banner.gif (3613 Byte)

Corner.gif 1x1.gif Corner.gif
1x1.gif You are at: Home - Discussion Forum 1x1.gif
Corner.gif 1x1.gif Corner.gif
      
round_corner_upleft.gif (837 Byte) 1x1.gif (807 Byte) round_corner_upright.gif (837 Byte)

Go Back   Gordon Lightfoot Forums > General Discussion

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old 05-01-2010, 01:17 PM   #1
charlene
Moderator
 
Join Date: May 2000
Posts: 15,877
Default #2 CHat with CHar - Mr. Lightfoot called AGAIN !

Tuesday April 27, 2010
Telephone Interview #2
Gordon Lightfoot

Back in January at Hugh’s Room Gordon Lightfoot managed, once again to surprise me. Not once, but twice. I have already mentioned that he sang “I’ll Tag Along” and then told me that he sang it for me because he knew I’d be there.
Okay – that would count as more than enough of a surprise and something that made me more than thrilled and grateful. look to the report/pcs/video of that night at Hugh's! http://corfid.com/vbb/showthread.php...ight=feel+2010

BUT..he had ONE more thing to say that night. Oh yes..one more surprise from Mr. Lightfoot.

Just prior to leaving he came over to me and said he thought we could do another interview! Omigoodness – Of course I replied that it would be great to do another one. I told him he had my number and call anytime! He replied, “I know where you are.” I said “I’m wherever YOU are!”..lol

So it was left that I would call the office and arrange things with Anne and we’d go from there.

To say I was flabbergasted is an understatement. And it meant that I had to get some questions together! I am not a journalist! I’m just a fan!
Time passed, real life interrupted, and I never called the office! I went to the CBC Songwriter event in February, the Casino Rama/Orillia concert in March and Peterborough and Hamilton concerts mid April. In the few moments I had with him backstage in Peterborough I asked if he was still wanting to do the phone interview and he said, “Yes! for sure, call Anne next week!”

Well the next week came and I didn’t call but did write some thoughts and questions down and planned to call him THIS week to set up the interview .

Monday morning while I was on the phone with some gawd forsaken automated call system at Lisa’s college and she was here with the tv on I heard her say “Early Morning Productions”mum! I didn’t know what prompted that outburst until she pointed to the television where it said “Earl Mrng Prod” and the phone number ! Because I was busy with the damn messages on the phone I didn’t hear the usual ‘beep’ that meant another call was coming in. And it really wouldn’t have mattered because with this new phone I have no idea how to answer a second incoming call ! So I quickly hung up and answered the more important call – hoping that I wasn’t too late but absolutely terrified about WHY anyone from EMP would be calling..but I never expected it to be Gordon.

I said “hello” with a bit of trepidation and THAT voice we know and love said “Hi Char! It’s Gordon.”… !!
He called to see if we were still doing the interview and asked if it would be better to talk in the evening when he’s home or in the morning around 11 when he’d be in the office. I said morning worked for me just as well as evening but since he’s in the office we could do a morning chat. He told me he would call me one day next week to give me a days notice so I could get my ‘stuff’ setup and be ready.

After we talked for a few minutes and I calmed down I typed up the list of questions/thoughts I had scribbled on a scrap piece of paper. I had a week or so to get them organized and to add any extras I may come up with. It would also give me time to try out the speaker system on this new phone and see how it worked with Lisa’s digital recorder. It goes without saying that I was quite excited and nervous but I had a week to get it together and at least act like I was calm when we eventually did the chat.

Well……that idea went to hell in a handbasket when the phone rang again Tuesday morning and the display showed that Earl Mrng Prod was calling! Oh dear…My first thought was that the interview was being called off ..Darn!! I hesitantly answered, saying hello with a bit of forced cheeriness anticipating that perhaps Anne would break the bad news to me.
But it was Gordon again! “Char! Do you want to do the interview today? How about in 30 minutes or so? Can you get it together by then?” (WHAT!!!!!).“SURE!!” I replied, “no problem!” (I had obviously lost my mind) So I said, “Okay! “Call me when you’re ready!” he answered. Omigawd!!!! - I had to print up the question sheet, get the recorder loaded with fresh batteries, try out the speaker phone on it, load the cassette recorder and oh by the way I had two toddlers I care for who were playing and watching Winnie The Pooh! But SURE – no problem to do a phone interview in 30 minutes! -- Lol --Was I crazy??? Thankfully Lisa took the kids to another part of the house to play and watch their movie while I had peace and quiet to talk to Gordon.

I had a few minutes to calm down and start breathing again before dialing the number for EMP and embarking on the SECOND installment of “Gordon Lightfoot CHats with Char”!!! The first one was 3 years ago – March 2007. I hope it’s not another 3 years before the 3rd installment!

So…here’s the gist of it all…

GL – Okay Char!
CW –How ya doin?
GL – I’m doing good!
CW-good…so everything is ready for the next set of the tour?
GL – yep we’re leaving the 11th of June, we’re out for a long time.
CW-I can’t believe the length of time you’re out and number of shows you do in the nights you are out.
GL – we're out for the 11th to the 27th and we will not do anything all thru the summer. We’ll be here looking after our responsibilities.
CW-you’ve got Mariposa coming up in July.
GL-I’ve got the family here and I try to pay a lot of attention.
CW-that’s good, I guess you’ve got a birthday coming up pretty soon? Meredith’s birthday?
GL-yes,Meredith’s birthday is coming up on May 11.
CW- she’s going to be 16?
GL-yes, yes she is.
CW-good luck to you!
CW-I wanted to talk to you about that horrible rumour a couple of months ago. Poor Ronnie Hawkins was pretty shook up about the whole thing. Do you have any idea who started that or is there any way to track something as terrible as that sort of rumour?
GL-It came out of TWITTER and from there it went to CanWest.
CW-somebody called Ronnie, he said his business company in the states got a call from someone saying they were your grandson.
GL- I don’t know.
CW-that’s crazy stuff but thankfully nothing came of it. I got some calls as did Bernie and your office…
GL – it was a very interesting experience!
CW-you’re the only who really knew for a few minutes that it wasn’t true!
GL-I was in my car, in transit and I was heading for the office.
CW-what did you think?
GL-what did I think? I thought to put my foot on the gas. (laughing)
CW-it must have been worrisome for you that any of the family would hear something like that before you could hold of them.
GL-yes it was. Precisely.
CW-it was wonderful to see Ronnie Hawkins in Peterborough. He’s looking good and you did Home From The Forest. When was the last time you did that in concert?
GL-well we knew he was coming to the show and we worked on it a bit at rehearsal and got it into shape in the dates leading up to it. We did it live one night at one of the other dates to see how it worked. It still needs some work. One of the reasons I never sang it very much is it had some ambiguity in the structure and arrangement which I had to get ironed out which really was never done. We’ll be able to use that one, probably rotate that one into the show.
CW-that would be wonderful. I know the next night in Hamilton you did it and everyone was thrilled to hear it. I checked on Wayne’s site on old set lists and couldn’t find it going back years.
GL-we can’t do them all!
CW-well you could but you just don’t want to. (laughing)
GL-we’ve put five new ones in in the last year and a half. We rotate them back and forth between shows so we don’t necessarily do them all every night. We work within a frame work of time. You don’t want to get out there and stay out there and wear out the welcome mat. It’s good to do just slightly over two hours with a twenty minute intermission. It’s comfortable. A lot of places they want the people to take the intermission.

2nd part - next post
charlene is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-01-2010, 01:18 PM   #2
charlene
Moderator
 
Join Date: May 2000
Posts: 15,877
Default Re: Mr. Lightfoot called AGAIN ! CHat with CHar - 2nd edition!

CW-Well I’ll tell you as somebody sitting in the audience, those two time frames on either side of that break go awfully fast!
GL-well we can stretch them out a little bit but not by much.It’s around two hours and eight minutes now.
CW-well we’re thankful that you’re up there doing those two hours and eight minutes. You were down at Hugh’s Room again in January. Jory was just thrilled with the evening that you were down and got up and sang. What prompted you to get up and do a bit of The Trilogy with Richard Knechtel?
GL-I did not do that, I did Alberta Bound with the Good Brothers.
CW-oh, okay, but back in January when you were down with Bernie you got up with Richard Knechtel and did a little bit of The Trilogy. You were trading off lines. Do you remember that?
GL-no-we did that, I did that with Brian, the only time I’ve done that with the Good Brothers, they were….see this is how information gets…(laughing to himself)
CW – no I was there Gordon! You got up with Richard. You sang three tunes. You sang I’ll Tag Along and two others and then you sort of just got up onstage for just a few minutes and went back and forth with The Trilogy with Richard Knechtel..
GL – oh shit I don’t even remember…(laughing again)
CW-you did – I have a picture! It’s nice that you go down and see them.
GL-oh it was the Tribute shows…I was down there about a month later helping the Good Brothers.
CW-And you did Alberta Bound. Somebody said it was a new song that you did.
GL – well it sounds like a new one.
CW-to someone who had never heard it before it would sound like a new tune.
GL-it’s one that I don’t do because it’s another one we haven’t got time to do. It’s one of the ones that hovers in the back, maybe we’ll do it at Mariposa.
CW-I’m looking forward to that, with Ian Tyson up there too. Are you all going to do your own things?
GL-I can tell you everybody’s gonna do their own thing.
CW-oh so there won’t be a big sing along sort of thing.
GL-if there is I’m gonna hear about it!I haven’t heard about it yet…I’ll wait. I’ll wait till I get my instructions.
CW-how did you find doing the CBC Songwriter’s event with Gord Downie and Catherine MacLellan? I was down for that. Did you enjoy that sort of event?
GL-yes I did very much.
CW-it was quite an interesting evening.
GL-it was well planned in advance.
CW-Catherine MacLellan – what a wonderful voice she has.
GL-she’s an interesting lady.
CW-I heard or read that you’re working on some of the live performances that were recorded.
GL-those are the things that I’ve gathered up over the years that will eventually be released.
CW-that would be great.
GL-eventually.
CW-well we’ll wait for that. I understand a company called Wounded Bird Records is releasing some Warner Brothers albums?
GL-I heard something about that too.
CW-they re-master and do all kinds of different artists according to their website. They put the original artwork on it..
GL-we’ll see how that goes.
CW-so you weren’t aware of that happening?
GL-I was aware.
CW-You’ve told me about the fall dates and that you’re hoping to head out west in the states.
GL-that won’t come down for another 2 or 3 weeks.
CW-there’s a lot of people out there looking for you.
GL-In June we’re starting in Grand Rapids, Michigan and ending in Wolf Trap, Virginia, Wolf Trap is the big amphitheatre in Washington.
CW-do you enjoy playing those outdoor amphitheatres?
GL-they’re all covered but occasionally we’ll get a bad day but basically during the summer months It’s fine. I think I got rained on once.
CW-nothing could be as bad as Mariposa a couple of years ago.
GL-that was the worst one ever. That was a deluge.
CW-we just sat out there like we were invincible. It was just incredible.
GL-well I wasn’t going to stop.
CW-that’s what you said. You said you weren’t stopping till you were finished.
GL-I had my whole band up there.
CW-Barry was quite worried about things but you just plowed right on there, totally ignoring him..
GL-calm down! (laughing)
CW-so you’ll be at Massey next year, May 2011?
GL-yes, we’ll be there.
CW-I see Bruce Cockburn is writing an autobiography. Have you given any more thought to penning a book?
GL-I’m not ready for that yet, I’m not ready for that.
CW-did you watch any of the Olympic hockey?
GL-yes I watched.
CW-I don’t know what’s wrong with the Maple Leafs but I’m about ready to give up after all these years.
GL-don’t give up yet!, they’ve got a great group down there right now. Burke and those two guys are great for that hockey team.
CW-well we’ll give them another year next year.
GL-another couple of years…
CW-the Jays look like they’re on their way to putting something together this year. Did you catch last night’s game?
GL-that was the 13 to 12 game? I didn’t watch, I was practicing. I practice just about every night.
CW-You were a friend of Robert Markle , what sort of person was he? There’s a new book about him that I want to pick up.
GL-well he loved riding his motorcycle, he was a great motorcyclist but it finally did him in.
CW-he did a portrait of you didn t he?
GL-yeah he did, he did a couple actually.
CW-and you’re in possession of those?
GL-yep.
CW-Danby did one of you as well. Do you have them all around the house?
GL-I just have one Danby portrait up.
CW-that’s a wonderful one. Is it on an album cover? Oh no, that’s on a book cover.
GL –that’s a picture taken by Diane Rubinger. The white suit, after I was dried out and sober. (laughing)
CW-you play so many venues in North America. Do you find audiences different in different places like New England audiences having a different reception or are more vocal than audiences in Texas or Minnesota for instance? Do you get that sense? Can you tell?
GL-they’re pretty much the same all over. Most of the people that come are familiar with my catalogue. Basically we’re putting it out on our side they’re getting the message. We get a pretty good response everywhere we go.
CW-I was a bit surprised in Peterborough that the audience was more subdued than I thought they would be in a hockey rink. I thought there might be a little more rowdiness.
GL-well they like to listen.
CW-well I prefer that everyone be quiet! Did you enjoy the Casino Rama show? You’d never played there before.
GL-we finally found a window
CW-it was a wonderful show. I was talking to Bernie about some way to have the big screens at Massey with the close-ups of the guitar work and keyboards.
GL-well we don’t bother doing that.
CW-it’s so impressive to see those close-ups, especially if you don’t have close seats.
GL-I get presented like that in a lot of places.
CW-I’ve never experienced it, I didn’t know where to look!
GL-I could hire a second semi…
CW-yeah right!
GL-we like it the way it is. Some of the places have their own set up.
CW-it was an excellent sound system and show. Hopefully you’ll be back in there. Do you have any plans of going back?
GL-no I don’t. We found a window. I have a lot of things, I do a lot of things in the area, the charity thing I do in Orillia, there’s the Mariposa Folk Festival, there’s Massey Hall and it had to jive in with my schedule. There’s a science to this. You have to know when to play and when not to play. You have to plan, there’s a lot of thought goes into this, where you’re playing and where the locations are. It was just never feasible. Originally they wanted me toward the end of the year and of course I always have to think about it anyway. They gave me lots of time to think about it. By that time I believe we were already printing tickets for Massey Hall so it wasn’t feasible. Mr. Mandel (Howie) has a bit of a health issue right now and cancelled his March date so they said can you come in here and we looked at and I thought about it for a couple of days. There was nothing upcoming locally that I could see. I knew that we were leaving for St. John’s the very next day and that we’d have to get the 18 wheeler out and it just turned out it was a day earlier than I thought it was gonna be. It was on the Thursday night so we had to have our truck leave right after that show at Casino Rama and drive all the way out to St. John’s. We just toured the eastern section of the country and we had to fit it in just before that. It worked out perfectly. That’s why it got done, because I was able to fit it in.
part 3 - next post
charlene is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-01-2010, 01:19 PM   #3
charlene
Moderator
 
Join Date: May 2000
Posts: 15,877
Default Re: Mr. Lightfoot called AGAIN ! CHat with CHar - 2nd edition!

GL-we did two in Quebec..I came out and gave them my comment t’allez vous?
CW-your Ontario learned French! When you were in school was French taught?
GL-yes it was, in high school.
CW-when I was in school it was taught in the lower grades. That’s about all I can say in French -comment t’allez vous?
GL-I never got a chance to use it very much. We do play in Quebec, particularly in Quebec City, but most of the people are Anglophones anyway that come to see us.We get quite a few francophiles as well. We’re very happy to be there. I’ve seen Robert Charleboise show here in town and he doesn’t do anything in English and it’s a great show. It’s like you get out there and do a great show, great musically and that and even if you don’t speak the language you’re not going to get any complaints, I’ve never had any anyway. We just do the whole show in English. It would be nice if I could do it like Leonard Cohen and the girl who sings in two languages too…Celine Dion…They perform in both languages, I’d like to be able to do that.
CW-you had one song in French years ago.
GL-I did but it had political overtones. I played it for a year or so
CW-well it’s still pretty relevant now. So you’re just planning on heading out and doing the tours till you just don’t want to do it anymore? Is that the plan?
GL-yes and in the in-between times we look after our duties at home. We’ve all got families and we’ve all got normal family lives. All of these things are tended to at the same time as the music and they’re two separate entities. But we don’t overdo it on the music. We just play a certain number each and every year. They’re tightly packed and well spaced.
CW-I know, it’s staggering when I look at how many concerts you do in a certain number of nights and how far you travel.
GL-it’s all within travelling distance of one another. The crew has the bus and the truck carries the equipment and the band uses the aircraft.
CW-you mentioned that you drove from a certain point coming back from the east coast.
GL-from Quebec City, it made perfect sense. And I wanted to see the countryside.
CW-that’s nice. It’s one thing to fly quickly to wherever you need to get to but you really don’t see much of the country at surface level.
GL-we rented some cars there and kept them right through to London. The aircraft left and flew back to Toronto. I didn’t want to keep the pilots on hold. There was a couple of down days in there also. I don’t like the aircraft sittin around. It was all driveable so we just decided to do it that way and it’s a good time of the year. It’s a beautiful trip from Quebec City to Montreal.
CW-I’d like to see you in Ottawa one time at the Centre there.
GL-we had a couple of nights in there , it was a good engagement.
CW-you opened that facility.
GL-yes in 1967.
CW-you also opened Roy Thompson Hall during the inaugural week.
GL-Anne Murray and I each performed.
CW-I was there that night.
GL-it’s an amazing world.
CW-it’s an amazing history that you have. Wayne’s website is so comprehensive with details of your life and details of everything but you need to write a book about it.
GL-we’ll keep it rollin’.
CW-did you catch the “Crazy Heart” movie with Jeff Bridges?
GL- yes I did.
CW-what did you think of it?
GL-I loved the acting in it.
CW-I don’t know if it was just his look but I saw a lot of Kristofferson in the character.I understand that Kris came and saw you in California at a show a couple of years ago.
GL-last year. I went up to see him at Casino Rama when he was there around the same time as the Havelock Festival.
CW-I missed that because I was away on vacation.
GL-it was viable for him to do it and he had his wife with him, Lisa and they said they would come and see us in Stockton because I was going to be there about a month later. It’s fairly close to where they live, well not fairly close..it’s a four hour drive. They drove up from Malibu up to Stockton. They drove up, I know Kris from the old days, we met years ago, I’ve followed his career and he’s followed mine; he’s influenced me and influenced him and we’ve talked about that. He’s a shy type so he got into movies. (laughing)
CW-I first saw him at Massey in 1973. You were there that night too.
GL-that’s right. And the lady he was married to at that time.
CW-yes, Rita Coolidge. She was there that night. She’s still performing too.
GL-she lives in Asia now.
CW-what would draw her over there?
GL-she’s got work over there. It’s interesting. Two of the kids are with her, all grown up.
CW-how many grandchildren do you have Gordon?
GL-four.
CW-there’ll be more grandchildren when Miles and Meredith head out.
GL-I just take them as they come and love them.
CW-I wanted to ask you about a song. I call it “On The TV” because that’s how I first heard it.
GL-it’s called “On The High Seas”
CW-when you sang it on a tv special you sang ‘on the tv’ was that just a spur of the moment thing or was that the original lyric?
GL-well I was kinda undecided about the lyric.
CW-I like “on the tv’ myself.
GL-I think what I’ll probably do is use that.
CW-I’d prefer that myself!
CW-do you get a lot of CD’s sent to you from other artists?
GL-yes, yes I do.
CW-they’re asking for your opinion?
GL-yes they are.
CW-they want you to cover one of their tunes?
GL-and get them a record deal..(laughing)
CW-I guess because you have a production company.
GL-we produce alright!
CW-do you offer criticisms or helpful hints?
GL-sometimes I will respond.
CW-I know Jason Fowler has mentioned a few times that he’s given you his CD’s and you have responded.
GL-I listen to his stuff. He’s a good little guitar player. There’s a good crop of people out there.
CW-Hugh’s room really does promote and feature some amazing talent.
CW-so what do you have planned for the summer, just hang around the house and entertain the kids? You don’t head north?
GL-well I still go to the gym every day and I’m in the office four days a week. No I don’t head north.
CW-you don’t rent a cottage anywhere?
GL-no I stay right here in town and keep looking after business. I love the city in the summer. I go to the gym everyday so I have to go downtown to do that. I come into the office all summer , we’re getting geared up for the fall tour. Things will be planned, I stay focused, I stay prepared. I’m always in a state of being prepared for the next grouping of shows. You can’t just cancel it out of your head. It can’t be far from your thoughts and you’ve got to stay focused on it while looking after the family and business issues at the same time so it’s a bit of a juggling routine. That’s why we have regular rehearsals with just the three of us, Rick and Terry and I on Friday afternoons..
part 4 - next post
charlene is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-01-2010, 01:22 PM   #4
charlene
Moderator
 
Join Date: May 2000
Posts: 15,877
Default Re: Mr. Lightfoot called AGAIN ! CHat with CHar - 2nd edition!

CW-will it be just you, Rick and Terry at Mariposa?
GL-yes, this time it will be just the three of us. The last time I took the whole band it was ruined by that great big thunderstorm. I’m not going to take a chance on the weather again.
CW-that was the night Dylan was at Casino Rama. He didn’t make it over.
GL-mostly it didn’t transpire because as soon as they finished they got on the bus and drove back to Toronto. He’s out working the same as I am.
CW-yep – Kristofferson’s out there, James Taylor is out with Carole King doing a concert tour together.
GL-oh yeah they’re out there.
CW-well it’s all the good music!
GL-if they’re capable of sustaining their careers, I mean it’s all a matter of staying motivated. You know, I mean you have to stay motivated doing this kind of work. There has to be a very deep desire to do it or you could never last on into your older years. You’ve got to stay committed because as you get older you weaken a little bit.
CW-I don’t know how you have the stamina to do it.
GL-a lot of it has to do with my physical regimen. See I do a lot of exercising, it’s part of my routine, it’s part of my responsibility. It makes you sing better and makes me stronger onstage. I store energy..are you getting all this?
CW-yes I am! do you have a diet plan, a nutritional aspect of your health plan? Like a high carb/high protein sort of thing? There’s always diets around for high energy; is that something you try to consciously try to maintain too?
GL-no I just eat what I want. I don’t have a weight problem.
CW-no you don’t, that’s for sure. I hear a lot of comments of ‘he’s so thin!”
GL- it’s because of the exercise.
CW-I know some of the band are into exercise.
GL-Barry is into it and Michael runs.
CW-Barry does baseball and hockey.
GL-He’s very sports minded, he’s very knowledgeable about the sports field. It’s absolutely amazing the information that he has about the sports world. All the sports not just hockey and baseball, but all the sports.
CW-I spoke with him about being scouted by a major league time years ago.
GL-he was a pitcher but he plays shortstop for the league he’s in.
CW-did Eric finish up his pilot courses? You told me at Massey that he was flying out near Ganonoque with skydivers last year.
GL-yes and he has his musical obligations lined up too.
CW-he’s in a couple of bands.
GL-yes he’s an engineer and he’s actually quite deeply involved in it. This summer he’ll be a jump pilot. Jump pilots take the people up. And he works with his bands. I don’t know how he does it because he has to be up there every weekend but he builds up a lot of flying hours.
CW-does he live in the city?
GL-yes he’s in the city and he does both, he does his musical endeavours and he does his flying. He’s very, very adventurous, he travels and he goes and does things and is very mobile.
CW-so all is good in the world of Gordon Lightfoot then?
GL-yes, yes I can sayso.
CW-you’re going to the club, the health is good, no more problems with TIA’s or anything like that?
GL-I had the TIA about 3 ˝ years ago.
CW-has it been that long?
GL-yes, it’s almost four years ago. I couldn’t play, could hardly play for about five months. I practiced more during that five months, I think I practised more in that five months than I ever did before in my life working my way through that. Kept going to the gym, kept practicing, I had to fight my way back and plough my through that. I lost the use of my right arm and my hand that I could not play. You can imagine how frustrating that can be. By fingering the chords of the left hand, you know that’s the hand that holds down the strings, I was still able to use the thumb on my right hand but I was unable to hold a flat pick so it got kind of interesting there. I was leading the band by body language.(laughing) But we got through it and it started to improve, it actually started to, when it first happened, after about the fifth day I noticed an improvement. About five shows later we had to get an opening act of course in Minneapolis, because I couldn’t play all the songs. There were certain songs I could play and certain songs I could not play. So I was reorganizing the sets. I remember the day it happened, I practiced all night long, the day it happened, that night I practiced all night long. I’d been to the hospital of course. I ploughed my way through it and I recovered. I got on some new medication to add to the medication I’m already taking that goes back to the illness I had in 2002 to 2004. I’m still taking some and will for the rest of my life. So with all this I rise above all of the issues to play the music and we’re really happy that we can do that and I’m happy that I have the music, tough road and you’ve gotta stay dedicated to it. This is what I plan to do. I’ve noticed we’ve been improving a lot lately, we’re getting a tremendous response, we’re getting more people and I feel we’re on an upward curve with our shows and it’s because all of my energy and focus is directed in that way.
CW-well I know that anybody I talk to in North America, or people who e-mail me and have concerts they are planning to go to or just went to they just thank the heavens that you’re still up there doing what you’re doing for us. It’s more than we can say how appreciative of your music over the years and that you’re continuing to do it. It’s very, very important to so many people. I don’t know if you understand how important your music is…
GL-yes, yes I do and it’s important to us too. We have a reason for doing it, we love doing it, it supports several families and we do it very well and we’re planning on carrying on as long as possible.
CW-well you’re on your way and I have a couple of daycare kids here that are ready for naps.
GL-well good for you!
CW-once again Gordon, I appreciate your time and that you offered this time to me. It’s more than I ever expected as a kid when I first fell in love with your music. I love you and I love your music and I wish the best for you as all your fans do. So I’ll see you up at Mariposa.
GL-okay!
CW- alright, take care.
GL-alright!
CW-thanks Gordon, good- bye.
charlene is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-01-2010, 01:30 PM   #5
Jesse Joe
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Canada
Posts: 6,862
Default Re: Mr. Lightfoot called AGAIN ! CHat with CHar - 2nd edition!

This is just great Char congrats & thanks for sharing it with the group here.
Jesse Joe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-01-2010, 02:27 PM   #6
DawnsMinstrel
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Dover, NH
Posts: 220
Default Re: Mr. Lightfoot called AGAIN ! CHat with CHar - 2nd edition!

Wow! Thanks Char! What a great contribution you make!

And I think you make a great journalist!

-Tim
DawnsMinstrel is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-01-2010, 02:59 PM   #7
RM
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,965
Default Re: Mr. Lightfoot called AGAIN ! CHat with CHar - 2nd edition!

Wonderful.

I love the way he expresses himself. He's so full of resolve and determination.

Thanks for the treat !
RM is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-01-2010, 04:46 PM   #8
Wheels
Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: New Jersey, USA
Posts: 84
Default Re: Mr. Lightfoot called AGAIN ! CHat with CHar - 2nd edition!

Very nice interview, Charlene! Yes, you are a journalist!
Wheels is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-01-2010, 05:59 PM   #9
Miss B. Haven
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Germany
Posts: 16
Default Re: Mr. Lightfoot called AGAIN ! CHat with CHar - 2nd edition!

Enjoyed that. Thanks for transcribing and posting.
Miss B. Haven is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-01-2010, 06:41 PM   #10
TC
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 164
Default Re: Mr. Lightfoot called AGAIN ! CHat with CHar - 2nd edition!

Nice job Char! Keep on him about that autobiography. Very glad to hear of a possible West coast tour this Fall.
TC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-01-2010, 07:51 PM   #11
brink-
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Colorado
Posts: 1,193
Default Re: Mr. Lightfoot called AGAIN ! CHat with CHar - 2nd edition!

Lots of encouraging information in there, Char. We all are so grateful that you share with us. You're a good egg Westbrook!
brink- is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-01-2010, 08:33 PM   #12
charlene
Moderator
 
Join Date: May 2000
Posts: 15,877
Default Re: Mr. Lightfoot called AGAIN ! CHat with CHar - 2nd edition!

well since he can't call everyone I figured it's only right to share!
Am I hard boiled, or sunny side up?
charlene is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-01-2010, 09:05 PM   #13
Dan O'Malley
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: London, England
Posts: 355
Default Re: Mr. Lightfoot called AGAIN ! CHat with CHar - 2nd edition!

loved reading that! thank you!!
__________________
Dan O'Malley
Dan O'Malley is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-01-2010, 09:56 PM   #14
talbot10
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Eastchester, New York, USA
Posts: 447
Default Re: Mr. Lightfoot called AGAIN ! CHat with CHar - 2nd edition!

Congratulatons Charzo! Gord is so relaxed and trusting with you because you talk to him like a friend. It is nice to hear him in that manner. You did a fantastic job and we are all proud of you. Have a great weekend! My best to Lisa.
Bill
__________________
..*you will always have your time to shine, even in the winter of your darkest hour*...jeremy enigk -Website: billhall.us
talbot10 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-02-2010, 12:01 AM   #15
lighthead2toe
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: canada
Posts: 920
Default Re: Mr. Lightfoot called AGAIN ! CHat with CHar - 2nd edition!

Hey Char.
Usually before I make a post here I go into the think tank and try to come up with the right words, statements etc. but it never comes out to my liking so I'll just barrel in here and tell you that, in your sincerity, you are the utmost professional in what you do.
That being said is precisely why Gordon Lightfoot, being the ultimate professional he is, would arrange an interview with you because he knows the trust factor in you is set way up high there on the top shelf. He knows that you run a tight ship and there is no such thing as a letdown factor.
You're in his camp and us as members here are the benefactors of that element of trust, and speaking for myself, as a touter of the music of Gordon Lightfoot, after reading through that interview several times, I feel as pumped as the level on my battery operated amplifier when it shuts itself off after being on charge for 24 hours.
Apart from knowing that his health is real good, the revelation that the Massey Hall May concerts in 2011 are in the works is a joy to behold.
This is as good as it gets!
RJ.
lighthead2toe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-02-2010, 12:32 AM   #16
jj
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: ontario, canada
Posts: 5,265
Default Re: Mr. Lightfoot called AGAIN ! CHat with CHar - 2nd edition!

Ditto to all sentiments expressed above. I can't come up with any originality in my praises. Ok, how about "A1, once again, CHar"

Question/Quiz: What are the 5 tunes he has added in the past year and a half?

Comment: Wow, your TV screen displays who the incoming caller is? Didn't realize Whitby had gone so hitech, lol...I would like to have that feature

Thank you for the prep work & grueling type up task...I know the interview part was effortless, even though you may have had sweaty palms throughout

You are loved
jj is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-02-2010, 11:12 AM   #17
charlene
Moderator
 
Join Date: May 2000
Posts: 15,877
Default Re: Mr. Lightfoot called AGAIN ! CHat with CHar - 2nd edition!

thanks to all of you for the kind words.
I must say that the toughest part of it all is the type up task as James says..
(you gotta get ROGERS out there in the boonies!)
I suppose Gordon feels comfy enough to talk with me as a longtime/lifelong fan, and he also knows that the conversation will be shared with The Net People. It wouldn't be as special for me if it wasn't shared.

Lisa says HI Billyboy and hopes you make it up for Massey May 2011.
charlene is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-02-2010, 11:37 AM   #18
bjm7777
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Calgary, AB
Posts: 268
Default Re: Mr. Lightfoot called AGAIN ! CHat with CHar - 2nd edition!

Good job on that interview. Alway nice to read the latest interviews and I think it's great that Gord gives Corfid that sort of consideration - to call again for a second interview.
As a sidebar, I found a bio on Robert Markle on Canada.com.
__________________
"This time tomorrow we might all be packed and gone.
I believe it's best we carry on..."
bjm7777 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-02-2010, 11:43 AM   #19
jj
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: ontario, canada
Posts: 5,265
Default Re: Mr. Lightfoot called AGAIN ! CHat with CHar - 2nd edition!

this segment had a Who's on First clarity to it. LOL!

CW-....You were down at Hugh’s Room again in January. Jory was just thrilled with the evening that you were down and got up and sang. What prompted you to get up and do a bit of The Trilogy with Richard Knechtel?

GL-I did not do that, I did Alberta Bound with the Good Brothers.

CW-oh, okay, but back in January when you were down with Bernie you got up with Richard Knechtel and did a little bit of The Trilogy. You were trading off lines. Do you remember that?

GL-no-we did that, I did that with Brian, the only time I’ve done that with the Good Brothers, they were….see this is how information gets…(laughing to himself)

CW – no I was there Gordon! You got up with Richard. You sang three tunes. You sang I’ll Tag Along and two others and then you sort of just got up onstage for just a few minutes and went back and forth with The Trilogy with Richard Knechtel..

GL – oh shit I don’t even remember…(laughing again)

CW-you did – I have a picture! It’s nice that you go down and see them.

GL-oh it was the Tribute shows…I was down there about a month later helping the Good Brothers.

CW-And you did Alberta Bound. Somebody said it was a new song that you did.

GL – well it sounds like a new one.

CW-to someone who had never heard it before it would sound like a new tune...


Ok, at one point, I recall seeing a video clip posted of him trading off the CRT lines...you have find it and send a link to Mer so she can relay the evidence

on the other hand, it's not important...we are all losing (or have lost) our minds
jj is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-02-2010, 11:53 AM   #20
jj
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: ontario, canada
Posts: 5,265
Default Re: Mr. Lightfoot called AGAIN ! CHat with CHar - 2nd edition!

Quote:
Originally Posted by bjm7777 View Post
I found a bio on Robert Markle on Canada.com.
an interview clip from the 60's:
http://archives.cbc.ca/on_this_day/02/06/
jj is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-02-2010, 12:22 PM   #21
charlene
Moderator
 
Join Date: May 2000
Posts: 15,877
Default Re: Mr. Lightfoot called AGAIN ! CHat with CHar - 2nd edition!

omigawd I was laffing when we went thru that part of the chat..when he said 'oh shit' i nearly fell off my chair it was so funny..
lol
https://www.facebook.com/davidnewlan...y=265911185325
has the clip of Lightfoot and Knechtel trading lines in The Wreck..


Quote:
Originally Posted by jj View Post
this segment had a Who's on First clarity to it. LOL!

CW-....You were down at Hugh’s Room again in January. Jory was just thrilled with the evening that you were down and got up and sang. What prompted you to get up and do a bit of The Trilogy with Richard Knechtel?

GL-I did not do that, I did Alberta Bound with the Good Brothers.

CW-oh, okay, but back in January when you were down with Bernie you got up with Richard Knechtel and did a little bit of The Trilogy. You were trading off lines. Do you remember that?

GL-no-we did that, I did that with Brian, the only time I’ve done that with the Good Brothers, they were….see this is how information gets…(laughing to himself)

CW – no I was there Gordon! You got up with Richard. You sang three tunes. You sang I’ll Tag Along and two others and then you sort of just got up onstage for just a few minutes and went back and forth with The Trilogy with Richard Knechtel..

GL – oh shit I don’t even remember…(laughing again)

CW-you did – I have a picture! It’s nice that you go down and see them.

GL-oh it was the Tribute shows…I was down there about a month later helping the Good Brothers.

CW-And you did Alberta Bound. Somebody said it was a new song that you did.

GL – well it sounds like a new one.

CW-to someone who had never heard it before it would sound like a new tune...


Ok, at one point, I recall seeing a video clip posted of him trading off the CRT lines...you have find it and send a link to Mer so she can relay the evidence

on the other hand, it's not important...we are all losing (or have lost) our minds
charlene is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-02-2010, 12:47 PM   #22
redhead
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: U.S.A.
Posts: 157
Default Re: Mr. Lightfoot called AGAIN ! CHat with CHar - 2nd edition!

Char, thank you so much for the incredible gift you've given to G.L's fans by sharing your insights and experiences with us so freely. He is as kind and as gracious as he is talented -- truly a remarkable man.

redhead
redhead is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-02-2010, 01:49 PM   #23
brink-
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Colorado
Posts: 1,193
Default Re: Mr. Lightfoot called AGAIN ! CHat with CHar - 2nd edition!

Well Char Sunny side up, of course!!

I noticed he talked about your favorite female singer - MS Dion.

JJ - I laughed out loud through that segment of the interview. How funny that was. "I was there Gordon!!" lol
brink- is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-02-2010, 02:37 PM   #24
charlene
Moderator
 
Join Date: May 2000
Posts: 15,877
Default Re: Mr. Lightfoot called AGAIN ! CHat with CHar - 2nd edition!

At first he couldn't recall her name...I helped him along...I didn't want him to have to resort to 'oh shit I can't remember her name"...
lol
charlene is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-02-2010, 02:53 PM   #25
JohninCt.
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Wallingford, Ct. Not far from what used to be Oakdale Music Theater
Posts: 329
Default Re: Mr. Lightfoot called AGAIN ! CHat with CHar - 2nd edition!

Simply.. Great job, Thanks
JohninCt. is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Lightfoot Chat Status catrinka Small Talk 9 06-14-2008 09:56 AM
Deal or No Deal - Lightfoot Edition? Station Master General Discussion 63 05-05-2007 06:58 PM
Tuesday Lightfoot Chat JG General Discussion 2 05-28-2003 08:07 PM
Tuesday Lightfoot Chat JG General Discussion 1 08-14-2001 06:37 PM
Sunday Lightfoot Chat JG General Discussion 1 06-03-2001 10:53 AM


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 07:43 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
downleft 1x1.gif (807 Byte) downright