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07-09-2004, 01:12 PM

In 1970, I heard Gordon Lightfoot for the first time. I was in my '64 Dodge Dart equpited with only an AM radio and heard "If You Could Read My Mind." I still remember being almost entranced as I listened to it for the first time. Being a Folkie and playing an acustic guitar, well this fit right in with me. I did, however, believe he was new. I bought the album and I am sure wore my parents out playing it over and over. Well a short time later, "Summer Side of Life" came out and I bought that, too. One day while roaming through the record section at Treasure City in Haltom City, Texas, I saw the five UA releases and bought them, too. What a treasure those were. So many of these songs I had heard other sing but was unaware they belonged to GL. I wound up in Panama in '71-72 with Uncle Sam and bought Don Quixote while there. Well I wound up with about 16 or so LP's and almost as many GL books. I had the pleasure of seeing him in concert at The Dallas Convention Center and in Fort Worth at the Tarrant County Convention Center. I was standing back stage talking with a Fort Worth Police Officer who was providing security for the event. Barry Keene, Gord's drummer, came out and thanked us for providing secutiry. I told him that, although I was an officer, that I was not part of the security, that I was there for the concert and that I had all of GL's albums up to that time. Barry invited me to come back stage and meet Gordon. Gordon was extremely gracious and very friendly. We visited for several minutes and he thanked me for buying his albums and coming to the concert. I have all the vinyls still but have managed to get all of them on CD's as well, except for Harmony. I have looked for it and I am sure it will turn up somewhere soon. I can truly say that I have followed his music from start to present. It is almost amazing that you feel like he is a "good friend" after all these years, rather than just some singer/songwriter.

07-09-2004, 01:12 PM	#37
James Guest Posts: n/a	In 1970, I heard Gordon Lightfoot for the first time. I was in my '64 Dodge Dart equpited with only an AM radio and heard "If You Could Read My Mind." I still remember being almost entranced as I listened to it for the first time. Being a Folkie and playing an acustic guitar, well this fit right in with me. I did, however, believe he was new. I bought the album and I am sure wore my parents out playing it over and over. Well a short time later, "Summer Side of Life" came out and I bought that, too. One day while roaming through the record section at Treasure City in Haltom City, Texas, I saw the five UA releases and bought them, too. What a treasure those were. So many of these songs I had heard other sing but was unaware they belonged to GL. I wound up in Panama in '71-72 with Uncle Sam and bought Don Quixote while there. Well I wound up with about 16 or so LP's and almost as many GL books. I had the pleasure of seeing him in concert at The Dallas Convention Center and in Fort Worth at the Tarrant County Convention Center. I was standing back stage talking with a Fort Worth Police Officer who was providing security for the event. Barry Keene, Gord's drummer, came out and thanked us for providing secutiry. I told him that, although I was an officer, that I was not part of the security, that I was there for the concert and that I had all of GL's albums up to that time. Barry invited me to come back stage and meet Gordon. Gordon was extremely gracious and very friendly. We visited for several minutes and he thanked me for buying his albums and coming to the concert. I have all the vinyls still but have managed to get all of them on CD's as well, except for Harmony. I have looked for it and I am sure it will turn up somewhere soon. I can truly say that I have followed his music from start to present. It is almost amazing that you feel like he is a "good friend" after all these years, rather than just some singer/songwriter.