Gordon Lightfoot Forums - View Single Post - CHat #3 with CHar and Lightfoot

charlene · 07-15-2012, 01:43 PM

I asked Gordon if he had any goals left other than to continue touring and do the best job he can onstage. His reply was, “I want to leave a clean campsite, that’s my goal.” “I have a very large family.”
When we spoke about the big spread in age of his grandchildren (Ingrid has a son and daughter in their early/mid 20’s and Fred has 2 young children) he explained by saying, “Ingrid got married early and Fred got married late.” And I then asked, “are you going to get married late again?” He chuckled and said, “No, no I have no plans.”

I asked him about the cast on his hand back in 1970 @ Mariposa and he said, “it just occurred in accident.” I said it must have been worrisome for him to have a broken hand and he answered, “well it got better.” Lol
I also asked him if he remembered what tunes he played @ Mariposa 1972 when it was held on Toronto Island. He was sitting under a tree playing for a few people who had gathered around. It was the Mariposa that Dylan and Neil Young showed up at as well. (Dave Bidini writes about it and the year 1972 in his book “Writing Lightfoot”) http://davebidini.ca/ Gordon said he doesn’t remember what tunes he played but he remembers the day. He said Neil played in the afternoon at a workshop. He and Dylan didn’t perform, but he thought he might have done it the year before. They took it from Orillia to the island for 3 or 4 years. He said, “before that they had it at the old Maple Leaf baseball stadium.” I told him I remembered going to ballgames there as a kid. Gordon said he did a workshop with Mississippi John Hurt, the old blues guy, at a Mariposa festival. Then he mentioned the Reverend Gary Davis. He said, “my guitar player at the time was David Rea. He got to know Reverend Gary Davis and he practiced with him for about two days, non-stop. Davis never missed a lick either. It was a great learning experience for David. He passed away last year. A great guitar player.” http://davidreamusic.com/ http://reverendgarydavis.com/bio.html

I brought up how Carter is a fantastic player as well. Gordon replied. “that goes without saying!” “He’s actually getting better! I’m having something done to one of my guitars right now, a compensated saddle put on it and he’s getting a different type of electric. Not THAT much different, same type of guitar, it’s a solid body guitar he’s using there, that he’s working with. You’re going to see a hollow body guitar, same make, Gretsch Country Gentleman.” http://www.gretsch.com/ I said that Carter is having a great time up there playing and Gordon said, ‘well I don’t move around much up there but there’s still a lot of action going on. I told him that back in the day I used to be aware of only him onstage but now I see the interactions amongst the guys and with him during the songs and breaks, even if he did call them ‘his aggravations’ in Ottawa.. LOL. Gordon laughed and said, “I swear I went and said it again the next night!”

And once again I brought up the topic of him writing a book, perhaps one about his music, the influences behind specific songs, the sort of book he could write while he’s sitting out on the front porch. Gordon replied, “well, I don’t know, I would like to get the time to do that.” “I’ll tell you when Anne Murray wrote her book it took her two years to do it.” I told him I had it and read it and he said he read it too and said it’s an excellent book. “She’s one of our real stars, one of our real superstars.” I said I was never fortunate enough to see her perform live in concert and he told me he had seen her three or four times. I mentioned to him that it seems Anne now spends all of her time golfing. He said he didn’t blame her because she’s probably quite good at it. I asked, “you used to golf didn’t you?” and he said, “yeah but I had to give it up, it was interfering with my songwriting. I’m serious, I’d be writing a song and somebody would want to go golfing with me and I’d have to say sorry I can’t make it today, I’m working on a tune.”

I delved into the subject of songwriting, knowing he’s not going to record any longer but with all of the topical things going on in the world in politics, wars, social issues and the like does he ever just take pen to paper and scribble down some thoughts/lyrics? He said, “I’m not getting any younger and I’m concentrating on the shows, really I am, but it would be something more whimsical.” I replied that, “I just wondered if, as a songwriter, does it strike you to write things down regardless of whether it will turn into a song or be recorded.” He said, “yeah it does but it’s too isolating, I can’t afford to be like that, the obligations are completed, I’ve made twenty albums so I don’t have to make any more albums for anybody.”

I replied, “no you don’t, and those twenty albums have certainly stood the test of time and been a tribute to how you’ve performed and the integrity that you feel toward songwriting and excellence. You can pull those old albums off the shelf and play them and it’s just magic every time. That’s the legacy, the perfection that these albums have that you have put out. I never thought when I was a kid when I first went to see you at Massey Hall that today on my birthday when I’m turning 57..” Gordon then jumped in with a loud “ahhhh! Aha, Happy Birthday!!!” and I continued, “I started seeing you when I was 14 or so and that all these years later that I’d be talking to on my birthday and still seeing your concerts and travelling to see you, I guess I’m close to 100 concerts by now over all of those years. It’s fascinating that you are still out there singing these songs and performing and being the artist that you are.” Gordon said, “it’s a passion!” I then told him, “it’s a passion for your fans that come to your shows. You know so many of us that travel around to see you and come constantly to Massey that you probably think to yourself when you see me, “oh my god it’s her again!”.lol He laughed and said “oh no..no, no, no way..” I replied, “I’m glad to hear that because I worry that one day you’re going to say “why are you here again?!” He was laughing and said, “I just wade into those meet and greets!” I said, “it amazes me how you come out after a show and you’re so generous and polite and kind and interested what people have to say. I’m sure you could just …” and Gordon interjected with, “that’s where the training comes in!” LOL

Wrapping up our CHat, I then told him, “it’s a huge honour for me to talk to you after concerts and for you to phone me again Gordon. I so appreciate your time in calling me and making this birthday very special.”

“I’ll see you down the road Gord, take care of yourself, bye.”

“alright CHar!, Bye.”

And so ended the Gordon Lightfoot CHat with CHar #3. And still so many topics and questions yet to discuss..lol.

I’m looking forward to CHat #4 down the road..

07-15-2012, 01:43 PM	#19
charlene Moderator Join Date: May 2000 Posts: 16,001	Re: #3 CHat with CHar and Lightfoot I asked Gordon if he had any goals left other than to continue touring and do the best job he can onstage. His reply was, “I want to leave a clean campsite, that’s my goal.” “I have a very large family.” When we spoke about the big spread in age of his grandchildren (Ingrid has a son and daughter in their early/mid 20’s and Fred has 2 young children) he explained by saying, “Ingrid got married early and Fred got married late.” And I then asked, “are you going to get married late again?” He chuckled and said, “No, no I have no plans.” I asked him about the cast on his hand back in 1970 @ Mariposa and he said, “it just occurred in accident.” I said it must have been worrisome for him to have a broken hand and he answered, “well it got better.” Lol I also asked him if he remembered what tunes he played @ Mariposa 1972 when it was held on Toronto Island. He was sitting under a tree playing for a few people who had gathered around. It was the Mariposa that Dylan and Neil Young showed up at as well. (Dave Bidini writes about it and the year 1972 in his book “Writing Lightfoot”) http://davebidini.ca/ Gordon said he doesn’t remember what tunes he played but he remembers the day. He said Neil played in the afternoon at a workshop. He and Dylan didn’t perform, but he thought he might have done it the year before. They took it from Orillia to the island for 3 or 4 years. He said, “before that they had it at the old Maple Leaf baseball stadium.” I told him I remembered going to ballgames there as a kid. Gordon said he did a workshop with Mississippi John Hurt, the old blues guy, at a Mariposa festival. Then he mentioned the Reverend Gary Davis. He said, “my guitar player at the time was David Rea. He got to know Reverend Gary Davis and he practiced with him for about two days, non-stop. Davis never missed a lick either. It was a great learning experience for David. He passed away last year. A great guitar player.” http://davidreamusic.com/ http://reverendgarydavis.com/bio.html I brought up how Carter is a fantastic player as well. Gordon replied. “that goes without saying!” “He’s actually getting better! I’m having something done to one of my guitars right now, a compensated saddle put on it and he’s getting a different type of electric. Not THAT much different, same type of guitar, it’s a solid body guitar he’s using there, that he’s working with. You’re going to see a hollow body guitar, same make, Gretsch Country Gentleman.” http://www.gretsch.com/ I said that Carter is having a great time up there playing and Gordon said, ‘well I don’t move around much up there but there’s still a lot of action going on. I told him that back in the day I used to be aware of only him onstage but now I see the interactions amongst the guys and with him during the songs and breaks, even if he did call them ‘his aggravations’ in Ottawa.. LOL. Gordon laughed and said, “I swear I went and said it again the next night!” And once again I brought up the topic of him writing a book, perhaps one about his music, the influences behind specific songs, the sort of book he could write while he’s sitting out on the front porch. Gordon replied, “well, I don’t know, I would like to get the time to do that.” “I’ll tell you when Anne Murray wrote her book it took her two years to do it.” I told him I had it and read it and he said he read it too and said it’s an excellent book. “She’s one of our real stars, one of our real superstars.” I said I was never fortunate enough to see her perform live in concert and he told me he had seen her three or four times. I mentioned to him that it seems Anne now spends all of her time golfing. He said he didn’t blame her because she’s probably quite good at it. I asked, “you used to golf didn’t you?” and he said, “yeah but I had to give it up, it was interfering with my songwriting. I’m serious, I’d be writing a song and somebody would want to go golfing with me and I’d have to say sorry I can’t make it today, I’m working on a tune.” I delved into the subject of songwriting, knowing he’s not going to record any longer but with all of the topical things going on in the world in politics, wars, social issues and the like does he ever just take pen to paper and scribble down some thoughts/lyrics? He said, “I’m not getting any younger and I’m concentrating on the shows, really I am, but it would be something more whimsical.” I replied that, “I just wondered if, as a songwriter, does it strike you to write things down regardless of whether it will turn into a song or be recorded.” He said, “yeah it does but it’s too isolating, I can’t afford to be like that, the obligations are completed, I’ve made twenty albums so I don’t have to make any more albums for anybody.” I replied, “no you don’t, and those twenty albums have certainly stood the test of time and been a tribute to how you’ve performed and the integrity that you feel toward songwriting and excellence. You can pull those old albums off the shelf and play them and it’s just magic every time. That’s the legacy, the perfection that these albums have that you have put out. I never thought when I was a kid when I first went to see you at Massey Hall that today on my birthday when I’m turning 57..” Gordon then jumped in with a loud “ahhhh! Aha, Happy Birthday!!!” and I continued, “I started seeing you when I was 14 or so and that all these years later that I’d be talking to on my birthday and still seeing your concerts and travelling to see you, I guess I’m close to 100 concerts by now over all of those years. It’s fascinating that you are still out there singing these songs and performing and being the artist that you are.” Gordon said, “it’s a passion!” I then told him, “it’s a passion for your fans that come to your shows. You know so many of us that travel around to see you and come constantly to Massey that you probably think to yourself when you see me, “oh my god it’s her again!”.lol He laughed and said “oh no..no, no, no way..” I replied, “I’m glad to hear that because I worry that one day you’re going to say “why are you here again?!” He was laughing and said, “I just wade into those meet and greets!” I said, “it amazes me how you come out after a show and you’re so generous and polite and kind and interested what people have to say. I’m sure you could just …” and Gordon interjected with, “that’s where the training comes in!” LOL Wrapping up our CHat, I then told him, “it’s a huge honour for me to talk to you after concerts and for you to phone me again Gordon. I so appreciate your time in calling me and making this birthday very special.” “I’ll see you down the road Gord, take care of yourself, bye.” “alright CHar!, Bye.” And so ended the Gordon Lightfoot CHat with CHar #3. And still so many topics and questions yet to discuss..lol. I’m looking forward to CHat #4 down the road..