Gordon Lightfoot Forums

Super pictures! They are much better than the photographer who did this article. For some reason I can't attach that picture.

http://www.bclocalnews.com/entertainment/134454333.html

By Bill Phillips - Prince George Free Press
Published: November 24, 2011 6:00 AM
Updated: November 24, 2011 1:51 PM

The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down to the big hall they call CN Centre.
Yes, the legend that made the cargo ship Edmund Fitzgerald a legend did make his way down to CN Centre Wednesday night. Canadian music legend Gordon Lightfoot thrilled almost all of the 1,600 fans gathered for the two-hour show. One man in the back, who yelled out for Alberta Bound after every song, quite likely left disappointed as Lightfoot didn’t play that iconic homage to our easterly neighbour.
About halfway through the second set Lightfoot said it was too late for Alberta Bound quipping: “I only play it when I’m headed west … why would you want to be Alberta bound when you’re in beautiful B.C.?”

After playing a few new songs, Lightfoot didn’t disappoint, delivering many of his hits … from the moving Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald to If You Could Read my Mind to Rainy Day People to Ribbon of Darkness to Carefree Highway and, of course, to Sundown.

His only glitch was when he messed up a line on Beautiful and hummed his way through. However, not wanting to leave the crowd hanging, he finished the song, chatted with his band for a moment, and then replayed the offending stanza, complete with the lyrics done perfectly.

Perfectly now is a little different than what Lightfoot’s legion of fans remember from the early days in the 1960s and 70s.

Having just turned 73 years old, his voice isn’t quite what it used to be. However that’s the reality of a life behind the microphone and the very-appreciative crowd didn’t mind, giving rousing ovations after every song. And, the familiar golden tones did resonate on the low end of the scale.

And it’s been a rather incredible life. The Kamloops This Week editor called him the “lyrical Lazarus of Canadiana, coming back from the dead in February 2010 to tour again (or so the major media told us as they jumped on a hoax Twitter post lamenting the great man’s demise).”

He was hit with an abdominal aneurysm in 2001 and lapsed into a six-week coma. He suffered a stroke onstage in 2006 and was performing again in nine days. Even through some major setbacks, Lightfoot isn’t slowing down, telling the crowd they’re booked through the end of 2012 … doing about 80 shows a year.

“They” include his incredibly tight band of Carter Lancaster on lead guitar (replacing longtime Lightfoot mate Terry Clements, who died in February), Mike Heffernan on keyboards, Barry Keane on drums and Rick Haynes on bass.

The spotlight, though, was on Lightfoot, whose tunes are as much Canadiana as the maple leaf and the Ringneck Loon, which is one of the songs he sang.

The crowd enjoyed the night, whooping and hollering several times. Lightfoot, after decades on stage, seemed unfazed by it all.

When one woman yelled out, “we love you, Gordon,” he responded with, “we love the work.”

And, when a large bra was tossed on the stage, Lightfoot picked it up, tossed to the back of the stage and joked: “I’ll take that home to the wife and kids.”
It was truly a special evening.
The legend that is Gordon Lightfoot does indeed live on.