Gordon Lightfoot Forums - View Single Post - Gordon Lightfoot on his way to Atlantic CANADA!!!

Jesse Joe · 05-10-2007, 04:09 AM

http://www.canadaeast.com/ce2/docroo...ticleID=140930

Gordon Lightfoot was scheduled to perform in Moncton in 2002, but had to cancel due to health problems. His long-awaited show at the Coliseum is set for tomorrow night.

Lightfoot overcomes health problems to tour again

Published Thursday May 10th, 2007.

Gordon Lightfoot wasn't sure he would ever make it back onto a stage, much less step foot onto Moncton's biggest stage at the Moncton Coliseum.

The legendary Canadian folk singer was scheduled to perform at the Coliseum on September 17, 2002, but the Maritime tour was cancelled after Lightfoot experienced stomach pains, symptoms of what could have been a fatal abdominal hemorrhage.

Nearly five years, Gordon is healthy again and is finally on his way to the Hub City. He'll perform at the Moncton Coliseum tomorrow night.

It's been a long time coming.

"I had a case of mechanical failure," Gordon jokes over the phone from his home in Toronto a week ago. "It's good to be back. I'm a little late."

A burst artery in his midsection caused the abdominal hemorrhage, which had him in and out of the hospital three times over 19 months.

It was 28 months before he hit the stage again. For the first six months, he wasn't sure he'd ever be well enough to perform again.

"I knew I was ready to play again after two years," he says. When he was well enough, he performed at a benefit for the hospital that treated him when he was ill.

Since then, he's hardly left the stage. Gordon tours regularly, but he's careful to take time off and not burn himself out on the road.

"It's a passion. It's a passion to perform, to put it in simple terms. I would like to keep doing it as long as I can. I'm 68 now, but I know several people who are into their 70s who are still going pretty strong," he says, citing Kris Kristofferson, Ian Tyson, Willie Nelson and Tony Bennett as examples.

"(The gym) keeps me prepared and gives me an energy reserve for when I walk out onto the stage and try to knock your socks off with these shows that we're doing."

If there's anything you will understand after a conversation with the venerable singer, it's that he likes to be prepared. Being prepared comes up every time he can slip it into the conversation. Tours are carefully planned, the set list is well thought out and Gordon rehearses every week with band members so that each song he intends on performing is right on the tip of his tongue.

In fact, he was tuning his guitar for a practice (while watching the night's NHL playoff game of course) when the Times & Transcript called him.

Performing is Gordon's only serious musical interest now. While he tinkers with song ideas regularly, he says he isn't interested in recording another album. His last, Harmony, was released in 2004, and it was released on a small record label. Gordon's 33 year relationship with Warner Music ended in 1998.

"I'm not really interested in working on an album," he says. "I've completed all the recording contracts that I ever had. I was under contract for 33 years. I was out of that in 1998. This last album was just a second thought, an afterthought. I wasn't going to go back to Warner Brothers and ask them if they wanted to sign me for a fourth time.

"I'm going back to what I always did right at the start. I always had a show, and I was always a performer. And now I've perfected all of that. We've got it in wonderful condition."

Still, it's hard to believe that a songwriter whose songs - If You Could Read My Mind, The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, and Sundown, to name just a few - are ingrained into Canadian culture has no interest in writing songs anymore.

"Occasionally, I've got a twitch," he admits. "I've always got two or three things I'm tinkering with. But you don't take it seriously. I'm 68 years old now. It takes a lot longer the older you get, I've found. And I don't want to waste that time. I've got a family, I've got quite a few kids. And I've always tried to be attentive, but I really want to be more attentive in that regard.

"And I want to look after my business activities too. I've got estate planning and those things to look after too. I've got a catalogue that will be here when I'm no longer here. All of these things have to be thought about."

Gordon has six children ages 13 years and older. He's been married twice and engaged twice. He's currently single, but five of his children live in Toronto (one of his son's lives in Los Angeles), so family is always close by.

His current lifestyle allows him to enjoy his family time, but still get out and perform. While a new album might not be in the plans, he intends on touring as long as he's able to.

"In the stops in between and the things that you see, and the people you see, the fans and the afterglow, the response ... it's really a hard thing to shake, you know?" he says. "If you really enjoy it, and as long as you feel strong and you're prepared ... I keep stressing that. All my people are like that. Everyone's focused on doing a great job."

One could write a book about Gordon's many accomplishments. His songs have been covered by everyone from Johnny Cash to Elvis Presley. He's won 15 Juno awards and has been nominated for five Grammys. He was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1986 and the Canadian Coutnry Music Hall of Fame in 2001. In May 2003, he was made a Companion of the Order of Canada and is also a member of the Order of Ontario. In 2004, he was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame.

But when asked about what he hopes his legacy is, Gordon merely says he hopes the way he has led his career can be an example for young musicians.

"I would like to have set a good example. And that example would be - it's just so simple and straight ahead - write the songs. Start working on a catalogue, because without the songs you have no material to work with. Step two, cover other people's songs and keep adding your own songs to the mix. That's my advice and that's what I've done since the beginning."

Gordon's East Coast tour, which kicks off at Saint John's Harbour Station tonight, will see him perform in Moncton, Halifax, Sydney and St. John's.

"I'm really excited, because I wondered if I would ever be able to fulfill those engagements, and it makes me feel really good to know we'll be able to do that."

Gordon Lightfoot will perform at the Moncton Coliseum tomorrow night (Friday) at the Moncton Coliseum. Tickets are on sale now for $61. Tickets can be purchased at the Moncton Coliseum box office, by phone at 857-4100 or online at www.tickets.moncton.ca.

[ May 10, 2007, 04:34: Message edited by: Jesse-Joe. ]

05-10-2007, 04:09 AM	#1
Jesse Joe Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 6,862	http://www.canadaeast.com/ce2/docroo...ticleID=140930 Gordon Lightfoot was scheduled to perform in Moncton in 2002, but had to cancel due to health problems. His long-awaited show at the Coliseum is set for tomorrow night. Lightfoot overcomes health problems to tour again Published Thursday May 10th, 2007. Gordon Lightfoot wasn't sure he would ever make it back onto a stage, much less step foot onto Moncton's biggest stage at the Moncton Coliseum. The legendary Canadian folk singer was scheduled to perform at the Coliseum on September 17, 2002, but the Maritime tour was cancelled after Lightfoot experienced stomach pains, symptoms of what could have been a fatal abdominal hemorrhage. Nearly five years, Gordon is healthy again and is finally on his way to the Hub City. He'll perform at the Moncton Coliseum tomorrow night. It's been a long time coming. "I had a case of mechanical failure," Gordon jokes over the phone from his home in Toronto a week ago. "It's good to be back. I'm a little late." A burst artery in his midsection caused the abdominal hemorrhage, which had him in and out of the hospital three times over 19 months. It was 28 months before he hit the stage again. For the first six months, he wasn't sure he'd ever be well enough to perform again. "I knew I was ready to play again after two years," he says. When he was well enough, he performed at a benefit for the hospital that treated him when he was ill. Since then, he's hardly left the stage. Gordon tours regularly, but he's careful to take time off and not burn himself out on the road. "It's a passion. It's a passion to perform, to put it in simple terms. I would like to keep doing it as long as I can. I'm 68 now, but I know several people who are into their 70s who are still going pretty strong," he says, citing Kris Kristofferson, Ian Tyson, Willie Nelson and Tony Bennett as examples. "(The gym) keeps me prepared and gives me an energy reserve for when I walk out onto the stage and try to knock your socks off with these shows that we're doing." If there's anything you will understand after a conversation with the venerable singer, it's that he likes to be prepared. Being prepared comes up every time he can slip it into the conversation. Tours are carefully planned, the set list is well thought out and Gordon rehearses every week with band members so that each song he intends on performing is right on the tip of his tongue. In fact, he was tuning his guitar for a practice (while watching the night's NHL playoff game of course) when the Times & Transcript called him. Performing is Gordon's only serious musical interest now. While he tinkers with song ideas regularly, he says he isn't interested in recording another album. His last, Harmony, was released in 2004, and it was released on a small record label. Gordon's 33 year relationship with Warner Music ended in 1998. "I'm not really interested in working on an album," he says. "I've completed all the recording contracts that I ever had. I was under contract for 33 years. I was out of that in 1998. This last album was just a second thought, an afterthought. I wasn't going to go back to Warner Brothers and ask them if they wanted to sign me for a fourth time. "I'm going back to what I always did right at the start. I always had a show, and I was always a performer. And now I've perfected all of that. We've got it in wonderful condition." Still, it's hard to believe that a songwriter whose songs - If You Could Read My Mind, The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, and Sundown, to name just a few - are ingrained into Canadian culture has no interest in writing songs anymore. "Occasionally, I've got a twitch," he admits. "I've always got two or three things I'm tinkering with. But you don't take it seriously. I'm 68 years old now. It takes a lot longer the older you get, I've found. And I don't want to waste that time. I've got a family, I've got quite a few kids. And I've always tried to be attentive, but I really want to be more attentive in that regard. "And I want to look after my business activities too. I've got estate planning and those things to look after too. I've got a catalogue that will be here when I'm no longer here. All of these things have to be thought about." Gordon has six children ages 13 years and older. He's been married twice and engaged twice. He's currently single, but five of his children live in Toronto (one of his son's lives in Los Angeles), so family is always close by. His current lifestyle allows him to enjoy his family time, but still get out and perform. While a new album might not be in the plans, he intends on touring as long as he's able to. "In the stops in between and the things that you see, and the people you see, the fans and the afterglow, the response ... it's really a hard thing to shake, you know?" he says. "If you really enjoy it, and as long as you feel strong and you're prepared ... I keep stressing that. All my people are like that. Everyone's focused on doing a great job." One could write a book about Gordon's many accomplishments. His songs have been covered by everyone from Johnny Cash to Elvis Presley. He's won 15 Juno awards and has been nominated for five Grammys. He was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1986 and the Canadian Coutnry Music Hall of Fame in 2001. In May 2003, he was made a Companion of the Order of Canada and is also a member of the Order of Ontario. In 2004, he was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame. But when asked about what he hopes his legacy is, Gordon merely says he hopes the way he has led his career can be an example for young musicians. "I would like to have set a good example. And that example would be - it's just so simple and straight ahead - write the songs. Start working on a catalogue, because without the songs you have no material to work with. Step two, cover other people's songs and keep adding your own songs to the mix. That's my advice and that's what I've done since the beginning." Gordon's East Coast tour, which kicks off at Saint John's Harbour Station tonight, will see him perform in Moncton, Halifax, Sydney and St. John's. "I'm really excited, because I wondered if I would ever be able to fulfill those engagements, and it makes me feel really good to know we'll be able to do that." Gordon Lightfoot will perform at the Moncton Coliseum tomorrow night (Friday) at the Moncton Coliseum. Tickets are on sale now for $61. Tickets can be purchased at the Moncton Coliseum box office, by phone at 857-4100 or online at www.tickets.moncton.ca. [ May 10, 2007, 04:34: Message edited by: Jesse-Joe. ]