globe and mail-last nights'IDOL show

[charlene]

BREAKING NEWS
POSTED AT 7:08 AM EDT Thursday, Aug 19, 2004

A real Canadian idol shows the young 'uns how it's done

Gordon Lightfoot leads individual workshops for Idol hopefuls



By MARY NERSESSIAN
From Friday's Globe and Mail

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The original Canadian idol has struck a chord with a new generation of aspiring musicians.Fans of the 65-year-old icon Gordon Lightfoot tuned in to a special tribute episode last night to see his hand in shaping young Canadian Idol hopefuls.

The top six competitors performed classics from Gordon Lightfoot's songbook. Lightfoot himself guided the performers' rehearsals during individual workshops, less than two years after a near-fatal abdominal hemorrhage.

The live television appearance comes less than two weeks after the recovered crooner performed old classics and titles from his new album to a standing ovation at the Peterborough, Ont., flood-relief concert.

In an interview with CTV's eTalk Daily that was scheduled to air last night, Lightfoot said, "The whole objective of this whole exercise is being able to start up again." His first public appearance since he took ill in 2002 was an impromptu one-song performance at the Mariposa Folk Festival in Orillia, Ont.

Lightfoot told eTalk that he wanted to shape the performers' interpretations of his songs by guiding them with encouraging words and technical pointers like the appropriate tempo of the songs.

"And it's fun 'cause they are really responsive. They can test themselves. I'm real happy to meet them, and they seem to be real happy to meet me," he said.

John Brunton, executive producer for Canadian Idol, said "everybody in the Canadian music industry is standing on Gordon Lightfoot's shoulders.

Lightfoot began watching Canadian Idol after he accepted the offer to come on board a few weeks ago. "He really started to fall in love with the kids. He just had a delightful time with them," Brunton said, adding that Lightfoot helped the competitors understand the inspiration and meaning behind his songs.

Lightfoot told eTalk, "I've watched it and gotten to know the people . . . and it really helps me to relate to them when I'm speaking to them in person."

For the first time in any Idol show, the competitors will accompany themselves on tonight's episode, when the voting results are announced. Tonight's episode will also feature an ensemble performance during which competitors will play guitar, piano, bass, mandolin and fiddle on Lightfoot's Canadian Railroad Trilogy. They will also perform Steel Rail Blues.

Tonight's episode will air live at 8 ET on CTV.

[charlene]

BREAKING NEWS
POSTED AT 7:08 AM EDT Thursday, Aug 19, 2004

A real Canadian idol shows the young 'uns how it's done

Gordon Lightfoot leads individual workshops for Idol hopefuls



By MARY NERSESSIAN
From Friday's Globe and Mail

E-mail this Article
Print this Article




Advertisement



The original Canadian idol has struck a chord with a new generation of aspiring musicians.Fans of the 65-year-old icon Gordon Lightfoot tuned in to a special tribute episode last night to see his hand in shaping young Canadian Idol hopefuls.

The top six competitors performed classics from Gordon Lightfoot's songbook. Lightfoot himself guided the performers' rehearsals during individual workshops, less than two years after a near-fatal abdominal hemorrhage.

The live television appearance comes less than two weeks after the recovered crooner performed old classics and titles from his new album to a standing ovation at the Peterborough, Ont., flood-relief concert.

In an interview with CTV's eTalk Daily that was scheduled to air last night, Lightfoot said, "The whole objective of this whole exercise is being able to start up again." His first public appearance since he took ill in 2002 was an impromptu one-song performance at the Mariposa Folk Festival in Orillia, Ont.

Lightfoot told eTalk that he wanted to shape the performers' interpretations of his songs by guiding them with encouraging words and technical pointers like the appropriate tempo of the songs.

"And it's fun 'cause they are really responsive. They can test themselves. I'm real happy to meet them, and they seem to be real happy to meet me," he said.

John Brunton, executive producer for Canadian Idol, said "everybody in the Canadian music industry is standing on Gordon Lightfoot's shoulders.

Lightfoot began watching Canadian Idol after he accepted the offer to come on board a few weeks ago. "He really started to fall in love with the kids. He just had a delightful time with them," Brunton said, adding that Lightfoot helped the competitors understand the inspiration and meaning behind his songs.

Lightfoot told eTalk, "I've watched it and gotten to know the people . . . and it really helps me to relate to them when I'm speaking to them in person."

For the first time in any Idol show, the competitors will accompany themselves on tonight's episode, when the voting results are announced. Tonight's episode will also feature an ensemble performance during which competitors will play guitar, piano, bass, mandolin and fiddle on Lightfoot's Canadian Railroad Trilogy. They will also perform Steel Rail Blues.

Tonight's episode will air live at 8 ET on CTV.

[Station Master]

thanks char! (hey B,, a bit more tact in this article )

[jj]

thanks char! (hey B,, a bit more tact in this article )