Witchita Eagle:

Folk singer Lightfoot performs at Orpheum

"Jiggy-vous."

That slice of French-Canadian patois was a favorite saying of the teenage Gordon Lightfoot. It means "all right."

Now 67, Lightfoot is hardly a boy, but he's still getting jiggy-vous with it. That is, he's all right, or at least as all right as someone can be who's survived Bell's palsy, a condition that once paralyzed one side of his face; a stomach aneurysm that put him in a coma for two months; and a small stroke suffered on stage last September.

Still, Lightfoot the Canadian singer-songwriter whose greatest hits include "If You Could Read My Mind," "Sundown," "Carefree Highway," "Rainy Day People" and "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald," is on tour now. He will perform at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Wichita's Orpheum.

A prolific songwriter whose songs have been covered by folks ranging from Elvis Presley to Peter, Paul and Mary, Lightfoot has recorded 20 albums, been nominated for a handful of Grammys and won just about every award that Canada has to offer.

His last album, "Harmony," was recorded in 2004, and he's not sure he wants to start on another.

"It's just too isolating a thing," he says. "You have to tear yourself away (from other things) to do an album, and I have a couple of teenagers. I'm just going to keep on playing (live). That's really the fun part for me."

Lightfoot and his band play about 55 shows a year.

"We're like a sports team," he said. "We practice, we work on technique, the show is well-planned. A show is a sum of its parts, and my goal is to make it as perfect a show as I can make it."

Tickets to Lightfoot's concert range from $30 to $59. They're available at Select-A-Seat outlets or by phone at 316-755-SEAT.

Witchita Eagle:

Folk singer Lightfoot performs at Orpheum

"Jiggy-vous."

That slice of French-Canadian patois was a favorite saying of the teenage Gordon Lightfoot. It means "all right."

Now 67, Lightfoot is hardly a boy, but he's still getting jiggy-vous with it. That is, he's all right, or at least as all right as someone can be who's survived Bell's palsy, a condition that once paralyzed one side of his face; a stomach aneurysm that put him in a coma for two months; and a small stroke suffered on stage last September.

Still, Lightfoot the Canadian singer-songwriter whose greatest hits include "If You Could Read My Mind," "Sundown," "Carefree Highway," "Rainy Day People" and "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald," is on tour now. He will perform at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Wichita's Orpheum.

A prolific songwriter whose songs have been covered by folks ranging from Elvis Presley to Peter, Paul and Mary, Lightfoot has recorded 20 albums, been nominated for a handful of Grammys and won just about every award that Canada has to offer.

His last album, "Harmony," was recorded in 2004, and he's not sure he wants to start on another.

"It's just too isolating a thing," he says. "You have to tear yourself away (from other things) to do an album, and I have a couple of teenagers. I'm just going to keep on playing (live). That's really the fun part for me."

Lightfoot and his band play about 55 shows a year.

"We're like a sports team," he said. "We practice, we work on technique, the show is well-planned. A show is a sum of its parts, and my goal is to make it as perfect a show as I can make it."

Tickets to Lightfoot's concert range from $30 to $59. They're available at Select-A-Seat outlets or by phone at 316-755-SEAT.

Well in all due respect he said the same thing after East of Midnight :)

I've said it before on here and I'll say it again, he has plenty in the vault to make a new CD from.

Maybe we could all start a petition? :D

hmm..much of that interview was in this one:
http://www.corfid.com/ubb/ultimatebb...=004512#000000

hmm..much of that interview was in this one:
http://www.corfid.com/ubb/ultimatebb...=004512#000000

One thing I know about singer/songwriters,when they finally,once again,get sparked with ideas for songs,they go full tilt and out comes another album. :)

It's in his blood and since he doesn't have the pressures to "produce product" like in the 1970s, I'm certain we'll see another CD.

I have no wish to comment on whather it's the final one. Don't even want to think about that! :eek:

I think we all ned to let the man be. If he wants to work on a new CD fine. But if not well we have more than 40 years of material from him for us to enjoy.

I think we all ned to let the man be. If he wants to work on a new CD fine. But if not well we have more than 40 years of material from him for us to enjoy.

If and when Gord choose to quit doing albums of original material, I would be very happy for the final CD to be called, "40 Years of Massey Hall" with selections from throughout that impressive time. The big 5 or 6 hits would be in there. Throw in a couple of unreleased songs such as "Nighttime". And make it a double album !!

This would be a capstone to the recording career of a legend.

I agree totally! I think he's the Shakespeare of our day! At any given time, I can find a song of his that fits my mood. Hey, I've never heard "Nighttime". Maybe I'll try to find it on the 'Net. Right now, my absolute favorite is "Painter".

I agree totally! I think he's the Shakespeare of our day! At any given time, I can find a song of his that fits my mood. Hey, I've never heard "Nighttime". Maybe I'll try to find it on the 'Net. Right now, my absolute favorite is "Painter".

Plus, this is ridiculous. He's the kind that's gonna wear out, not rust out!

Plus, this is ridiculous. He's the kind that's gonna wear out, not rust out!

My brother was talking to Red a couple weeks ago about this very topic. According to Red, Gord has some great songs that have never been recorded, but he is not in a real hurry to do another CD -- takes a lot of time and he'd just as soon spend it with his family when not touring. Who can blame him .. I'd love for him to do another CD too, but I also respect this time of life for him (as I know all of you do too).

Cheers,

Mark

The amount of songs this man has produced is incredible. However, yes, he has more than earned time with his family! I keep saying this but when I knew him (mid-70's) he was so unhappy. So glad to hear from so many people on this website that he is happy now.

The amount of songs this man has produced is incredible. However, yes, he has more than earned time with his family! I keep saying this but when I knew him (mid-70's) he was so unhappy. So glad to hear from so many people on this website that he is happy now.

A lot of established artists record a song a month or so, while they're doing other things, then after a year or 15 months they have an album to deliver to the record company. I would hope Gord would use a couple years worth of his off touring time (November-March) to lay down some songs at his convenience. One plus for him, his band lives reasonably close, not spread out all over the place. This might be one way we could get a new CD.

A lot of established artists record a song a month or so, while they're doing other things, then after a year or 15 months they have an album to deliver to the record company. I would hope Gord would use a couple years worth of his off touring time (November-March) to lay down some songs at his convenience. One plus for him, his band lives reasonably close, not spread out all over the place. This might be one way we could get a new CD.

forgot what I was gonna say :redface:

Oh, I remember now. I was gonna say with regard to this topic of whether he will ever do another album, that I think he is such a perfectionist, that he's not just gonna throw something together just for the sake of putting out a new CD. And I can completely understand why at this point in his life he doesn't want to spend months in a studio working on a new album. I do however also believe that songwriters just don't stop being songwriters, and I'll bet he has quite an arsenal of songs in all stages of completion, that we have yet to hear from him.

I had an idea, and maybe I'm crazy, but here goes...

I have a friend of a friend who has begun a new business venture, called Melvincares.com if any of you would be so inclined to check this out. It's a music download business where new/emerging artists can sell their songs, one-at-a-time, to customers who download them and pay $1/song. Part of the profits go to charity. The web site explains it so much better, so I'm hoping some of you will check into it.

Anyway, here's a partial copy of an e-mail I sent to them a couple of months ago:

"... I am a HUGE Gordon Lightfoot fan! I found an interesting article, published today in the Times & Transcript newspaper out of Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada, in which he speaks candidly about why he is not interested in recording a new CD at this point in his life and career. As a devoted fan, I'm sure you can imagine how incredibly sad that is for me.

Then I thought of YOU! WHAT IF you could get a living legend like Gordon Lightfoot, who is incredibly talented, still touring to sold out crowds across Canada and the U.S., and who has absolutely nothing left to prove to anyone, to use Melvin Cares as an outlet for his NEW MUSIC??!!! And being the humanitarian that he is, I'll bet the part about fighting poverty might spark his interest too??

I know Melvincares is about new, emerging artists. BUT...perhaps there's an opportunity here that needs to be checked into??!!"

Here's the reply I got from them:

"Thanks so much for your email. It's a very interesting idea. Maybe he would be interested in putting up a song or two.

I will see if there's any way I can contact Gordon's management, but that sort of thing is always a difficult process. By the way, if you are interested in trying that on my behalf, please let me know."

SO......WHAT DO YA'LL THINK?!

[ June 27, 2007, 12:36: Message edited by: Gitchigumee ]

I have become confused. In his phone interview with CHar, he expressed that songwriting would be an exercise in "futility". Yet in the Tulsa(?) pre-concert interview he says that he has about 6 ideas for songs lying around in a drawer.

That being said, the cause sounds worthy. No harm in asking.

He may have song ideas all over but he's not interested in taking the time from touring and family and his health/fitness regime to complete them and record them.
I imagine the next thing he spends time on is putting LIVE material previously recorded onto a CD or two.
and that's as fine as fine can be with me!

He may have song ideas all over but he's not interested in taking the time from touring and family and his health/fitness regime to complete them and record them.
I imagine the next thing he spends time on is putting LIVE material previously recorded onto a CD or two.
and that's as fine as fine can be with me!

Charlene,

You know this man too well. What befuddles me seems to make perfect sense to you.

LOL!!
He pretty much said that when we spoke..
lol

maybe us Canucks comprendez in a different way?
lol

LOL!!
He pretty much said that when we spoke..
lol

maybe us Canucks comprendez in a different way?
lol

As I recall he has said (somewhere or other) that he has snippets of songs scribbled down, maybe some bits of melody on audio tape that he puts down as they come to him, noodling on the guitar while watching TV, etc. Many writers do that - an idea strikes and you want to put it down in some form to work on at a later date. I do hope he has plans to endow the University of Toronto or other local school with his papers, letters, memorabilia, demos, unreleased recordings et al. And *I* want to be archivist <g>.

As I recall he has said (somewhere or other) that he has snippets of songs scribbled down, maybe some bits of melody on audio tape that he puts down as they come to him, noodling on the guitar while watching TV, etc. Many writers do that - an idea strikes and you want to put it down in some form to work on at a later date. I do hope he has plans to endow the University of Toronto or other local school with his papers, letters, memorabilia, demos, unreleased recordings et al. And *I* want to be archivist <g>.

Yeah....I thought my original notion had holes in it. But I reread the the Tulsa pre-concert interview, and he did say he had 6 ideas for songs he would LIKE to start on. I understand and admire his priorities.

As far as Canucks comprehending differently....I'll let you know when I receive my stamps. If it's a collection of moose postage, I'd best stay on this side of the border.