[charlene]

CW-will it be just you, Rick and Terry at Mariposa?
GL-yes, this time it will be just the three of us. The last time I took the whole band it was ruined by that great big thunderstorm. I’m not going to take a chance on the weather again.
CW-that was the night Dylan was at Casino Rama. He didn’t make it over.
GL-mostly it didn’t transpire because as soon as they finished they got on the bus and drove back to Toronto. He’s out working the same as I am.
CW-yep – Kristofferson’s out there, James Taylor is out with Carole King doing a concert tour together.
GL-oh yeah they’re out there.
CW-well it’s all the good music!
GL-if they’re capable of sustaining their careers, I mean it’s all a matter of staying motivated. You know, I mean you have to stay motivated doing this kind of work. There has to be a very deep desire to do it or you could never last on into your older years. You’ve got to stay committed because as you get older you weaken a little bit.
CW-I don’t know how you have the stamina to do it.
GL-a lot of it has to do with my physical regimen. See I do a lot of exercising, it’s part of my routine, it’s part of my responsibility. It makes you sing better and makes me stronger onstage. I store energy..are you getting all this?
CW-yes I am! do you have a diet plan, a nutritional aspect of your health plan? Like a high carb/high protein sort of thing? There’s always diets around for high energy; is that something you try to consciously try to maintain too?
GL-no I just eat what I want. I don’t have a weight problem.
CW-no you don’t, that’s for sure. I hear a lot of comments of ‘he’s so thin!”
GL- it’s because of the exercise.
CW-I know some of the band are into exercise.
GL-Barry is into it and Michael runs.
CW-Barry does baseball and hockey.
GL-He’s very sports minded, he’s very knowledgeable about the sports field. It’s absolutely amazing the information that he has about the sports world. All the sports not just hockey and baseball, but all the sports.
CW-I spoke with him about being scouted by a major league time years ago.
GL-he was a pitcher but he plays shortstop for the league he’s in.
CW-did Eric finish up his pilot courses? You told me at Massey that he was flying out near Ganonoque with skydivers last year.
GL-yes and he has his musical obligations lined up too.
CW-he’s in a couple of bands.
GL-yes he’s an engineer and he’s actually quite deeply involved in it. This summer he’ll be a jump pilot. Jump pilots take the people up. And he works with his bands. I don’t know how he does it because he has to be up there every weekend but he builds up a lot of flying hours.
CW-does he live in the city?
GL-yes he’s in the city and he does both, he does his musical endeavours and he does his flying. He’s very, very adventurous, he travels and he goes and does things and is very mobile.
CW-so all is good in the world of Gordon Lightfoot then?
GL-yes, yes I can sayso.
CW-you’re going to the club, the health is good, no more problems with TIA’s or anything like that?
GL-I had the TIA about 3 ½ years ago.
CW-has it been that long?
GL-yes, it’s almost four years ago. I couldn’t play, could hardly play for about five months. I practiced more during that five months, I think I practised more in that five months than I ever did before in my life working my way through that. Kept going to the gym, kept practicing, I had to fight my way back and plough my through that. I lost the use of my right arm and my hand that I could not play. You can imagine how frustrating that can be. By fingering the chords of the left hand, you know that’s the hand that holds down the strings, I was still able to use the thumb on my right hand but I was unable to hold a flat pick so it got kind of interesting there. I was leading the band by body language.(laughing) But we got through it and it started to improve, it actually started to, when it first happened, after about the fifth day I noticed an improvement. About five shows later we had to get an opening act of course in Minneapolis, because I couldn’t play all the songs. There were certain songs I could play and certain songs I could not play. So I was reorganizing the sets. I remember the day it happened, I practiced all night long, the day it happened, that night I practiced all night long. I’d been to the hospital of course. I ploughed my way through it and I recovered. I got on some new medication to add to the medication I’m already taking that goes back to the illness I had in 2002 to 2004. I’m still taking some and will for the rest of my life. So with all this I rise above all of the issues to play the music and we’re really happy that we can do that and I’m happy that I have the music, tough road and you’ve gotta stay dedicated to it. This is what I plan to do. I’ve noticed we’ve been improving a lot lately, we’re getting a tremendous response, we’re getting more people and I feel we’re on an upward curve with our shows and it’s because all of my energy and focus is directed in that way.
CW-well I know that anybody I talk to in North America, or people who e-mail me and have concerts they are planning to go to or just went to they just thank the heavens that you’re still up there doing what you’re doing for us. It’s more than we can say how appreciative of your music over the years and that you’re continuing to do it. It’s very, very important to so many people. I don’t know if you understand how important your music is…
GL-yes, yes I do and it’s important to us too. We have a reason for doing it, we love doing it, it supports several families and we do it very well and we’re planning on carrying on as long as possible.
CW-well you’re on your way and I have a couple of daycare kids here that are ready for naps.
GL-well good for you!
CW-once again Gordon, I appreciate your time and that you offered this time to me. It’s more than I ever expected as a kid when I first fell in love with your music. I love you and I love your music and I wish the best for you as all your fans do. So I’ll see you up at Mariposa.
GL-okay!
CW- alright, take care.
GL-alright!
CW-thanks Gordon, good- bye.