Great question !!!!I don't think anyone is quite like Lightfoot. Cat Stevens is a good pick, but for me, I'd say Jackson Browne. I know that their music is nothing alike, but, for sheer poetry of lyrics. Kristofferson is aaalso an excellent choice.

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Good answers all around. Now, you might have to dig for this oe, because he lacked the hits and thus his HUGE collection of songs is one the better kept secrets - try John Stewart. In particular he sketched teh US the way Lightfoot does Canada. Great stuff. Any record collection that does not contain John Stewart's "California Bloodlines" is not complete.

Good answers all around. Now, you might have to dig for this oe, because he lacked the hits and thus his HUGE collection of songs is one the better kept secrets - try John Stewart. In particular he sketched teh US the way Lightfoot does Canada. Great stuff. Any record collection that does not contain John Stewart's "California Bloodlines" is not complete.

I agree, Jim Croce is closest to the sound of Gord you could possibly get. If you listen to "Thursday" and "Age" he sounds a lot like Gord.

I agree, Jim Croce is closest to the sound of Gord you could possibly get. If you listen to "Thursday" and "Age" he sounds a lot like Gord.

How about James Taylor??
Char

How about James Taylor??
Char

Most like Lightfoot . . . it has to be Jimmy Buffett. No American writes like Jimmy: songs of the sea, love, drinking. Buffett is a God.

Most like Lightfoot . . . it has to be Jimmy Buffett. No American writes like Jimmy: songs of the sea, love, drinking. Buffett is a God.

This is a reeply to fezo re: John Stewart, I've got about 7 of his albums. You are right"Calafornia Bloodlines" is a classic. Also, "Cannons in the rain" and "Oklohoma Sunstorm", great artist and very similar to Lightfoot as far is consistancy

This is a reeply to fezo re: John Stewart, I've got about 7 of his albums. You are right"Calafornia Bloodlines" is a classic. Also, "Cannons in the rain" and "Oklohoma Sunstorm", great artist and very similar to Lightfoot as far is consistancy

After seeing the Behind the Music on Cat Stevens, and noting the dates on his major offerings, I'm more convinced that there was some influence on Gord's early/mid seventies material. But I've never seen where Gord was asked something like this in an interview.

I think John Stewart is the one artist most like Gord.
Fezo,Joe,Which album do you rate second to 'Bloodlines'

Frank.

I think John Stewart is the one artist most like Gord.
Fezo,Joe,Which album do you rate second to 'Bloodlines'

Frank.

Let's not forget the great Greg Brown, especially songs like "Poet Game".

Let's not forget the great Greg Brown, especially songs like "Poet Game".

Out of all the choices I'm going to suggest Neil Young. Not so much musically (And I don't mean this as a knock against Gord). But I can't really see Gord hopping from playing an acoustic folk song one minute to playing a hard rocker with power chords the next like Neil does. Not saying he couldn't, just that it doesn't seem likely. Where the similarity is, is in the songwriting, A lot of Neil Young's songs speak about the USA the way Gordon sings about Canada. "Black Day In July" and Neil's "Ohio" are both very potent protest numbers for instance. They can both write very good personal songs too. Just look at Gord's "Cold On The Shoulder" and Neil's "Like A Hurricane".

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Look into his shining eyes and if you see a ghost don't be surprised......Listen to the strings. That jangle and dangle while the old guitar sings.

The lake it is said never gives up her dead, when the gales of November come early.