Keep watching the BBC

[youngstranger]

BBC Four in the UK and some other places have started a new series of singer songwriters at the BBC showing performance clips artists did for them over the years. I missed part 1 but part 2 last night had lots of rare clips from their In Concert series. Gord is advertised as being on one of these episodes, so, I think they will show a clip from his 1972(?) appearence on In Concert. I dont think this has been on TV since way back then so it should be interesting.

I will let you Canucks know what clip turns up!

[charlene]

Sounds terrific...keep us posted..

from lightfoot.ca:
1969
________________________________________
In his first appearance on a British stage, Canadian folk singer Gordon Lightfoot captivated his young audience at the Royal Festival Hall Monday with a program about rail hands and jailbirds, city life and country love.

"He has a rare talent for the creation of curiously luminous songs and for giving his most intensely personal lyrics intricate and unhackneyed shapes," says the Daily Telegraph in an unusually warm review.

"He succeeds above all without sentimentality and without one false note in voicing something strangely beautiful and moving about Canada, from the mountains to the little general store."

Lightfoot, who has written a number of successful albums, is a native of Orillia, Ontario. Many young Canadians helped fill the Festival Hall.

Then 1972:
London, UK
Royal Albert Hall - June 10, 1972
________________________________________
The Patriot's Dream
Summer Side Of Life
Alberta Bound
Cotton Jenny
Don Quixote
If You Could Read My Mind
Rock My World To Sleep
The Last Time I Saw Her
On Susan's Floor
Black Day In July
Ode To Big Blue
The Auctioneer
Sit Down Young Stranger
Christian Island
Beautiful
Bitter Green
Pussywillows Cat-tails
Ten Degrees And Getting Colder
Boss Man
Canadian Railroad Trilogy
Me And Bobby McGee
Miguel
Early Morning Rain

Then 1974: - In January, Sundown is released.
- In March, he writes the song that will be the title cut for his next album almost a year from then, Cold On The Shoulder.
- In March, Lightfoot records all of the Massey Hall shows for a live album. Because of a broken fingernail that could be heard on the tapes, the project is scrapped.
- Lightfoot's guitars and sound equipment are stolen in Saginaw, MI forcing him to cancel a concert in Ann Arbor.
- In June, Sundown holds down the #1 album position for three weeks.
- In June, Sundown reaches #1 on the single charts.
- In August, the UA compilation The Very Best Of Gordon Lightfoot peaks at #155 on the album charts.
- In November, Carefree Highway reaches #10 on the single charts.
- Facial Hair Tracker. Lightfoot shaved his beard for a short time in 1974, but regrew it before the year was out.

THEN 1975:
In October, he makes a brief tour of Europe with stops in Amsterdam, Hamburg, Munich, Frankfurt and finally at a sold out Royal Albert Hall in London.

[jj]

cool, young stranger....like cbc, bbc audio (adn video) stuff is top quality


char, this is classic 'studio' stuff not RFH or RAH (which i believe sir JF witnessed)

John, were you at the BBC studios for these sessions?


again, per our www.lightfoot.ca bible:


"Gordon Lightfoot In Concert" aired on January 22, 1972

Accompanied by Red Shea and Rick Haynes

Lightfoot performs:

Summer Side Of Life
Saturday Clothes
For Loving Me
Affair On Eighth Avenue
If You Could Read My Mind
Steel Rail Blues
Ten Degrees And Getting Colder
Early Morning Rain

The show only ran for 35 minutes, so it was certainly filled to the brim with music!

[charlene]

I see - I wonder if our BBC feed here in Toronto would run it?
nah...as if..

[johnfowles]

was drafting a detailed reply to this and thought I shoul check the internet whilst eagerly looking forwards to more news of this series
Bingo google is good for things other than driverless cars
from
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00v3m5b
Friday, 21:00 on BBC Four
Episode 3
3/4. Including Bobbie Gentry, Kris Kristofferson, Janis Ian, Gordon Lightfoot and John Martyn

[johnfowles]

see also
http://www.musicweek.com/story.asp?s...rycode=1042566
but

[johnfowles]

Unlike BBC radio which is both real time and on demand
yes if somebody in the States tries to watch as I just did for example
http://www.abbc.co.uk/iplayer/episod...Week_2_Results
although the BBC iPlayer ranrtalisingly shows a view of the program curtly superimposed in small print is
"Not available in your area"

[johnfowles]

This was my draft reply before I found definite dates
This is most exciting news! I hope those in the UK will keep us informed and bear in mind that the Beeb's tv on demand archive facilty does not allow access to plebs in other countries who do not pay the high UK BBC licence fee, Unlike BBC radio which is both real time and on demand
yes if somebody in the States tries to watch as I just did for example
http://www.abbc.co.uk/iplayer/episod...eek_2_Results/
although the BBC iPlayer rantalisingly shows a view of the program curtly superimposed in small print is the admonition "Not available in your area"
I was in the UK in 1971/72 and saw two television appearances by Gord as detailed by Wayne Francis on
http://www.lightfoot.ca/tvappear.htm
1 In CONCERT - BBC - 1971
Excerpted from concert, Lightfoot performs Farewell To Nova Scotia; Miguel; If You Could Read My Mind; Approaching Lavender and Me And Bobby McGee.
That is not strictly true however
I believe he wrote that in 1997 after I traded my precious collection of audio recordings for 2 2 hour compilation videotapes.
I have just rechecked the photocopy of the notes that I had sent to Wayne with the cassette tape copies of item I had recorded on a cheap battery powered reel to reel tape recorder
However the superbly "stonking" Nova Scotia and sweet Miguel had been recorded directly to an audio cassette by a mate and were possibly the entire Lightfoot content of that program.I cannot recall watching it nor nor now do I have any idea on what date but in my notes to Wayne I said simply BBC2 TV 1971
At about the same time I was still using the reel to reel recorder and it seems that at some time in 1971 I also recorded IYCFRMM Approaching Lavender and Me and Bobby Magee.
I must have been watching then to use the tape recorder but again I did not note the date nor do I recall if any other sngs were sung on that broadcast
On my notes to Wayne for those three I had also attributed them to BBC2 TV 1971
Wayne obviously and naturally concluded that those 3 plus Nova Scotia and Miguel were all from one and the same program but that is almost certainly incorrect.
In addition I now find it strange that Gord was in the UK in 1971 at all as he definitely did a small tour in 1972 so that the chances of him being there twice in 1971 seem slim
Unfortunately Wayne's annual listings only go back to 1974
2,GORDON LIGHTFOOT IN CONCERT - BBC - 1972
This program titled "Gordon Lightfoot In Concert" aired on January 22, 1972 at 11 PM. Accompanied by Red Shea and Rick Haynes, Lightfoot performs Summer Side Of Life; Saturday Clothes; For Loving Me; Affair On Eighth Avenue; If You Could Read My Mind; Steel Rail Blues; Ten Degrees And Getting Colder and Early Morning Rain. The show only ran for 35 minutes, so it was certainly filled to the brim with music.
Wayne obtained that information directly from a photocopy I sent him of a cutting from the BBC Radio Times
I have now managed to mislay the original cutting but I do have a photocopy of various items that I possibly sent to,Wayne and this is a scan of the relevant part of that photocopy

It was the issue as you can see dated January 20 which in 1972 was a Thursday
As you can see from that scan of the program detail portion of the page Wayne got most of that information from the cutting except for two facts
the exact date and the program length neither of which are on the scanned portion but both would have been on the complete page.
I can see from my scan that I had folded the page before making that scan.I cannot check the original to see if it was complete. if so I might have sent a scan of the whole page
There are two other mysteries:-
1.I cannot recall watching this program and if I had I feel sure I would have attempted to try to record the audio. So why did I not watch and/or record it?
2,As it is certain that Gord was on a British tour a few months later in June how likely is it that he was in London in January as well??
the answers to these apparent visit frequency questions just might have something to do with Brita being in Europe after they split up
The BBC had similar series on Singer/songwriters a long time ago I remember two great editions one starring Hoyt Axton, whose mother cowrote Heartbreak Hotel for Elvis with Hoyt and Dory Previn one of André Preview's ex wives the other.

[jj]

Originally Posted by johnfowles

However the superbly "stonking" Nova Scotia and sweet Miguel

it would be so wonderful to see a snippet of Miguel '71 live in that studio

http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/artists/9...9-c71926e3b2b6

if this pic they use for his bio is from the in studio '72 appearance is what they might be using in this songwriter series video montage, well, that would also be glorious as i assume he's performing 10 Degrees & Getting Colder or For Lovin Me

i believe those are the two from the set list that are on 12 string, capoed on 2nd fret (unlike EMR) and have a recurring D guitar chord...Summer Side of Life is also played on the gibson, but calls for no D

then again this pic may have no tie in, whatsoever, to what has been selected for the episode 3 segment, it's just that when i see a GL still, i try play 'name that tune', a prizeless edition

thx john, maybe someone in the viewing area will record and upload it for all

[jj]

CC, O.Ont, LL.D...what does all this stand for? Canadian Citizen, Orillia Ontario etc?

[Jim Nasium]

Youngstranger, thanks for bring this item up, I am surprised I missed this program, I usually trawl the BBC 4 programs for gems like this, but somehow missed it. Just watched part 2 on the iplayer, very good apart from one character I have never heard of and hope I never hear again. Will certainly be watching the remaining programs. Sir John I don't have a problem with the Licence fee currently £145.50 per annum, for quality viewing without advertising, a lot cheaper than Sky TV at about £40 per month. It is nice to watch American programs like Madmen, Damages, The Wire, Heros etc without a bunch of ad breaks. But when 24 was on the BBC it only lasted 45 minutes a short day.

[johnfowles]

Originally Posted by jj

CC, O.Ont, LL.D...what does all this stand for? Canadian Citizen, Orillia Ontario etc?

Very droll Jim
Or CC could be Clever Chap or Clogs but is most likely a simple typo and should be OC.
I had always assumed thst OO was the Order Of Ontario biut the wiki at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_Ontario
says that is either O Ont or possibly O.Ont
LL.D is for Gord's Honorary Doctor of Laws from Trent University,Peterborough ON in either June 1977 or thereabouts

[charlene]

He's rec'd:
- o.ont. - order of ontario
The Order of Ontario is intended to honour any current or former long time resident of Ontario who has demonstrated a high level of individual excellence and achievement in any field, demonstrating "the best of Ontario's caring and diverse society and [whose] lives have benefited society in Ontario and elsewhere."

c.c. - companion of the order of canada (this is 1st (top rank) in the order - gold)
companions have demonstrated the highest degree of merit to Canada and humanity, on either the national or international scene. Up to 15 Companions are appointed annually, with an imposed limit of 165 living Companions at any given time,[27] save for those appointed in an honorary capacity.

o.c.-office of the order of canada (this is 2nd in the order - gold)
m.o. - member of the order of canada (this is first in the order - silver)

LL.D (latin legum doctor) Doctor of Laws - from Trent University in 1979


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadia...ational_orders

[youngstranger]

Well tonight is the night so we will soon find out!

[charlene]

Paul in Norwich will be watching...

[Jim Nasium]

So will Jim in Gosport.

Here is a list of recently played Lightfoot songs on the Beeb.

# The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald
BBC 6 Music | Liz Kershaw 09/10/2010

# If You Could Read My Mind
BBC Radio 2 | Ken Bruce 29/09/2010

# Sundown
BBC Radio 2 | Richard Allinson 29/08/2010

# Daylight Katy
BBC Radio 2 | Steve Wright in the Afternoon 29/06/2010

# Early Morning Rain
BBC Radio 2 | Alex Lester 06/04/2010

[Jim Nasium]

Here is the blub that accompanies tonight's BBC4 program, some inaccuracies, I think!

Gordon Meredith Lightfoot, Jr., CC, O.Ont, LL.D (born November 17, 1938) is a Canadian singer and songwriter who has achieved international success in folk, country, and popular rock music.

As a singer-songwriter, tracks such as For Lovin' Me, Early Morning Rain, Steel Rail Blues and Ribbon of Darkness (which hit Number 1 in the US with Marty Robbins's cover in 1965) brought him international recognition in the 1960s. He also experienced chart success in Canada with his own recordings this decade, beginning in 1962 with the Number 3 hit "(Remember Me) I'm the One". His recordings then made their own impact on the international music charts in the 1970s, with original songs such as "If You Could Read My Mind" (1970) (Number 4 in the US), "Sundown" (1974), "Carefree Highway" (1974), "Rainy Day People" (1975), (all hitting Number 1) and "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" (1976) (hitting Number 2). Some of his albums have achieved gold and multi-platinum status internationally, and his songs have been recorded by some of the world's most renowned recording artists, including Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, The Kingston Trio, Marty Robbins, George Hamilton IV, Jerry Lee Lewis, Bob Dylan, Judy Collins, Barbra Streisand, Johnny Mathis, Viola Wills, Richie Havens, The Dandy Warhols, Harry Belafonte, Tony Rice, Sandy Denny (with Fotheringay), The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem, Scott Walker, Sarah McLachlan, John Mellencamp and Peter, Paul and Mary.

Robbie Robertson of The Band declared that Lightfoot was one of his "favourite Canadian songwriters and is absolutely a national treasure." Bob Dylan, also a Lightfoot fan, called him one of his favourite songwriters, and in an often-quoted tribute to his fellow songwriter, Dylan once observed that when he heard a Gordon Lightfoot song he wished "it would last forever." Lightfoot was a featured musical performer at the opening ceremonies of the 1988 Winter Olympic Games in Calgary, Alberta. He received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree (arts) in 1979, as well as the Companion of the Order of Canada - Canada`s highest civilian honor - in 2003. He has been referred to as Canada's greatest songwriter and internationally as a folk-rock legend.

[Jim Nasium]

jj, you have the right picture from the BBC4 blub about the program but on the set list Gordon is shown as doing IYCRMM, another of my favourite singer/songwriters in on Loudon Wainwright III, I will try and download it and post, but don't hold your breath.

[youngstranger]

It would be good if somebody could record it and maybe post the clip on YouTube. I don't live in the UK so I can only watch is live and not record it on my SkyPlus!

Hopefully if the BBC have dug out the tape for this show, they will show the entire episode some time soon as they have done for lots of other artists.

[jj]

yeah, i got the pic and (posed the link, i didn't bother to paste the text) to the same bio...i'd love to hear IYCRMM picked on a 12 (but obviously not the case)

note: John's cutting has it listed as this: IICRYM

enjoy folks!

[jj]

Originally Posted by johnfowles

]Friday, 21:00

hmm, with the time difference, i thought it would have been long over by now

i'll have to have another look at my globe....

[charlene]

21:00 It's on now.
that's 9 p.m. u.k. time = 4 p.m. our time here in TOronto..

[youngstranger]

He did IYCRMM. A nice live colour clip with Red Shea and whoever was on bass then! Sorry, forget if it is Rick Haynes or who...

It's from the In Concert show so it would be great if they screen the whole episode. It is not the same as photograph posted in the thread as Gord has different clothes and hair in the clip.

[Dan O'Malley]

just watched it on the bbc iplayer. Gord sings IYCRMM beautifully! From 1972, gord's hair looking good haha. hope the beeb broadcast the whole show. at last us english fans get something special!!!

[jj]

Originally Posted by youngstranger

He did IYCRMM. A nice live colour clip with Red Shea and whoever was on bass then! Sorry, forget if it is Rick Haynes or who...

how was sound clarity and mix between Gord's voice, he & Red's guitars and Rick's bass? i take it this was crisp video quality (based on other BBC archives viewed)

thanks for relaying all this....btw, anything interesting in the rest of the episode?