A little bit about myself

[gordon20]

Oh Cathy I am so touched that you are really interested in learning more about me thanks very very much. It is indeed a pity that not too many 20 year olds out there know about this outstanding legend in the history of music. To begin with I was born on the 16th of September in the year of 1984 in Sri Lanka. My family and I are all from Sri Lanka and I'm very sorry to say that nobody in SL knows about Gord except for certain songs people have recorded such as Early Morning Rain, For Lovin Me and others. We first moved to Canada in 1989 and lived in Brampton and I was listening to an oldies station one afternoon and for the first time ever, I heard a Gordon Lightfoot song entitled Read My Mind. I was 5 at the time and immediately thought to myself "What a voice this man has!" I obviously wasn't too Keen at that time as to how to go about obtaining his CD's and tapes for I didn't even know what CD's were at that time except for cassettes. I really loved his voice and immediately became a fan and I can remember waiting everyday to hear a song by Gordon Lightfoot when I listened to oldies 11:50 CKOC here in Hamilton Ontario. Another song I really loved was Sunday and also Carefree Highway. So needless to say, I became hooked immediately to his music and another song I love very very much is Did She Mention My Name. Now that particular song immediately got me hooked because I grew up listening to artists such as Hank Snow, Jim Reeves, Johnny Cash, Waylon and so many other outstanding legends and it really had that country feeling in this particular song. I started to play the piano when I was 3 years old and my all time favorite pianist is the legendary Floyd Cramer. I'll tell you something friends, whenever I hear a country or pop recording which has that distinctive slip note style by Floyd, I always get tears in my eyes. I was so devistated when I heard the news of his unfortunate death in 1996 as I was living in England at the time. We moved to England in 1996 and I am really sorry to say that I missed Gordon so much when I was there. However, when we moved back to Canada in 1998 to Mississauga where we are living to this day, I was delighted when I was able to hear Gordon again! I'll tell you folks, for a blind person I always believe that music means so much to them because it isn't about looks, the image, it's simply about the voice and how it sounds and the feeling of the lyrics. Many youngsters today have absolutely no feeling for music anymore except for their looks and believe me this is such a shame. I can't stand what they call music is today and whoever said Britney and Eminem is music is totally beyond me! If anyone of you would like a copy of my tape I would be more than happy to send it to you! You see the reason I want to get in touch with Mr. Lightfoot is because I want to be an artist and I am really struggling at the moment for I have had to go through quite a lot in my life and I unfortunately have a slight illness which is preventing me from studying. I was put in hospital this passed Januaryand oh friends, it was really really hard but I'll tell you something, if it wasn't for t hose wonderful wonderful nurses at Credit Valley Hospital here in Mississauga, I would have had to suffer all my life. Those nurses were very kind to me indeed and gave me all the right medication and trust me, within three weeks I was out of there! I even entertained the patients and I'll tell you something folks, after I played A White Sports Coat And A Pink Carnation at the hospital, one patient named Patric said the following words. "The way you put that heart and sole into that song lifted up my spirits." Before you know it, he was out of there within a week! I was so deeply touched and tears are streaming down my face as I write this. I would do absolutely anything to help anybody with my music. I don't mean to complain, but please keep me in your prayers for I have had to go through quite a lot in my life these passed few months and my condition has somewhat ditirurated, however it is always important to stay positive and I know everything will be just splended for me. This tape that I made features my piano playing and a lot of my favorite country tunes which I'm sure a lot of you will enjoy! You may Email me anytime at maheen5894@sympatico.ca if you would like a copy at this and I will be more than happy to share my music collection with anyone of you! Like the legendary Ernest Tubb, I will always be willing to help anybody and even a child learn how to play the piano and help them as a singer or a song writer. I will help anybody understand the true feeling of music. I love you all so much and Cathy I certainly hope that this rather long bio of myself put a smile on your face.
May God bless each and everyone of you and again, let me thank each and everyone of you from the bottom of my heart for making me feel so welcome on this forum! This is truly my home! Yours very truly, Maheen Wickramasinghe.

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[Aime_41]

Maheen,

You have just brought many tears to my eyes and a big smile to my heart. You are a beautiful person. Gord would be honored to know you. I WILL remember to pray for you.
Be well.

Aime_41

[gordon20]

Oh, many many thanks indeed for such a sweet reply I sincerely appreciate it very much. It is true fans like you who are so kind and mean the world to me I find that fans of Gordon and many other great legends are such down to earth individuals and you are one of them. Thanks very very much!
May God bless you and your prayers are very much appreciated indeed. Love you!
Your true friend from up north, Maheen.

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[Cathy]

quote:Originally posted by gordon20:
Oh, many many thanks indeed for such a sweet reply I sincerely appreciate it very much. It is true fans like you who are so kind and mean the world to me I find that fans of Gordon and many other great legends are such down to earth individuals and you are one of them. Thanks very very much!
May God bless you and your prayers are very much appreciated indeed. Love you!
Your true friend from up north, Maheen.



Very touching story, Maheen. I think the fact that you are blind is what puts you so in tune with good music, instead of the commercialized junk that is out on the market today. Most of it is driven by one thing... sex. Skimpy little outfits, suggestive dance routines and all that stuff that really has very little to do with good music.
It is so inspiring to me when I find a young person that actually 'gets it' when it comes to good music. There are several people your age on this forum. It makes me think that Gord's music will be handed down to the next generation by people like you, and that makes me smile.
Have you ever attended a Lightfoot concert? You know, considering the state of your health and the fact that you have impaired sight, you would most likely have no problem getting a front row seat. I'm sure if you called EMP, they'd work something out for you. They are very considerate with people who are handicapped and want to attend shows. So many times, I've seen Gord go the extra distance to make sure he he gets to shake hands and talk to handicapped people, and I've always been impressed by that. So many famous artists just don't care. All they want is your money. Gord obviously isn't one of those guys.
All the artists you mention as your favorites are also favorites of mine, songs I've heard since childhood, and that was a very long time ago for me! I have a son who's your age, and one who's two years older than you.
Do you have plans to attend the Massey Hall concerts in May? Many people on this forum will be attending. People from all over the world. We all stay in one hotel, and have some wild jam sessions. I bet you'd really enjoy it.

Thanks for telling you a little about yourself. It brought a smile to my face, and I'll be e-mailing you for one of those cassettes.

I don't know if you've been to my web site, or if you are able to visit it. If not, let me know, and I will send you a couple of my songs in return for your cassette.

Cathy http://www.cathycowette.com

[SilverHeels]

Hi there Maheen!
Where were you living in England?

[gordon20]

Oh, Cathy thanks very very much for kind and touching words you'll never know how much they mean to me. Unfortunately, I have been unable to go see artists such as my hero Gord in concert and believe me this would really be my dream come true. I really and truly hope one of these days I can go see him perform and would love to meet any of you! To answer the last person's question, I lived in Surrey which is a great city it's not too far form London. I love England and miss the people there so much I really do. Cathy you may Email me anytime and I will visit your site real soon! aim_41 for some reason I cna't seem to Email you it won't let me enter on your Email link, so if you wouldn't mind I would love to hear from you you may Email me at maheen5894@sympatico.ca
Love you all! Sincerely, Maheen.

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[Janice]

Maheen - Hi and welcome! Your story is very touching and it is so great to know that there are younger people out there who appreciate good music. Hopefully you will be able to join us for the Massey concerts in May.

Hey Bru - you guys were probably neighbors and never new it

[talbot10]

quote:Originally posted by Cathy:
Very touching story, Maheen. I think the fact that you are blind is what puts you so in tune with good music, instead of the commercialized junk that is out on the market today. Most of it is driven by one thing... sex. Skimpy little outfits, suggestive dance routines and all that stuff that really has very little to do with good music.

Thanks for telling you a little about
Cathy http://www.cathycowette.com



Cathy,
I love you but with all due respect, I have to disagree with you. There are fantastic alternate rock groups, pop artists and singer/songwriters out there today. I know because I listen to them all the time. The generation in their twenties and thirtees have a wonderful representation of themselves musically. We had a lot of crap we listened to too. In the end, every generation has some junk and fortunatley lots of greatness. I will give you some suggestions if you want!
Bill


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..*you will always have your time to shine, even in the winter of your darkest hour*...jeremy enigk - http://www.cdbaby.com/billhall

[Cathy]

quote:Originally posted by talbot10:
Cathy,
I love you but with all due respect, I have to disagree with you. There are fantastic alternate rock groups, pop artists and singer/songwriters out there today. I know because I listen to them all the time. The generation in their twenties and thirtees have a wonderful representation of themselves musically. We had a lot of crap we listened to too. In the end, every generation has some junk and fortunatley lots of greatness. I will give you some suggestions if you want!
Bill




Sure, there are good young artists out there, but the problem is, the music industry doesn't promote them. They prefer to promote the ones that teenage girls go all crazy over. The good ones don't get heard on radio, or even MTV and VH1.

Cathy http://www.cathycowette.com

[charlene]

Welcome Maheen! I'm across the city from Mississauga in Whitby, My sister lived in Mississauga for several years before she moved to the U.S. in 1986. She lived in the Erin Mills area when it was first started 20+ years ago. It's so built up in that area and all of Missisauga now! It's great that you are such a Lightfoot fan at your age! My son is 20 (march 21/84)and has very different interests than me in music. It doesn't deter me from playing my music all the time though! LOL
I have a surrogate son that posts here - Kenyon - he's a Lightfoot fan, around 23 now, plays guitar and sings too! When he gets back from his 3 month world travel he will be home in Toronto for XMAS and I am hoping we can connect and I will see him and hear him sing and play again.
And you are right about Credit Valley Hospital - it is a wonderful place!
Char

[gordon20]

Oh! Charr I am so delighted to hear that you too live in my area! You see? It's so wonderful to hear from fans who are from my area and other parts of Canada it's amazing! I have to agree 100% with Cathy, I just cnanot understand for the life of me why some of these teenagers go nuts over some of these ridiculous new singers who like to show off so much in public I mean stars like Britney and Janet Jatkson it just sickens me that some of these youngsters have to wittness all this junk. However Bill I do agree that there are some outstanding new stars out there and I'm not sure whether you are familiar with Josh Groban, but I have to tell you his singing today is just unbelievable. It can really bring you to tears and it's funny because when I came out of the hospital in late February of this year Josh was just getting started and he is the first person who my mother got me hooked to when I came home. His voice is so smoothe and so powerful like Gord I just love it. For those of you who listen to 97.3 Easyrock Josh especially his new Christmas song gets played a lot everyday!
God bless and thanks again! Keep the replies coming! Always your friend, Maheen.

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[Cathy]

I just watched Josh Groban on a PBS special a couple nights ago. I'd heard of him before, but had never listened to his music. I have to admit that I was very impressed. He's a very talented young musician, and hopefully, the start of a new trend in the music business, to play music by young people who are popular because of their God-given talents, and not because they dress in skimpy outfits and jump around the stage like cheerleaders.
I would say you have more of a folk tradition in Canada, and there are plenty of young artists who are doing well in the genre: Jory Nash, Aengus Finnan, James Keelaghan, Ron Sexsmith, JP Cormier, and I'm sure I'm missing a few. We just don't see young folk musicians getting much exposure on this side of the border. They're out there, but they are on independant labels, and are not getting their music out to a large group of listeners.
Gee. I think I'll move to Canada. I'm just a skip and a hop away. I could sneak across the border after dark.
I love Canada. I hang out with a bunch of New Brunswick fiddlers, and they're the nicest bunch of people I've ever met.

Cathy http://www.cathycowette.com