Gordon Lightfoot Forums - View Single Post - A year later

Auburn Annie · 09-09-2003, 12:22 PM

From today's Orillia Packet & Times (FWIW, they don't indicate where they got their information):

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A song of hope for Orillia’s Gordon Lightfoot

Managing Editor

Tuesday, September 09, 2003 - 08:00

Local News - There was a time when Gordon Lightfoot and Orillia were estranged, at least publicly.

The Canadian icon and the little place where he was born and raised didn’t seem to fit together.

There were the occasional references to his original home. The pussywillows and cattails in Lightfoot’s wistful hit of that name grew in this place and left their mark on the man when he was an innocent boy with the summer freedom of bicycles, pals and fishing poles.

But Lightfoot’s experiences grew beyond those idyllic days, and his music grew with him. In time he became a singer for the nation.

He helped define what it is to be Canadian even as he scratched and clawed his way through the nettles of the popular music industry.

For a long time, though his family remained in Orillia, Lightfoot became detached from the community in a public sense.

Then he came back.

A few years ago, he returned to play at the Opera House. The reception he got was warm and appreciative. He performed beautifully, marking the end of a long period when he had not appeared on stage in the city.

That was followed by a triumphant return to the Mariposa Folk Festival stage, which set up in Orillia to mark its 40th anniversary. The night was filled with bugs, but the atmosphere was charged with meaning when Lightfoot took the stage at Tudhope Park to bring the venerable old folk festival back to its birthplace.

That night was also a homecoming for the venerable old folk musician who was among the first to perform in the early days of Mariposa.

So it no longer seemed surprising when Lightfoot stepped up to help this community raise funds for charities, including one of the most important institutions here – Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital. It was another wonderful moment.

Lightfoot was scheduled to perform two benefit concerts a year ago this week. He delivered the first, and those in attendance said he was in top form. But when the time came to prepare the stage for the second show, Lightfoot was found collapsed in his dressing room.

The second concert never took place.

Rushed to the hospital he was here to support, Lightfoot was later airlifted to McMaster University Medical Centre. It was the beginning of an ordeal that continues to this day. Lightfoot had suffered an aneurysm of an artery in his lower abdomen between his pancreas and liver.

A series of surgeries has left his abdomen devastated, and there is a chance he may never sing again. He will have to go through another year of treatments before he will know.

There would be irresistible poetic symmetry were Lightfoot’s last concert performed in the cradle of his first performances so many years ago. But we would gladly forego such legend fodder for a chance to hear him sing again.

So we send out a message to one of Orillia’s favourite sons: your hometown will not forget the contributions you have made here. We wish you strength and good luck.

09-09-2003, 12:22 PM	#1
Auburn Annie Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Upstate New York Posts: 3,101	From today's Orillia Packet & Times (FWIW, they don't indicate where they got their information): ******************************************** A song of hope for Orillia’s Gordon Lightfoot Managing Editor Tuesday, September 09, 2003 - 08:00 Local News - There was a time when Gordon Lightfoot and Orillia were estranged, at least publicly. The Canadian icon and the little place where he was born and raised didn’t seem to fit together. There were the occasional references to his original home. The pussywillows and cattails in Lightfoot’s wistful hit of that name grew in this place and left their mark on the man when he was an innocent boy with the summer freedom of bicycles, pals and fishing poles. But Lightfoot’s experiences grew beyond those idyllic days, and his music grew with him. In time he became a singer for the nation. He helped define what it is to be Canadian even as he scratched and clawed his way through the nettles of the popular music industry. For a long time, though his family remained in Orillia, Lightfoot became detached from the community in a public sense. Then he came back. A few years ago, he returned to play at the Opera House. The reception he got was warm and appreciative. He performed beautifully, marking the end of a long period when he had not appeared on stage in the city. That was followed by a triumphant return to the Mariposa Folk Festival stage, which set up in Orillia to mark its 40th anniversary. The night was filled with bugs, but the atmosphere was charged with meaning when Lightfoot took the stage at Tudhope Park to bring the venerable old folk festival back to its birthplace. That night was also a homecoming for the venerable old folk musician who was among the first to perform in the early days of Mariposa. So it no longer seemed surprising when Lightfoot stepped up to help this community raise funds for charities, including one of the most important institutions here – Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital. It was another wonderful moment. Lightfoot was scheduled to perform two benefit concerts a year ago this week. He delivered the first, and those in attendance said he was in top form. But when the time came to prepare the stage for the second show, Lightfoot was found collapsed in his dressing room. The second concert never took place. Rushed to the hospital he was here to support, Lightfoot was later airlifted to McMaster University Medical Centre. It was the beginning of an ordeal that continues to this day. Lightfoot had suffered an aneurysm of an artery in his lower abdomen between his pancreas and liver. A series of surgeries has left his abdomen devastated, and there is a chance he may never sing again. He will have to go through another year of treatments before he will know. There would be irresistible poetic symmetry were Lightfoot’s last concert performed in the cradle of his first performances so many years ago. But we would gladly forego such legend fodder for a chance to hear him sing again. So we send out a message to one of Orillia’s favourite sons: your hometown will not forget the contributions you have made here. We wish you strength and good luck.