[Simpson]

I have met Gordon twice, and I'd like to share my stories with you.

I first met him in 1999 in Ottawa. It was my first Lightfoot show and I got tickets the day of the show. They were the last two tickets left in the NAC so I was lucky to snag 'em.

The show was great. Although my friend and I got there two songs into the first set. (I'm told he opened with "Beautiful"). He ended the first set with "Edmund Fitzgerald."

During intermission, my friend said "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"
To which I said "Meet him after the show? Great idea!"

The second set was even better than the first. I was really disapointed when he had to introduce "Canadian Railroad Trilogy." That song needs no intro... although the story behind it is cool.

On a side note, the crowd in Ottawa sucked. They were lifeless. When I go to a show, I want to be standing and singing alaong with the artist. GL was doing his best to get people into it, but... nothing.

We went to the stage door and... GL came out!!
"Hi!" he said.
I was the first one in line and I approached him. He signed my ticket for me. We then talked for twenty minutes. Here's some things he said to me I'll never forget:

"Mr. Lightfoot? Or may I call you Gordon?"
"You can call me Gordon, if you like." *laughs*

"I love the TEARS ARE NOT ENOUGH documentory and single. If you had the chance to do that again, would you do it?"
"Sure. Do you know David Foster?"

"Gordon, do you have any advice for someone like me who is trying to make it in the music industry?"
"Keep the catalogue coming. Keep writing and perform whenever you can. Above all, don't give up."

"My band is thinking of covering CANADIAN RAILROAD TRILOGY"
"Okay."
"We want to do a rock version of it."
GL looks at me as if I have completely lost my mind and says "I don't know why you would want to, but okay."
I then say "Well, what I'm trying to say is, may In have your permission to do that?
He then shakes my hand and says "Andy, you have my blessing."

Isn that cool or what? We then said "good bye" and I left... on cloud nine.

Last September, I recorded the song.

In November of last year, he came back to Ottawa. The sets were great. The crowd was lifeless as ever.

GL and I met for the second time. He vaugly remembered me until I mentioned the CRT cover.


I had the CD with me and I attepmted to give it to him when his bodyguard stepped in and said "I'll take that."

I told him how much his music meant to me and how much an influence he was to my work. I thanked for all that.
"Well, I'm glad to be of service, Andy" he said

GL signed two CD's for me and then talked to some other people.

1. I think I came off as a blithering idiot when we met the second time.
2. I'll never know whether he heard the CRT cover or not.

But those are my stories. Hope you enjoyed them.

Simpson