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charlene · 08-25-2015, 08:44 AM

TIMMINS PRESS: Musical primer on Lightfoot 0
By John Emms, The Daily Press-freelance
Monday, August 24, 2015 10:29:29 EDT PM

TIMMINS - Gordon Lightfoot arrives in the city with a heart of gold this Wednesday for the first time since 1969.

It's a very big deal.

Along with his fellow Canadian iconic songwriters Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Ian Tyson, Robbie Robertson, Leonard Cohen and Bruce Cockburn, Lightfoot is perhaps identified as the artist with a much recognized Canadian musical sensibility in his early work

Through his early lyrical content which reflected Canadian elements in songs such as Early Morning Rain, Canadian Railroad Trilogy and later on Alberta Bound, Lightfoot made history when he was recognized as the first English speaking musician to receive the Order of Canada in 1970.

People should also remember besides his 1968 political hit Black Day In July and possibly The Patriot’s Dream on the album Don Quixote in 1972, his music has relied more on the personal things that have touched his life rather than the political.

Gordon Lightfoot’s music did not get on my radar until mid 1966 or 1967.

But in order to understand that you have to have some background as to why it was important when I and many other Canadians including many in our city first heard it.

In the mid 1960s long before the iPod, portable CD players, the boom box or the Walkman, we had the transistor radio.

Sure my dad had a 1962 Volkswagen Beetle with a small radio, and we had a large tube radio in our house in South Porcupine, but the transistor radio was mine.

Portable sound, small in size and you could carry it anywhere listening to rock n' roll.

What could be better?

After The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, the British invasion and pop hits, I started listening to folk rock.

Of course there was Bob Dylan. My brother-in law had the 1963 Bob Dylan vinyl album the Freewheelin’ with Blowin’ In the Wind on it.

The Beatles had not appeared on Ed Sullivan yet, so music and my life of rock ‘n’ roll had not began.

For many of us it was folk rock that got us headed into discovering the singer-songwriters like Lightfoot

I can't remember if it was For Lovin Me or Go Go Round but I was struck by the clarity of the voice and the acoustic guitars even through those tiny speakers.

Before I had bought my first Lightfoot vinyl album “Did She Mention My Name” (later re-issued under the name of the album’s big hit, “If You Could Read My Mind”), I had purchased a few other albums Johnny Rivers Live at the Whisky a Go-Go, The Lovin’ Spoonful, The Turtles, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and of course The Doors debut album which my mom hated.

The Beamish store and Uly’s Gift Shop in South Porcupine were the stores where I purchased the albums.

I also visited my grandmother in Orillia, Ontario, which I would learn later was the home of Gordon Lightfoot

It was two weeks of vacation up on 410 Gill St. in Orillia from 1960 or so onward.

My dad had his employment at the Big Dome Mine and those two weeks were the only times he could visit his family.

Even though I was listening to rock artists a lot, I loved all types of popular music.

Around 1967 when my grandmother, uncle and aunt noticed my constant radio companion someone mentioned Orillia had their own singer that everyone was proud of.

To my surprise this guy was the same guy I had heard on the radio a year before — Gordon Lightfoot.

This Gordon Lightfoot musical primer will be a good guide for any age group .

Digitally your best bet would be the United Artists Retrospective — almost 50 songs.

These encompass a big part of of his original three-piece band recordings.

This is essential and includes album tracks and major hits.

For most people, the Gord’s Gold compilation released in 1975 is very popular

It is 22 tracks with re-recordings of songs like Softly, Bitter Green and Early Morning Rain.

The quality is excellent, but it does not contain Wreck of Edmund Fitzgerald.

Individually, my single album faves in order of preference are: Summertime Dream (1975), Sundown- (1974), Harmony (2004), Don Quixote (1972), If You Could Read My Mind (1970), the amazing 19-song CD All Live (2012) as well as the album titled Beautiful: A Tribute to Gordon Lightfoot featuring The Tragically Hip, Bruce Cockburn, Blue Rodeo and Cowboy Junkies to mention a few of the artists.

— John Emms is a local musician and long-time writer of Timmins’ music scene.

08-25-2015, 08:44 AM	#7
charlene Moderator Join Date: May 2000 Posts: 16,004	Re: TIMMINS article TIMMINS PRESS: Musical primer on Lightfoot 0 By John Emms, The Daily Press-freelance Monday, August 24, 2015 10:29:29 EDT PM TIMMINS - Gordon Lightfoot arrives in the city with a heart of gold this Wednesday for the first time since 1969. It's a very big deal. Along with his fellow Canadian iconic songwriters Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Ian Tyson, Robbie Robertson, Leonard Cohen and Bruce Cockburn, Lightfoot is perhaps identified as the artist with a much recognized Canadian musical sensibility in his early work Through his early lyrical content which reflected Canadian elements in songs such as Early Morning Rain, Canadian Railroad Trilogy and later on Alberta Bound, Lightfoot made history when he was recognized as the first English speaking musician to receive the Order of Canada in 1970. People should also remember besides his 1968 political hit Black Day In July and possibly The Patriot’s Dream on the album Don Quixote in 1972, his music has relied more on the personal things that have touched his life rather than the political. Gordon Lightfoot’s music did not get on my radar until mid 1966 or 1967. But in order to understand that you have to have some background as to why it was important when I and many other Canadians including many in our city first heard it. In the mid 1960s long before the iPod, portable CD players, the boom box or the Walkman, we had the transistor radio. Sure my dad had a 1962 Volkswagen Beetle with a small radio, and we had a large tube radio in our house in South Porcupine, but the transistor radio was mine. Portable sound, small in size and you could carry it anywhere listening to rock n' roll. What could be better? After The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, the British invasion and pop hits, I started listening to folk rock. Of course there was Bob Dylan. My brother-in law had the 1963 Bob Dylan vinyl album the Freewheelin’ with Blowin’ In the Wind on it. The Beatles had not appeared on Ed Sullivan yet, so music and my life of rock ‘n’ roll had not began. For many of us it was folk rock that got us headed into discovering the singer-songwriters like Lightfoot I can't remember if it was For Lovin Me or Go Go Round but I was struck by the clarity of the voice and the acoustic guitars even through those tiny speakers. Before I had bought my first Lightfoot vinyl album “Did She Mention My Name” (later re-issued under the name of the album’s big hit, “If You Could Read My Mind”), I had purchased a few other albums Johnny Rivers Live at the Whisky a Go-Go, The Lovin’ Spoonful, The Turtles, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and of course The Doors debut album which my mom hated. The Beamish store and Uly’s Gift Shop in South Porcupine were the stores where I purchased the albums. I also visited my grandmother in Orillia, Ontario, which I would learn later was the home of Gordon Lightfoot It was two weeks of vacation up on 410 Gill St. in Orillia from 1960 or so onward. My dad had his employment at the Big Dome Mine and those two weeks were the only times he could visit his family. Even though I was listening to rock artists a lot, I loved all types of popular music. Around 1967 when my grandmother, uncle and aunt noticed my constant radio companion someone mentioned Orillia had their own singer that everyone was proud of. To my surprise this guy was the same guy I had heard on the radio a year before — Gordon Lightfoot. This Gordon Lightfoot musical primer will be a good guide for any age group . Digitally your best bet would be the United Artists Retrospective — almost 50 songs. These encompass a big part of of his original three-piece band recordings. This is essential and includes album tracks and major hits. For most people, the Gord’s Gold compilation released in 1975 is very popular It is 22 tracks with re-recordings of songs like Softly, Bitter Green and Early Morning Rain. The quality is excellent, but it does not contain Wreck of Edmund Fitzgerald. Individually, my single album faves in order of preference are: Summertime Dream (1975), Sundown- (1974), Harmony (2004), Don Quixote (1972), If You Could Read My Mind (1970), the amazing 19-song CD All Live (2012) as well as the album titled Beautiful: A Tribute to Gordon Lightfoot featuring The Tragically Hip, Bruce Cockburn, Blue Rodeo and Cowboy Junkies to mention a few of the artists. — John Emms is a local musician and long-time writer of Timmins’ music scene.