Actually I chatted with Rick one Sunday morning in the breakfast room of the (can't remember now) Blookity-Blook-something hotel in Aurora after a Saturday night gig there a few years ago, and he was the warmest most lovely guy you'd ever meet..
I tried to get all uptight and nervous and everything, and he wouldn't let me..
He was just too cool..

I have an idea....

Since RJ and CHar both write so well, maybe they could work together on it. Lightfoot said in his interview with CHar that he collected a lot of stuff that he doesn't know what to do with. You guys could help him get it organized, and in the process would come the stories behind them.

Whaddaya think ?

[ July 13, 2007, 21:38: Message edited by: charlene ]

I'll tell you what I think. there may well be a queue for this task and I suspect the person claiming the pole position is a young Lady near London who I sometimes get to chat with on AOL Instant Messnger, when she is not in some last minute panic or getting a phone call that is. she is frequently on line either as BrunaZanelli or silverheels7. for both screennames I have to say that she has selected extremely disturbing and overly noisy entry sounds that literally scare the wotzit out of me and I wish she would adopt something a lot less climatic!!!
A Public Health announcement and warning from
John Bt

I'll tell you what I think. there may well be a queue for this task and I suspect the person claiming the pole position is a young Lady near London who I sometimes get to chat with on AOL Instant Messnger, when she is not in some last minute panic or getting a phone call that is. she is frequently on line either as BrunaZanelli or silverheels7. for both screennames I have to say that she has selected extremely disturbing and overly noisy entry sounds that literally scare the wotzit out of me and I wish she would adopt something a lot less climatic!!!
A Public Health announcement and warning from
John Bt

Sir John, sometimes you can be such an ol' f***, but I do love ya. :D
I shall have to change my entry sounds. We do not want your wotzit being scared to death, right? Susan would never forgive me. ;)

"I'd rather press on"

Entry Sounds ?
oh my...
the mind reels...

Entry Sounds ?
oh my...
the mind reels...

I can take a hint. My original post is in John Fowles response. Am I the first non-bot to be censored, and have their identity stolen ?

Ron/non-bot - you have been returned to your former glory..
;)

I have been seriously sleep deprived this week and had just had a small, unscheduled nap..got up and checked in here..and that's my story and I'm sticking to it!
lol

here's my reply in the proper post.

Whaddaya think ?
hmmm...
I think it would have to be someone he picks because he's comfortable with that person and trusts them.
Someone he may already know that has interviewed him before and he liked what he read.
There are a couple of Toronto journalists who have done some fabulous pieces on him here in the Toronto papers.
And of course whoever was chosen would have to agree that he would have last say on everything..
lol

If he wanted to do it on the phone I'd be happy to accept the long distance charges from Toronto to Whitby..
and for a face-to-face event his office/house is only 45 minutes away.
Heck - he could even come out here - just for a change of pace!

The rest of the band are all very personable and approachable from my experience and altho I'm sure they are full of amazing stories they may not want to give up any details...and perhaps The Man wouldn't want any one else's recollections in his book..
Char

Ron/non-bot - you have been returned to your former glory..
;)

I have been seriously sleep deprived this week and had just had a small, unscheduled nap..got up and checked in here..and that's my story and I'm sticking to it!
lol

here's my reply in the proper post.

Whaddaya think ?
hmmm...
I think it would have to be someone he picks because he's comfortable with that person and trusts them.
Someone he may already know that has interviewed him before and he liked what he read.
There are a couple of Toronto journalists who have done some fabulous pieces on him here in the Toronto papers.
And of course whoever was chosen would have to agree that he would have last say on everything..
lol

If he wanted to do it on the phone I'd be happy to accept the long distance charges from Toronto to Whitby..
and for a face-to-face event his office/house is only 45 minutes away.
Heck - he could even come out here - just for a change of pace!

The rest of the band are all very personable and approachable from my experience and altho I'm sure they are full of amazing stories they may not want to give up any details...and perhaps The Man wouldn't want any one else's recollections in his book..
Char

Thank you, and I'll buy your alibi. But only with a coupon.

Well....he obviously feels comfortable with you. It would be an enormous undertaking, but an eager audience would be waiting.

I understand the "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas" mindset. I wasn't thinking of the nitty-gritty, but of a more expansive view with the musical landscape of the times serving as the backdrop, and with some inside anecdotes tossed about.

Or, as has been the designated prelude for "The Wreck" it is a rapid and whispered: "WHUN, two, three, four, five, six ...."

Or, as has been the designated prelude for "The Wreck" it is a rapid and whispered: "WHUN, two, three, four, five, six ...."

For the title I'd be partial to something like LET IT RIDE or CANARY YELLOW CANOE but whatever made the final cut it would have to have a big subtitle of something like THE LIFE AND TIMES OF GORDON LIGHTFOOT.

Because to sell books you have to attract the readers and even people who like his hits and might even read his book often cannot tie the song to the singer. If I had a nickel for each person who said "yeah I like that song - WHO did you say sung it ?" or variations of that theme I'd be rich.

So you might really have to go with IYCRMM or whatever is his most currently identified song. We know we'd all buy a few copies but it's gotta sell more than that.

Great topic - thanks.

Bill :)

Restless, I'd Rather Press On, A Painter Passing Thru, or If You Could Read My Mind.

I think the little pamplet in songbook is already named "If You Could Read My Mind", so maybe that one will be taken...

Hi Billw. I agree about the title having to be something that the typical consumer would associate with Gordon Lightfoot. I like "If You Could Read His Mind" stated earlier by John Fowles.

Actually, according to Wayne Francis' website, "If You Could Read His Mind" has been used before, a biography of Lightfoot by a Maynard Collins. Again, this topic sought to deal with the title for an "AUTObiography". I don't think Lightfoot talks in the third person.

IF all it said on the cover was GORDON LIGHTFOOT by Gordon Lightfoot it would generate interest and sales..
;)

from the phone call:

CHAR: I asked you this one time before, and I know you talked about it at Massey either this last concert series or in 2005, about writing a book about the life of Gordon Lightfoot.

G.L.: Oh yeah…well I’ve decided against doing that. I had to make a decision on that last year and I decided not to do it.

CHAR: No?

G.L.: No.

CHAR: Wow, that’s going to be a disappointment to a lot of people.

G.L.: That’s all right.

CHAR: We will just live your life through your music I guess.

G.L.: My old manager Albert Grossman used to say “it won’t make the coffee taste any different in the morning.” (laughing) Whether there’s a book or not…...it doesn’t matter.

CHAR: No it doesn’t matter….that’s very true. It’s just that in this day and age where you’ve got kids that are writing their life story because they’ve made a movie or had a hit song…and THEY have a life story? They’re only 19! (laughing) It would be nice though. It wouldn’t have to have all the nitty gritty but just as a one focus sort of idea.

G.L.: Ya know…. it would be a nice thing to do….maybe later when I’m doing a memoir or something after I’ve stopped touring. You know really the touring takes up a lot of the time. I don’t know, it really does. We have to stay prepared all the time. We rehearse regularly between times. I don’t have the whole band here….but I sometimes have Michael here, maybe Terry or Rick and Terry.

IF all it said on the cover was GORDON LIGHTFOOT by Gordon Lightfoot it would generate interest and sales..
;)

from the phone call:

CHAR: I asked you this one time before, and I know you talked about it at Massey either this last concert series or in 2005, about writing a book about the life of Gordon Lightfoot.

G.L.: Oh yeah…well I’ve decided against doing that. I had to make a decision on that last year and I decided not to do it.

CHAR: No?

G.L.: No.

CHAR: Wow, that’s going to be a disappointment to a lot of people.

G.L.: That’s all right.

CHAR: We will just live your life through your music I guess.

G.L.: My old manager Albert Grossman used to say “it won’t make the coffee taste any different in the morning.” (laughing) Whether there’s a book or not…...it doesn’t matter.

CHAR: No it doesn’t matter….that’s very true. It’s just that in this day and age where you’ve got kids that are writing their life story because they’ve made a movie or had a hit song…and THEY have a life story? They’re only 19! (laughing) It would be nice though. It wouldn’t have to have all the nitty gritty but just as a one focus sort of idea.

G.L.: Ya know…. it would be a nice thing to do….maybe later when I’m doing a memoir or something after I’ve stopped touring. You know really the touring takes up a lot of the time. I don’t know, it really does. We have to stay prepared all the time. We rehearse regularly between times. I don’t have the whole band here….but I sometimes have Michael here, maybe Terry or Rick and Terry.

The Legend Lives On...

The Legend Lives On...

Paul Shaffer (Letterman bandleader and former bandleader on Saturday Night Live) is writing a book. Perhaps he'll have a story about Lightfoot's visit to the show..

Shaffer's Showbiz Memoir
The multi-talented Paul Shaffer is about to add another credit to his already impressive resume: author.
Flying Dolphin Press announced that they have signed Shaffer to pen a memoir of his life in show business.
The book will detail Shaffer's experiences on "Saturday Night Live" through his twenty-five-plus year association with David Letterman on both "Late Night with David Letterman" and "The Late Show with David Letterman," and more.
"These anecdotes have been accumulating in my mind for the past three-plus decades; it's been a nutty ride, and I felt it imperative to finally commit my reflections to the page... at least Volume One," said Shaffer.
"Paul Shaffer is an enormously accomplished musician and a versatile entertainer who has won the affection of millions of loyal fans for his unique blend of talents and signature sense of humor," said Flying Dolphin Publisher Suzanne Herz. "Readers will delight in his wit and in the unique perspective on the world of show business that he will bring to his book."
All we can say is, "Yeah, yeah, YEAH!"

Paul Shaffer (Letterman bandleader and former bandleader on Saturday Night Live) is writing a book. Perhaps he'll have a story about Lightfoot's visit to the show..

Shaffer's Showbiz Memoir
The multi-talented Paul Shaffer is about to add another credit to his already impressive resume: author.
Flying Dolphin Press announced that they have signed Shaffer to pen a memoir of his life in show business.
The book will detail Shaffer's experiences on "Saturday Night Live" through his twenty-five-plus year association with David Letterman on both "Late Night with David Letterman" and "The Late Show with David Letterman," and more.
"These anecdotes have been accumulating in my mind for the past three-plus decades; it's been a nutty ride, and I felt it imperative to finally commit my reflections to the page... at least Volume One," said Shaffer.
"Paul Shaffer is an enormously accomplished musician and a versatile entertainer who has won the affection of millions of loyal fans for his unique blend of talents and signature sense of humor," said Flying Dolphin Publisher Suzanne Herz. "Readers will delight in his wit and in the unique perspective on the world of show business that he will bring to his book."
All we can say is, "Yeah, yeah, YEAH!"