Favorite Canadian Musicians: Gordon Lightfoot (#1)

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July 1 was Canada Day, and I do hope our friends to the north had a great celebration. I’ve been celebrating with music, which is about all I know how to do. Tomorrow I’ll count down ten favorites by Canadian artists, but for now I’ll close out this celebration of Canada with my favorite Canadian musician. #1: Gordon Lightfoot Did you have any doubt who would be number one? (I know NJ Chic was hoping for Rush.... [Inside joke: she hates them. I’m not far behind her in that line myself.]) Long before I started listening to rock and roll I knew Gordon Lightfoot’s music. His songs were quite popular for country artists to cover: acts ranging from Connie Smith to Waylon Jennings to George Hamilton IV had hits with songs Lightfoot wrote. Inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and recipient of the Order of Canada, Lightfoot is a Canadian national treasure. His songs are tales of love gone bad (“The Circle is Small” and his only US #1 hit, “Sundown”) and stories of life (the classic “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald”). We almost lost him a few years ago when he suffered a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm, but he thankfully survived. I hope he survives long enough to see our hall of fame come to its senses and induct him. Thanks for this gem you’ve shared with us, Canada. And thanks to everyone for reading. Gordon Lightfoot Born Gordon Meredith Lightfoot Jr. November 17, 1938 Orillia, Ontario One of Lightfoot’s great epic tunes: