Fragile Gordon Lightfoot challenges Lubbock fans with quiet concert
Posted: August 19, 2010 - 11:52am
By William Kerns
Avalanche-Journal
The Gordon Lightfoot headlining on stage Wednesday was by no means the Lightfoot of old, and yet, even as his concert took on a wispy, etherial quality, his fans refused to desert his army.
Not every song was a hit from his recorded “Gord’s Gold” showcases, and not every song was easily heard/recognized. Lightfoot obviously instructs his sound engineer to keep the vocal volume low, which can be a challenge for the band members who love him, more than half having played with him for the past 30 to 40 years.
From opening song “Triangle,” leading into the more spirited “Cotton Jenny,” Lightfoot sang in what might be described as an exaggerated, and somewhat amplified, whisper.
If less that die-hard fans left early, well, one cannot really blame them.
Yet the partial standing ovation which greeted Lightfoot’s appearance was repeated numerous times Wednesday at the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center Theatre. Many no doubt were present to pay tribute to a legend, the Canadian singer-songwriter who became nothing short of an icon of 1960s and ’70s folk and folk-rock.
Many who have followed Lightfoot’s career viewed Wednesday’s performance as a two-hour symbol of courage. Indeed, Lightfoot apparently still needs to perform as much as we need to hear “Carefree Highway,” “Beautiful” and “Spanish Moss.”
Keep in mind how much Lightfoot, who is closer to 72 than his 71st birthday, fought to keep performing: a man who was in a coma for six weeks and had a tracheotomy and four operations in 2002, then struggled to regain use of fingers needed to play guitar after a stroke in 2006. In the eyes of his most staunch fans, Lightfoot is not merely an entertainer.
He is a champion reaching out to them with humor and song, knowing full well when even favorite chords can serve as adrenalin and let them know that their favorites were on the way.
Lightfoot always has loved old, silly jokes, and managed one between songs. “Come on out to the rock pile with me, baby, and I’ll get a little bolder.” (Think about it.)
Trying to connect with the Lubbock fans who packed, but did not sell out, the theater, he noted first that Buddy Holly and Mac Davis are from Lubbock, and earned cheers.
He said, “And Jerry Jeff Walker is from here, too,” and again was rewarded with cheers, despite the fact that Walker probably never even made a stop in Lubbock for gas when he was moving from New York to Austin almost 40 years back. Regardless, Walker was simply used as an introduction to a memory when he was joined by Doug Kershaw, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott and Kris Kristofferson for what turned out to be a three-day party at Lightfoot’s home in Canada.
He had as much fun sharing that story as the one about being taken for a ride by a jet pilot at Reese Air Force Base when he visited Lubbock in 1975.
Nevertheless, while there were roars of approval when Lightfoot sang “If You Could Read My Mind” (joking about lyrics afterward), “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” and “Sundown,” he would close his eyes and find his own private place when sharing the words to “Don Quixote” and “A Painter Passing Through.”
It seemed a privilege to even be allowed to lean forward and strain to pick out favorite passages.
His only introduction for “Ribbon of Darkness,” was, “Marty Robbins had a hit with this song I wrote.”
It took him longer to name all of the artists who enjoyed chart success with his still beautiful “Early Morning Rain,” and, when drummer Barry Keane provided a dramatic introduction, Lightfoot delivered an inspired version of “Song for a Winter’s Night” late in the show.
The music played by his four-man band provided a dependable anchor throughout, with longtime friend Terry Clements playing all of the guitar leads, Rick Haynes on bass, and young keyboardist Michael Heffeman referred to as “the rookie” by Lightfoot.
It is doubtful that one ever will listen to a quieter concert and yet — showing his age, looking frail, with slightly longer hair swept back behind his ears — Lightfoot was determined to stand at the microphone throughout a pair of 50-minute sets, separated by a 20-minute intermission.
He appeared stronger as he started his second set with “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald,” obviously one of the evening’s longer songs and yet demanding a somber touch. Still, as though knowing that many in the audience never had seen him before or never would see him play live again, Lightfoot shared many songs that hold a place in his heart, ranging from “If Children had Wings” to “Restless” and “Let It Ride.”
The effort was special and, one hopes, will guide listeners to more effective recordings.
Nevertheless, in just under two hours, he played 30 songs before saying goodbye, then opted to bring back another non-hit, the upbeat “Blackberry Wine,” as his encore.
Sure, his fans would have stayed for more. But he was through, acknowledging the ovation by walking out, smiling while giving a pair of thumbs-up signs in sincere appreciation, and then, a final bow.
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