Performers
DAVID NEWLAND – with his little black ukulele he sang a splendidly sweet rendition of “Did She Mention My Name”. - VIDEO - night 1 -
- I was very happy to help David when he gathered 70th birthday wishes for Lightfoot a couple of years ago when he was with canoe.ca. He is a co-founder of Roots Music Canada and The Corktown Ukelele Jam. He’s a blogger, on Twitter, Facebook and other sites that are listed in the link @
http://www.davidnewland.com/the-way-we-feel He deserves an award for how he has emceed the shows for 9 years..a witty, well read and darling guy, always with a kind and encouraging word.
On Saturday night David asked the audience who were first timers, been multiple times, more than 3 times? If you could sign up year after year would you? Who has been 9 times or more? He then looked over to me and said “Thank you Ms. Westbrook…she’s been here 370 times!”..lol
ELIZABETH SHEPPARD – She was new to the shows this year and played piano for both of her songs.
http://www.myspace.com/elizabethshepherd I was not able to get any video due to the placement of the piano but I do have some audio. She mentioned that her first concert experience was a Gordon Lightfoot one! She sang “Song For A Winter’s Night” and then said the next song was one she didn’t know if she could pull off because “I’m not a man.” Lori Cullen came up to accompany her on “Sundown.” Beautiful voices and harmonies in a jazzy tone. I have audio of her songs.
RON NIGRINI – he was in the show a few years ago. A soft spoken gentle man with a terrific voice. Back in the early 70’s he travelled the U.S. playing all over while a lot of upheaval was happening – Vietnam, Kent State, the American Indian movement, and his own relationship breakup but he had a lot of Canadian songs in his set list to help him get through it all from Joni Mitchell, Ian Tyson but most were Gordon Lightfoot tunes. One that he sang a lot that saved his bacon on the road when he was lonely and hungry, riding the bus or hitch-hiking and would get him a home cooked meal and perhaps a bed was “Steel Rail Blues.” –
VIDEO - night 1 -
He also sang a quiet, wistful version of “If You Could Read My Mind.” –
VIDEO – night 2.
He told the story of driving up Yonge St. in Toronto listening to the radio and Lightfoot’s If You Could Read My Mind came on. The next song was his and it was the first time he’d heard it on the radio. He pulled over in front of a now defunct strip club with a marquee that read “Anita Man” now appearing. He listened and then waited for the disc jockey to same something about it. He next heard “That was Ron Nigrini singing “Lost in Colorado!” And you can tell that’s his real name because who’d want to change their name to Ron Nigrini!” lol Our Ron Jones and Ron Nigrini were happy to see each other as they’ve been pals for years.
ARIANNA GILLIS (and her father David) @
http://www.arianagillis.com She’s an energetic 20 year old with a lively stage presence. She’s accompanied by her father David
http://www.myspace.com/davidgillis onstage. She sang Don Quixote in a bluegrass style.
She then told of going to a Lightfoot website to research songs and came across the one she would do next. She told Jory what song it was and he told her it was not a Lightfoot tune but she could do it anyway. There is a Lightfoot connection however. She then sang Me and Bobby Magee. I have audio of her songs.
JASON FOWLER @
www.jasonfowler.ca took centre stage and said that the pairing of Lightfoot and David Foster was a mismatch. He then sang “In My Fashion.” - VIDEO - night 1 -
- Jason said that Lightfoot had the three “T’s” – Timing, Tuning and Tone in spades. Then he sang ‘my’ song – “I’ll Tag Along.” – VIDEO – night 2 -
On the second night Jason told his “Lightfoot Boiler String” story – VIDEO – night 2.
Before introducing the next artist David Newland added that Lightfoot had one more “T” – Taste.
Each night Anansi Press was represented and took a few moments to speak about the children’s book “The Canadian Railroad Trilogy” with artwork by Ian Wallace accompanying the lyrics of Gordon Lightfoot. The book as well as artist CD’s were for sale on the merch table each night.