com

At another stage we listened to Mike Ford, David Francey and David Gunning at a workshop called “My Folk Heroes.” Both Mike and David Gunning have performed at the Lightfoot Tribute shows at Hugh’s Room in Toronto. I had a chance to talk to Dave Gunning for a while-what a lovely and talented young man.
http://www.mikeford.ca
http://www.davidfrancey.com
http://www.davegunning.com

At another we listened to Tribute show veterans “Madison Violet” – sublime harmonies from these two ladies. http://www.madisonviolet.com

I really enjoyed the Ian Tyson led group that was set in amongst the trees. Suzie Vinnick was sitting in with him. Ian was a totally laid back cowboy with a total style that just said “cool” He had his white cowboy hat on and a pair of shades even though there was no sun coming through the trees and he was sitting on a stage with a canopy. Man it was wonderful to hear him. I’ve wanted to see him for decades! He didn’t do 4 strong Winds tho – saving it for later.. http://www.iantyson.com
http://www.suzievinnick.com

We also enjoyed the so sweet harmonies of Madison Violet – Brenley MacEachern and Lisa MacIsaac who do such a gorgeous version of Poor Little Alison. http://www.madisonviolet.com

Nestled among the trees was a “Guitars on Parade” art installation Many others were installed in the downtown core but I didn’t get out to see them. I do have a souvenir book with great pics of the others so will scan them. Larrivee guitars are Canadian icons – especially the Florentine cutaway and classically inspired body shape of the Larrivee C-10. The guitars were made in this shape. This was a collection of 6 foot tall wooden guitars painted front and back in different themes. There was a stylized Canadian red maple leaf that I loved and of course a Lightfoot one that depicted his SUNDOWN cover on the front and a setting sun on the back of the guitar. I wanted to take it home but it wouldn’t fit in my purse!

In the tent where CD’s, T-shirts etc. were sold there was a sign hanging over some merchandise that said SURPRISE SPECIAL GUESTS – the CD’s and T-Shirts were Jim Cuddy of Blue Rodeo stuff. So much for the surprise!

Lisa and I ran into Kenyon and his girlfriend and we chatted for a while. Always a treat to see my internet son and the lovely Johanna.

There were some tasty things to eat as well as a beer tent with entertainment. It was a ‘green’ festival so there was a place you could have your water bottles filled for free. They were not selling water in plastic bottles this year. http://www.orilliapacket.com/Article...aspx?e=2665686

Around 3 p.m. or so the sky started looking troublesome. Grey clouds were moving in and circling around the area. It started to rain very lightly. Brian ran back to the car to get the rain slickers while we covered the seats with the blanket and umbrellas. The light rain didn’t last long but at 4:15 it started up again and it really came down hard. It didn’t look like it would be an all night rain but you never know with the way the clouds circle around the and over the two lakes picking up moisture to drop on festival goers!

On the Mainstage the closing concert events were starting at 5:00 and were only delayed about 10 minutes before the Whiteley Brothers came onstage for their set. Man they play the blues with such emotion ! http://www.kenwhiteley.com/index.php?show=31 Ken performed at a Lightfoot tribute show.

It started to rain again but didn’t last too long and Murray McLauchlan was up next. I’ve always been a fan of his and enjoyed his set back in 2007 and remembered back to the early 70’s when I saw him performing in High Park to a crowd on the lawns and in the surrounding trees. The Farmers Song was his big hit at the time – a moving tribute to the farmers who put the food on our tables. It never fails to make you thankful for the farmers of the world.

He sang his song for his wife again, Please Don’t Wake Me Up, On The Boulevard, Sunshine and Shadows, Whispering Rain, No Change In Me, The Child’s Song, Walk Away and for his encore he sang The Farmers Song with thousands of us singing along with him as we did with Whispering Rain. He’s a great storyteller and has a terrific stage presence. http://www.myspace.com/murraymclauchlan I got teary during a few of Murray’s songs remembering back 40 years ago and what those songs meant to me as a kid and how the meaning in them has changed for me over time.

Next on the bill were introductions of many Mariposa staff, founders, volunteers etc.
Sylvia Tyson was on next. It was around 7:10 p.m. and the skies were clear. Sylvia sang some of her tunes, some that I had heard over the years but don’t’ know titles. The one I did know was her hit “You Were On My Mind” which was another singalong for the crowd like it was for River Road.
http://www.quartette.com/sylvia.htm She is also a member of the group Quartette.

The Breakmen were up next – I’ve never heard of them but they had great voices and harmonies. http://www.thebreakmen.com

Ian Tyson – what a voice..so recognizable even with the rough edges it has now. He’s another wonderful storyteller onstage. He said “Sylvia sounds great and I can’t wait to hear the great Gordon Lightfoot” as soon as he stepped up to the mic. He’s a cowboy out in Alberta so many of his songs are about the countryside there and his images are vivid and romantic, telling about the hardships of being a rancher in the Canadian west. I loved his Big Alberta Sky and Ramblers and Mustangs..I think it was titled that anyway. He talked about the weather out west and how winter seems to last until the end of June and then introduced one tune he called his ‘oxymoron song’…Springtime in Alberta..lol. Bonnie knew exactly what he was talking about. I experienced snow out there in late April 2009 and thought it crazy! He sang 8 songs and left the stage but he was back to sing an iconic Canadian song that I love – Four Strong Winds. He strummed a few notes and the crowd went wild making him laugh and say “I think I recognize this tune, did I hear it on American Idol?” And then he brought all of us to our feet as he started his beautiful , sad love song. We all sang along, swaying back and forth and just taking it all in. At the point where Sylvia sang he called her onstage and a huge roar went up as she sang her part and then with Ian. It brought a lot of people to tears. It was beyond touching and memorable..it was truly ‘a moment in time.” I’m tearing up just typing this.
part 2 - next post..

07-13-2010, 11:22 PM	#42
charlene Moderator Join Date: May 2000 Posts: 16,004	Re: 50th anniversary of Mariposa report Mariposa – 50th anniversary celebration – Tudhope Park - Orillia, Ontario http://www.mariposafolk.com and http://www.orilliapacket.com/Article...aspx?e=2664219 Friday July 9, Saturday July 10 and Sunday July 11, 2010 We arrived in Orillia around 11 a.m. on Sunday morning. The weather was perfect – no clouds, slightly humid and no rain in the forecast. The drive up with Brian (he drove), Melanie, Bonnie and Lisa was about 90 minutes and we listened to an old Jim Croce album that had EMR on it as well as J.P.Cormiers’ “The Long River” tribute CD of Lightfoot tunes. The winding Highway #12 out of Whitby leads right into Orillia and past farmers fields of hay and corn dotted with beautiful old homes and churches, barns and silos. Horses and cows enjoying a beautiful summer day 90 minutes north of Toronto dotted the grassy areas. Due to heavy rains on Thursday the parking area had been cut in half and was available in town at the arena with shuttle buses bringing people back to the park. We parked about5 minutes up the highway on the side of the road and trekked back to Tudhope Park with our chairs and blanket. On either side of the highway near the park both Lake Simcoe and Couchiching waters were calm and had boaters out enjoying the weather and kids swimming along the shore. Tudhope Park was filling fast with folks walking through the vendors area, down the winding paths to the various tents set up under the trees. In front of the main stage thousands of chairs and blankets marked the spots folks had saved while they went off to hear various artists performing on the other stages. Live music was available on all stages all day as it had been on Saturday and on Friday from 4. Alongside the mainstage was a huge video screen and camera on a huge boom. This would be great for those who really wanted an up close view of the performers. We set up our spots and started wandering through the park enjoying the respite from the hot sun under the beautiful old trees. We saw Murray McLauchlan with Catherine MacLellan and Little Miss Higgins doing a workshop entitled “The Field Behind the Plow”..Murray told us that every anniversary/birthday etc. he writes a poem or some such thing in a leather bound book for his wife. This year he wrote her a song and he sang it for us. It was absolutely lovely, entitled “Please Don’t Wake Me Up.” Ian Tyson designed the original Mariposa ‘sun’ logo and several years ago Murray re-designed it to the winking eye on the suns face. I remember seeing Murray at High Park in Toronto back in the early 70’s singing his big hit “Farmer’s Song”, a tribute to the people who put food on our table. He was saving it for the mainstage show later in the evening. http://www.myspace.com/murraymclauchlan http://www.catherinemaclellan.com http://www.littlemisshiggins.com At another stage we listened to Mike Ford, David Francey and David Gunning at a workshop called “My Folk Heroes.” Both Mike and David Gunning have performed at the Lightfoot Tribute shows at Hugh’s Room in Toronto. I had a chance to talk to Dave Gunning for a while-what a lovely and talented young man. http://www.mikeford.ca http://www.davidfrancey.com http://www.davegunning.com At another we listened to Tribute show veterans “Madison Violet” – sublime harmonies from these two ladies. http://www.madisonviolet.com I really enjoyed the Ian Tyson led group that was set in amongst the trees. Suzie Vinnick was sitting in with him. Ian was a totally laid back cowboy with a total style that just said “cool” He had his white cowboy hat on and a pair of shades even though there was no sun coming through the trees and he was sitting on a stage with a canopy. Man it was wonderful to hear him. I’ve wanted to see him for decades! He didn’t do 4 strong Winds tho – saving it for later.. http://www.iantyson.com http://www.suzievinnick.com We also enjoyed the so sweet harmonies of Madison Violet – Brenley MacEachern and Lisa MacIsaac who do such a gorgeous version of Poor Little Alison. http://www.madisonviolet.com Nestled among the trees was a “Guitars on Parade” art installation Many others were installed in the downtown core but I didn’t get out to see them. I do have a souvenir book with great pics of the others so will scan them. Larrivee guitars are Canadian icons – especially the Florentine cutaway and classically inspired body shape of the Larrivee C-10. The guitars were made in this shape. This was a collection of 6 foot tall wooden guitars painted front and back in different themes. There was a stylized Canadian red maple leaf that I loved and of course a Lightfoot one that depicted his SUNDOWN cover on the front and a setting sun on the back of the guitar. I wanted to take it home but it wouldn’t fit in my purse! In the tent where CD’s, T-shirts etc. were sold there was a sign hanging over some merchandise that said SURPRISE SPECIAL GUESTS – the CD’s and T-Shirts were Jim Cuddy of Blue Rodeo stuff. So much for the surprise! Lisa and I ran into Kenyon and his girlfriend and we chatted for a while. Always a treat to see my internet son and the lovely Johanna. There were some tasty things to eat as well as a beer tent with entertainment. It was a ‘green’ festival so there was a place you could have your water bottles filled for free. They were not selling water in plastic bottles this year. http://www.orilliapacket.com/Article...aspx?e=2665686 Around 3 p.m. or so the sky started looking troublesome. Grey clouds were moving in and circling around the area. It started to rain very lightly. Brian ran back to the car to get the rain slickers while we covered the seats with the blanket and umbrellas. The light rain didn’t last long but at 4:15 it started up again and it really came down hard. It didn’t look like it would be an all night rain but you never know with the way the clouds circle around the and over the two lakes picking up moisture to drop on festival goers! On the Mainstage the closing concert events were starting at 5:00 and were only delayed about 10 minutes before the Whiteley Brothers came onstage for their set. Man they play the blues with such emotion ! http://www.kenwhiteley.com/index.php?show=31 Ken performed at a Lightfoot tribute show. It started to rain again but didn’t last too long and Murray McLauchlan was up next. I’ve always been a fan of his and enjoyed his set back in 2007 and remembered back to the early 70’s when I saw him performing in High Park to a crowd on the lawns and in the surrounding trees. The Farmers Song was his big hit at the time – a moving tribute to the farmers who put the food on our tables. It never fails to make you thankful for the farmers of the world. He sang his song for his wife again, Please Don’t Wake Me Up, On The Boulevard, Sunshine and Shadows, Whispering Rain, No Change In Me, The Child’s Song, Walk Away and for his encore he sang The Farmers Song with thousands of us singing along with him as we did with Whispering Rain. He’s a great storyteller and has a terrific stage presence. http://www.myspace.com/murraymclauchlan I got teary during a few of Murray’s songs remembering back 40 years ago and what those songs meant to me as a kid and how the meaning in them has changed for me over time. Next on the bill were introductions of many Mariposa staff, founders, volunteers etc. Sylvia Tyson was on next. It was around 7:10 p.m. and the skies were clear. Sylvia sang some of her tunes, some that I had heard over the years but don’t’ know titles. The one I did know was her hit “You Were On My Mind” which was another singalong for the crowd like it was for River Road. http://www.quartette.com/sylvia.htm She is also a member of the group Quartette. The Breakmen were up next – I’ve never heard of them but they had great voices and harmonies. http://www.thebreakmen.com Ian Tyson – what a voice..so recognizable even with the rough edges it has now. He’s another wonderful storyteller onstage. He said “Sylvia sounds great and I can’t wait to hear the great Gordon Lightfoot” as soon as he stepped up to the mic. He’s a cowboy out in Alberta so many of his songs are about the countryside there and his images are vivid and romantic, telling about the hardships of being a rancher in the Canadian west. I loved his Big Alberta Sky and Ramblers and Mustangs..I think it was titled that anyway. He talked about the weather out west and how winter seems to last until the end of June and then introduced one tune he called his ‘oxymoron song’…Springtime in Alberta..lol. Bonnie knew exactly what he was talking about. I experienced snow out there in late April 2009 and thought it crazy! He sang 8 songs and left the stage but he was back to sing an iconic Canadian song that I love – Four Strong Winds. He strummed a few notes and the crowd went wild making him laugh and say “I think I recognize this tune, did I hear it on American Idol?” And then he brought all of us to our feet as he started his beautiful , sad love song. We all sang along, swaying back and forth and just taking it all in. At the point where Sylvia sang he called her onstage and a huge roar went up as she sang her part and then with Ian. It brought a lot of people to tears. It was beyond touching and memorable..it was truly ‘a moment in time.” I’m tearing up just typing this. part 2 - next post..