05-11-2023, 08:01 AM
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#51
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Moderator
Join Date: May 2000
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Re: R.I.P Gord
https://www.orilliamatters.com/local...htfoot-6981022
BEHIND THE SCENES: The world says goodbye to Gordon Lightfoot
OrillaMatters reporter Greg McGrath-Goudie takes us behind the scenes as Orillia and the world bid adieu to Gordon Lightfoot
Village Media
The community of Orillia gathered at St. Paul's Centre Sunday to mourn the loss of their beloved favourite son, Gordon Lightfoot.
Fans, family, and friends from all over Ontario, Canada, and the United States lined up for hours outside the church entrance, braving a brief rain shower while paying their respects to the renowned singer/songwriter at the seven-hour-long public service.
As a tribute to Lightfoot's iconic song about the Edmund Fitzgerald, St. Paul's Centre tolled its bell 30 times, honouring the memory of the sailors lost and the man who immortalized their tragic fate on Lake Superior 48 years ago. Lightfoot, aged 84, passed away from natural causes in a Toronto hospital on May 1.
The impact of Lightfoot, both as a person and a musician, was immeasurable for the hundreds of mourners who lined the streets of Orillia to bid farewell to the folk legend. His songs resonated with people on a personal level, as he often incorporated local themes and Indigenous history into his music.
For many, Lightfoot's music was the soundtrack of their youth, evoking cherished memories and moments shared with friends and family.
Rick Haynes, Lightfoot's longtime bassist, recognized the profound impact the late musician had on Orillia. Haynes described Lightfoot as a humble and engaging individual who genuinely cared for others and always made time for them.
Fans, family, and friends of Canadian music legend Gordon Lightfoot gathered from all over the continent to attend his visitation in Orillia this past Sunday. OrilliaMatters reporter Greg McGrath-Goudie was present at St. Paul's Centre to capture the emotions and heartfelt goodbyes during the visitation, which drew more than 2,400 people who came to pay their respects to Orillia's favourite son.
Lightfoot had a profound impact on the attendees, evoking a mixture of sadness and admiration.
Many attendees shared personal connections and stories about Gordon Lightfoot. One woman, who had gone to school with Lightfoot and was a year younger than him, recalled their time together in a group called "The Two Tones."
Another attendee, a promoter from Minnesota, attributed his successful career to Lightfoot's influence and even wrote a book about his promoting career, which Lightfoot supported. There was also a gentleman from Cambridge who had gone on canoe trips with Lightfoot for several years. These stories reflected the impact Lightfoot had on people's lives, whether through his music, personal connections, or inspiring journeys.
Gordon Lightfoot's impact on his hometown of Orillia was profound and enduring. Unlike many famous musicians, Lightfoot consistently paid homage to his roots and remained connected to the city throughout his career. He generously donated the proceeds from concerts to causes such as Soldiers' Memorial Hospital, and he began his career as a choirboy at St. Paul's Centre. Lightfoot's desire to be buried in his hometown further emphasized his strong ties to Orillia.
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05-11-2023, 08:23 AM
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#52
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Moderator
Join Date: May 2000
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Re: R.I.P Gord
https://en.prothomalo.com/entertainm...sic/0xolk1htsw
Gordon Lightfoot, Canadian folk legend, dead at 84
AFP
Washington
Published: 02 May 2023,
Canadian singer and performer Gordon Lightfoot, who rose to international fame as a folk music star in the 1960s and '70s, died on Monday. He was 84.
"Gordon Lightfoot passed away this evening in a Toronto hospital at 7:30pm (2330 GMT)," a post on his official Facebook page read, as obituaries started pouring in from the Canadian press.
The immediate cause of death was not made public. "More info to come," read the post.
Lightfoot, born in Ontario, made his performing debut in 1943, at the age of five, singing "I'm A Little Teapot" at a local church Sunday school, according to his website.
He later found himself immersed in the Canadian and American folk scene, amid contemporaries like Joni Mitchell and Neil Young.
While he is known as a folk and folk-pop star of the late 20th century, Lightfoot's popularity -- and continued songwriting -- meant he was touring internationally until just last month.
In April, the singer canceled his 2023 tour dates, citing unspecified health issues.
Lightfoot's songs -- dealing with everything from a failed marriage to the beauty of the Canadian countryside -- were covered by artists including Elvis Presley, Harry Belafonte, Bob Dylan and The Grateful Dead.
The singer, known for hits such as "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald," "Early Morning Rain," and "If You Could Read My Mind," was often hailed as a modern-day poet in his native Canada.
Dylan once called Lightfoot one of his favorite artists, saying "I can't think of any (songs) I don't like."
Lightfoot, on the other hand, was more reserved about his talents, once telling Canadian paper The Globe and Mail: "Sometimes I wonder why I'm being called an icon, because I really don't think of myself that way."
But his modesty was to no avail.
"He is our poet laureate. He is our iconic singer-songwriter," Geddy Lee, the lead singer of Rock band Rush, told a 2019 documentary about Lightfoot.
Lightfoot "was hailed as Canada's folk troubadour for his soulful music and stirring lyrics," broadcaster CBC wrote in its obituary.
Lightfoot is survived by his third wife, Kim Hasse, according to music publication Billboard.
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05-11-2023, 10:50 AM
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#53
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Moderator
Join Date: May 2000
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Re: R.I.P Gord
https://www.thestar.com/entertainmen...te-friend.html
Burton Cummings, Tom Cochrane among musicians who say they’ll play Gordon Lightfoot tribute: friend
Plans for a star-studded night of music celebrating the legacy of Gordon Lightfoot are already taking shape, according to his longtime friend and concert promoter.
DF
By David FriendThe Canadian Press
Mon., May 8, 2023timer1 min. read
ORILLIA - Plans for a star-studded night of music celebrating the legacy of Gordon Lightfoot are already taking shape, according to his longtime friend and concert promoter.
Bernie Fiedler says several prominent Canadian musicians who counted themselves among Lightfoot’s friends, including Burton Cummings, Tom Cochrane and Murray McLauchlan, have already committed to performing at a tribute show.
Fiedler says while it’s too early to predict when the event might happen, he hopes it’ll take place at Toronto’s Massey Hall, a venue Lightfoot frequented.
He says he’d like the show to include Lightfoot’s original band as the accompaniment “if they’re willing.”
Fiedler outlined the details at a public visitation for the folk singer on Sunday in his hometown of Orillia, Ont., where an estimated 2,400 fans attended.
The “If You Could Read My Mind” and “Sundown” singer died last week at 84.
“His last words to me were, ‘Bern, we had a great ride and I’m ready to go,’” Fielder told reporters alongside Rick Haynes, Lightfoot’s bassist.
Haynes, who worked with Lightfoot for 55 years, described the musician as being at peace in his final days.
“The last months were rough but Gordon was resolved,” he said.
“One of the things he said very recently was, ‘My life’s work is done and I’m ready.’”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 8, 2023.
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05-11-2023, 07:50 PM
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#54
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Moderator
Join Date: May 2000
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Re: R.I.P Gord
VIDEOS at link:
https://everythingzoomer.com/arts-en...eid=790cd0a653
Gordon Lightfoot’s Music Raised Awareness of Great Lakes Maritime Disasters
JACK L. ROZDILSKY | MAY 11TH, 2023
On May 1, the 84-year-old Canadian folk music icon Gordon Lightfoot died at Toronto’s Sunnybrook Hospital. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau commented that Lightfoot’s legacy will live on in the dynamic Canadian soundscape he helped to shape.
In his over 500 songs, Lightfoot was one of Canada’s most beloved chroniclers. Upon his death, we can reflect on Lightfoot’s many impacts on Canadian culture and society.
Music Chronicles
One small aspect of Lightfoot’s broader impact was his skill as a purveyor of the popular culture of disaster through music.
One of his most recognized songs was the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. That 1976 folk ballad was a six-minute documentarian’s song about a tragic 1970s Great Lakes shipwreck disaster.
Lightfoot’s work popularized the Great Lakes bulk cargo shipping transport disaster through song, bringing the story of the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald to millions of music fans. Without the song, that specific maritime disaster would not be as well known and might have faded into obscurity.
Lightfoot’s Disaster Music
Lightfoot is one of many Canadian musicians, albeit the most popular, who has carried forward the tradition of Canadian folk music providing a reliable narrative about disasters. Lightfoot’s contributions to disaster music include a well known and a lesser known ballad about contemporary shipwrecks, along with a song about a civil disturbance.
On Nov. 13, 1965, the SS Yarmouth Castle caught fire and sank, killing 90 people while en route from Florida to the Bahamas. The passenger ship — built in 1927 — had a wood superstructure making it dangerously susceptible to fire. In 1969, Lightfoot’s the Ballad of Yarmouth Castle detailed that maritime tragedy.
In June 1967, a police raid on an unlicensed bar triggered a series of racial grievances, leading to the Detroit Uprising. From the Canada side of the international border along the Detroit River, Windsorites lined the waterfront and watched the riot from afar as Detroit burned.
In his 1968 song, Black Day in July Lightfoot memorialized the civil disturbance with his music.
On Nov. 10, 1975, the SS Edmund Fitzgerald broke apart during a Lake Superior storm killing 29 sailors. Lightfoot was inspired to write the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald after reading an article in Newsweek called “Great Lakes: The Cruellest Month.”
This song was by far Lightfoot’s most popular disaster song. While he took some artistic licence describing the shipwreck, the song was factual and timely.
A Special Role
Lightfoot had a special role in contributing to the legend of the Edmund Fitzgerald. In a 2010 interview, he said of the hundreds of songs that he has written, he was most proud of that 1970s shipwreck song.
The Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point, Mich., holds artifacts retrieved from depths of the Canadian portion of Lake Superior, including the Edmund Fitzgerald’s bell. The museum’s director stated that if it was not for Lightfoot’s song, awareness of the Edmund Fitzgerald would not be what it is now.
There is scant public awareness that historically 6,000 vessels have sunk in the Great Lakes, causing an estimated 30,000 deaths.
Lightfoot’s song also highlighted the role of Great Lakes shipping, which is taken for granted. Even in present day downtown Toronto, one can witness the unexpected sight of a bulk sugar carrier arriving from South America.
Bulk cargo carriers — servicing the North American industrial and agricultural heartland via the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway System — contribute to the $45 billion in economic activity from water transportation activities.
Increased Awareness
While shipwreck disasters in the Great Lakes are not frequent, bulk transport by lake is not risk-free. Lightfoot’s ballad highlights the fact that Great Lakes shipwrecks are not only events of the distant past, but they also can have significant human costs in modern times.
In addition to artistic merit, entertainment value, or adding to the list of Canadian disaster songs, Lightfoot’s contribution to increased public awareness of Great Lakes maritime disaster risk is invaluable.
So significant was his contribution that, upon his death, Detroit’s Maritime Church rang its bell in memorium. In the ceremony, the bell rang 30 times: one chime for each of the 29 sailors lost on the Edmund Fitzgerald, and one additional chime to honour the life and legacy of Lightfoot.The Conversation
Jack L. Rozdilsky, Associate Professor of Disaster and Emergency Management, York University, Canada
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.
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05-12-2023, 10:02 PM
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#55
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Re: R.I.P Gord
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05-13-2023, 11:22 AM
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#56
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Moderator
Join Date: May 2000
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Re: R.I.P Gord
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05-13-2023, 11:30 AM
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#57
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Douglas, WY
Posts: 193
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RIP, and questions going forward
RIP Mr Lightfoot. And thanks Char for the articles posted here.
Now, after a couple of weeks have gone by, I have not heard anything about the band members. A couple of quotes from Rick is about all.
In the case of Gordie, I'm sure he had disposition of his estate tastefully spread across friends and family. The particulars, really is none of my business. I'm not a gossip monger.
Having said that, from a business perspective, I do have to wonder as to who will be the caretakers of the Lightfoot Library going onward?
__________________
"May this world find a resting place... where Peaceful Waters flow..."
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05-13-2023, 01:45 PM
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#58
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 554
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Re: R.I.P Gord
I'm still coming to terms with this news. One thing I've done is email relatives and friends who knew Gord's music with my favourite videos of an early live song performance and a late-years live song performance (like bookends of Gord's long, admirable career). The two I chose were as follows.
"Saturday Clothes" from BBC concert 1972:
http://www.google.com/search?q=youtu...id:eJFHTutvv8E
"Ring Them Bells" from Mariposa Folk Festival 2012:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKJC...=RDqKJCf6kXdxc
Last edited by Dave, Melbourne,Australia; 05-13-2023 at 09:38 PM.
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05-13-2023, 03:05 PM
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#59
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Moderator
Join Date: May 2000
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Re: R.I.P Gord
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05-13-2023, 03:08 PM
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#60
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Moderator
Join Date: May 2000
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Re: R.I.P Gord
I will have photos/video asap..
I spent time with Carter and Michael, Ed (Pee Wee) and Chuck the stage manager after the visitation...They were at the Sunday visitation as was Rick and his family. Barry was attending the funeral on Monday along with everyone else.. A small gathering - 50 or so people as well as a few long time U.S. promoters.
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05-13-2023, 04:21 PM
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#61
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Re: R.I.P Gord
https://www.orilliamatters.com/local...7825-318369853
REMEMBER THIS: When Lightfoot was underestimated
Before Lightfoot became a musical icon, charging $60 to perform was 'far too expensive' for local business
Now lost among thousands of other comments, I once came across a social media gem that pointed to the fact we didn’t always know what we had in the person of Gordon Lightfoot.
Having had no luck in hunting down the original comment, I will have to resort to paraphrasing. Essentially, a contributor to my favourite Barrie-centred Facebook nostalgia group shared a telling nugget from a time when Lightfoot had not yet burst into fame.
The story goes that a larger business entity in Barrie was looking for some kind of musical entertainment for a company function when a staff member suggested Lightfoot. The idea was not well received.
“What? That Lightfoot kid? No way. He charges 60 bucks. Far too expensive. Forget it.”
By 1952, Lightfoot had appeared in Barrie on a number of occasions. He was becoming known locally but was far from being a household name at that time.
A notation in the local happenings section of the Barrie Examiner of June 2, 1952, mentioned a recent performance by the 14-year-old singer.
“Special soloist at the morning service at Collier Street United Church here yesterday was master Gordon Lightfoot of Orillia, boy soprano prize winner for the past two years at the Kiwanis Music Festival in Toronto. He was also soloist at the evening service at Essa Road Presbyterian Church.”
Lightfoot’s mother, Jessie Vick Trill Lightfoot, is credited with noticing her son’s natural talent and encouraging it. Lightfoot himself recognized his voice was a gift but his voice alone might not carry him through, so he began to teach himself to play a variety of musical instruments.
The next step was a formal education in music. Gordon moved far from small-town Orillia and travelled to Los Angeles, Calif., to attend the Westlake College of Music. For two years, the young musician supported himself with small gigs and by writing advertising jingles.
Most Canadian musicians who go to the United States never come back. Lightfoot was an exception. He’d had a taste of America, and it wasn’t for him, so he returned to the place he knew best, the source of so much of his lyrical inspiration.
1963 was spent travelling through Europe. The following year, Lightfoot returned to Canada and began to make the connections that would launch him into Canadian folk music prominence. American artists such as Bob Dylan, Judy Collins and Elvis Presley were also eager to record his work.
Lightfoot appeared at the Mariposa Folk Festival for the first time in 1964. The event had originated in his hometown of Orillia but had been banished to Toronto the previous year after numerous complaints about large and unruly crowds at the Orillia venue.
The 1960s were breakout years for the lad from Orillia. Lightfoot toured nationally and, in 1967, became a big part of the Canadian centennial celebrations. It was a bit of a miracle, then, that Barrie North Collegiate managed to secure the rising star for a centennial concert of its own.
Somehow, the graduating class managed to gather Lightfoot’s fee of $1,750 and book him to perform at the auditorium at Central Collegiate.
Lightfoot did not disappoint. More than 1,100 people filled the auditorium to hear the songs and the stories of this down-to-earth local man who was surely going places. The next week, he was off to Expo 67 in Montreal.
In 1969, the students at Barrie North Collegiate attempted to book Lightfoot once again but were unsuccessful due to “financial reasons.”
By then, Lightfoot was becoming a much-sought-after musician, and the 1970s saw him become established as a folk music icon.
He performed until shortly before his death at the age of 84. At the time of his passing, he was booking performances for fees in the range of $40,000 to $75,000 a show. Sixty bucks sounds like a pretty sweet deal now, doesn’t it?
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05-17-2023, 03:12 PM
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#62
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Moderator
Join Date: May 2000
Posts: 15,976
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Re: R.I.P Gord
PHOTO at link"
https://www.saobserver.net/community...FJWfXVWksmomhw
The treble clef at the end of Alexander Street in Salmon Arm has held a banner with the words “Our Musical Laureate - Gordon Lightfoot” since the Canadian icon’s death on May 1, 2023. The banner will be coming down during the weekend of May 13. (Martha Wickett-Salmon Arm Observer)
‘Absolutely wonderful writer’: Tribute to Gordon Lightfoot added to Salmon Arm’s treble clef
Visible reminder of iconic songwriter to come down this coming weekend
MARTHA WICKETTMay. 10, 2023 5:00 a.m.
Bill Laird, the man behind the huge orange treble clef at the end of Alexander Street in Salmon Arm, was met with a question first thing on the morning of May 2.
“Linda got up Tuesday morning and said, ‘You’re going to do something, right?’” explained Laird, referring to his spouse.
She was talking about iconic Canadian singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot, 84, who died on Monday, May 1, in a Toronto hospital.
They talked about a banner and argued whether it should say ‘musical laureate’ or just ‘laureate.’
Then things got rolling.
“My wife gets the credit for the idea and everybody else gets the credit for pitching in,” said Laird, emphasizing his part was minuscule.
He reached Lew Dies and Jamie Walters at Spectrum Signworks, who immediately went to work creating a banner. He also contacted Joe Chartier at Shuswap Rentals, who provided a hoist. The banner was hung on the treble clef by 3 p.m. that day.
“I want to stress how much they helped,” he reiterated.
Read more: Legendary folk singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot dies at 84
Laird explained that Linda grew up in Ontario, where she and her brother Roger taught themselves to play guitar by listening to Gordon Lightfoot.
“Linda was playing Lightfoot before I met her,” he said, but Lightfoot songs soon became a common soundscape in their home.
The couple also went to see him perform a couple of times and to his hometown, Orillia, Ont.
Linda has been singing Lightfoot tunes steadily since his death, Laird said.
“He’s been a big part of our musical life. It is a big thing for Canada. He was absolutely a wonderful writer. Some of his ballads are amazing.”
This weekend, the “Our Musical Laureate – Gordon Lightfoot” banner will be coming down, but his musical creations won’t be soon forgotten, not at the Lairds’ home, nor, undoubtedly, in many others across the country.
more about the Treble Clef: https://www.saobserver.net/news/in-p...in-salmon-arm/
32654147_web1_230517-SAA-treble-clef-lightfoot-640x432 by char Westbrook, on Flickr
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05-18-2023, 08:32 AM
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#63
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Moderator
Join Date: May 2000
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Re: R.I.P Gord
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05-18-2023, 09:40 AM
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#64
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Moderator
Join Date: May 2000
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Re: R.I.P Gord
May 17, 2023:
Linus Entertainment releases At Royal Albert Hall, a Gordon Lightfoot double live performance set recorded in May of 2016, on July 14. It will likely become a companion piece next to All Live recorded at Massey Hall and released in 2012. In 2002, Linus released Live in Reno, a 22-song video. The same label released Harmony, his last studio album, recorded in 2001 and released in 2004.
In the week following his death May 1, Lightfoot had the top three placements on Billboard’s Rock Digital Song Sales chart with Sundown, If You Could Read My Mind and The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. Carefree Highway placed 5th on the chart. Meantime, Linus Ent’s Geoff Kulawick reports that the Royal Albert Hall pre-order has been a Top 15 album overall on Amazon.com in the US and #1 Folk, outselling all other Lightfoot albums.
The same week, Luminate Ent. reported that Lightfoot's best-of album, Gord's Gold, debuted on the Billboard Canadian Albums chart at No. 6. and his best-of album, Gord's Gold debuted on the Billboard Canadian Albums chart at No. 6.
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05-18-2023, 11:58 AM
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#65
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Moderator
Join Date: May 2000
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Re: R.I.P Gord
The Happy Camper: Remembering Gordon Lightfoot, Avid Canoe Tripper
by Kevin Callan /
May 8 2023
Over a dozen years ago I received a note from a Toronto film producer asking me to help with a documentary on all the wild places that legendary Canadian musician Gordon Lightfoot wrote and sang about. What a cool idea. I quickly answered back.
I can’t remember a canoe trip where Gordon’s songs weren’t dancing around in my head while paddling across a large lake or carrying a canoe across a lengthy portage. “Early
Morning Rain” was a given during a damp paddle. And who wouldn't have “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” in their thoughts while paddling the expanse of Lake Superior? Even his not-so-famous song “Canary Yellow Canoe” was a favourite of mine to bellow out while J-stroking down some wild river.
“In my canary yellow canoe, my yellow canoe
I want to go tripping in my canary yellow canoe
The Eastmain, Coppermine, Back River too
In my canary yellow canoe…”
Gordon Lightfoot was a canoeist! He preferred the far North, paddling Canada’s wilderness rivers like the Nahanni, Coppermine and Back. He did annual trips throughout the 70s and 80s and his Canary Yellow Canoe he used is now on display at the Canadian Canoe Museum.
The film producer wanted to meet me for coffee in Toronto and browse over maps and such. He said he’d pay for the coffee, so I said yes. I was heading to the city anyway to do my syndicated CBC Radio show at the time, “The Happy Camper,” and the coffee place was just across the street. So, why not. Conversing about canoe tripping and Gordon Lightfoot goes hand in hand for me.
It was 6:30 a.m. when I walked into the coffee place. My CBC show was an early one, so the plan was simple: I would gulp down a decaf and pinpoint places on topographic maps where a film crew could capture Lightfoot moments on camera.
I sauntered in, groggy from the two-hour drive through city traffic, and noticed the producer waving his arm to indicate I was at the right meeting place. Leaving the table where the producer sat was Gordon Downie from The Tragically Hip. He walked past me, said, “Hi Kevin,” and calmly strolled out the front door of the coffee house.
Holy shit! It seemed I was in the big leagues when it comes to Toronto film producers trying to document a Lightfoot history. Gordon Downie also loved the canoe, and Gordon Lightfoot. He believed both were Canadian icons.
I attempted to stay cool about the Gordon Downie encounter during the meeting with the producer. But I failed miserably. I had the jitters the entire time I unrolled maps and showed possible logistics problems for his film crew.
The producer kept up to his promise and paid for the coffee, and then I moved on across the street to the CBC Radio building to do my show. The producer joined me. It seemed he was meeting others to chat about the documentary project. And there, standing in what’s called the “green room”—a meeting place for performers with cozy couches and refreshments—were a few more Gordon Lightfoot fans, all who also happened to be canoeists: Jim Cuddy of Blue Rodeo, the three members of the classic alternative band The Grapes of Wrath and… Gordon Lightfoot.
Again I tried to keep my cool. It’s not something I do well. I’ve met some legends in my time. Red Green was awesome, Pierre Burton was unforgettable, Farley Mowat was inspirational, Mark Brown from Monty Python was the highlight of my life. They all loved the canoe as well.
Gordon wasn’t saying much. He was just standing there listening to them go over the film project. So, I went over and asked him where his next canoe trip would be. That got his attention. He loved talking about canoe tripping. So did all the others.
What a privilege to have a friendly chat with a group of Canadian legends about the joy of wilderness canoe tripping.
You can’t get more Canadian than that!
Gordon Lightfoot passed away recently. He will be missed by us all. His songs truly characterized the Canadian identity—including his “Canary Yellow Canoe.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZ-5b...e=emb_imp_woyt
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05-19-2023, 08:21 AM
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#66
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Moderator
Join Date: May 2000
Posts: 15,976
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Re: R.I.P Gord
https://www.orilliamatters.com/local...7TeBrgJ6AhXLcY
VIDEO at link
Gordon Lightfoot was a Canadian music icon who loved his hometown as much as it loved him back.
Lightfoot passed away on May 1 at the age of 84 and was laid to rest in Orillia, the city where his musical journey began as a choir boy at St. Paul's United Church.
Lightfoot's death triggered an outpouring of affection across the country and beyond — and countless memories of a man who was as humble as he was talented. In his case, the legend truly does live on.
This podcast features two long-time friends who knew Lightfoot better than most: Pam Carter, president of the Mariposa Folk Festival and Foundation, and Karen Hilfman Millson, a retired minister who was the officiant at Lighfoot’s private funeral (at his request, in the church where it all started).
They talk about the origins and life of this most "reluctant superstar" and remember a man who "has left a huge legacy for generations to come."
While his mark on the music world is immense globally, so, too, is the legacy he left in his hometown, its people and its institutions.
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05-19-2023, 08:28 AM
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#67
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Re: R.I.P Gord
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05-19-2023, 09:16 AM
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#68
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Moderator
Join Date: May 2000
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Re: R.I.P Gord
https://www.orilliamatters.com/local...s-died-6937128
Gordon Lightfoot, Orillia's favourite son, a world-renowned singer/songwriter and folk legend, has died.
His publicist announced Monday night that Lightfoot had passed away at a Toronto hospital at 7:30 p.m. He died of natural causes. He was 84.
"I'm shocked," Pam Carter, president of the Mariposa Folk Foundation that is behind the hugely successful Mariposa Folk Festival, said Monday night.
Lightfoot's name was synonymous with the "grand old dame" of folk festivals. When it returned to Orillia in 2000, Lightfoot was the headliner and he performed for free.
"I think that speaks to his generosity and his humility and his love for Orillia," said Carter.
In the years since the festival returned to Tudhope Park, Lightfoot was ever-present and often took the stage. Last summer, he was inducted into the Mariposa Folk Festival Hall of Fame.
He was moved to tears during the tribute performed by Tom Wilson, Blue Rodeo and the Good Brothers.
"That meant a lot to him," said Carter. "I was in the golf cart with him to take him to the green room after and he was just so moved. He had a kind word for everyone and signed autographs. It was really beautiful."
Tom Wilson told OrilliaMatters following the induction ceremony at Tudhope Park that Gordon Lightfoot had a huge impact on the festival and the music industry.
“There’s been a lot of great artists that we have seen on this stage that impact us in so many ways, people that have opened up the doors of possibilities, but Gordon Lightfoot lives in our blood, he’s the soundtrack to some of our greatest and most beautiful memories as well as some of our biggest disasters and has comforted us in those times," Wilson explained.
"He lives in our blood, he’s a part of us and that’s what unites us a community here at Mariposa.”
Artists from far and wide joined in the tribute as video messages were played for Lightfoot and the audience, including heart-felt tributes from Julian Taylor, Sarah McLachlan, Ron Sexsmith, Judy Collins, Steve Earle, Don Mclean, and Andy Kim.
Carter said the death of the Canadian icon is a huge loss.
"He will surely be missed by the Mariposa Folk Festival, by his beloved fans, by Orillia and the world," said Carter.
A few weeks ago, Lightfoot cancelled his 2023 concert dates.
"The singer is currently experiencing some health-related issues and is unable to confirm rescheduled dates at this time," said a brief statement issued that day by Lightfoot on his Facebook Page.
Lightfoot was born on Nov. 17, 1938 in Orillia and is often referred to as Canada's best songwriter.
As a youth, Lightfoot sang in the choir of Orillia's St. Paul's United Church. The boy soprano performed periodically on local Orillia radio stations, performed in local operettas and oratorios, and gained exposure through various Kiwanis music festivals.
Lightfoot has never stopped performing since, with the exception of a health scare in September of 2002. In between sold-out concerts at the Orillia Opera House, Lightfoot suffered severe stomach pain and was airlifted to McMaster Medical Centre in Hamilton.
He underwent emergency surgery for a ruptured abdominal aneurysm and stayed in the ICU for several weeks. He was in a coma for six weeks and required four surgical operations.
Two months later, he was released and continued his recovery at home. All his 2002 concert dates were cancelled.
However, he made a full recovery and returned to live performances.
More recently, in 2021, he had a fall at his home that resulted in a fractured wrist.
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05-19-2023, 09:23 AM
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#69
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Moderator
Join Date: May 2000
Posts: 15,976
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Re: R.I.P Gord
https://www.orilliamatters.com/local...htfoot-6965184
Greg McGrath-Goudie
May 7, 2023 2:45 PM
A community, a nation bids heart-felt farewell to Gordon Lightfoot
'I wouldn't be exaggerating to say that Gordon Lightfoot put Orillia on the map,' longtime band member says as hundreds line up to say goodbye to iconic singer, songwriter
Fans, family, and friends flocked to St. Paul’s Centre Sunday to mourn the passing of Orillia’s favourite son, the internationally renowned singer/songwriter Gordon Lightfoot.
Travelling from across Ontario, Canada, and the United States, people began lining up this morning, hours in advance, in anticipation of the public service that runs from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.
People, many sporting umbrellas during a brief rain shower, lined up outside the church entrance, up Peter Street to Neywash Street and then back and forth twice more on the closed street.
Just as a church bell long ago chimed at the Mariners' Church of Detroit for each of the 29 lost souls aboard the Edmund Fitzgerald, so, too, did St. Paul’s Centre toll its bell — a total of 30 times — capturing the loss of those sailors and the man who immortalized that harrowing wreck on Lake Superior 48 years ago.
Lightfoot, 84, died of natural causes at a Toronto hospital on May 1.
Both Lightfoot, the man, and Lightfoot, the musician, had an immeasurable impact on the hundreds that lined Peter Street to bid the folk legend a final farewell.
“He wrote some songs about the territory here, Lake Couchiching, and he's mentioned Indigenous things in his music,” said Myeengun Henry, who travelled from the Chippewa of the Thames First Nation, near London. “That really got people to learn about Indigenous history, so he's huge in the Indigenous world and we respected everything he did.”
Bernie David, a fan of over 50 years, drove from Toronto this morning to pay his respects to the man he credits for, in a way, introducing him to his future wife.
“In high school, she had tickets for Lightfoot, and I went, and I’ve loved him ever since,” recalled a misty-eyed David, who went on to marry his high school sweetheart.
“All my friends used to sit by the campfire and play the guitar, and every time he came out with a new album … I learned all the music,” said David.
For many, Lightfoot's music was the soundtrack of their youth.
“I grew up with it. I grew up singing to it, and my brother’s first guitar tunes were Gordon Lightfoot,” said Lisa Langill, who came down from the Muskoka area. “So we thought we’d come down. How can you not?”
Lightfoot’s longtime bassist credits the late musician with putting Orillia on the map, and remaining humble despite his fame.
“I wouldn't be exaggerating to say that Gordon Lightfoot put Orillia on the map, and he's also been a great supporter of Orillia as a philanthropist,” said Rick Haynes.
“He was a humble man considering his fame,” Haynes said. “He was very engaging, he was very caring, and he really had time for everyone. He really did.”
The visitation continues until 8 p.m. this evening. A private funeral will be held next week in Orillia.
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05-19-2023, 10:32 AM
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#70
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Moderator
Join Date: May 2000
Posts: 15,976
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Re: R.I.P Gord
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05-20-2023, 04:19 PM
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#71
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Moderator
Join Date: May 2000
Posts: 15,976
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Re: R.I.P Gord
PERTH, Australia:
https://www.perthnow.com.au/entertai...ies-c-10522387
Canadian singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot dies at 84
Steve Gorman and Dan WhitcombReuters
May 1, 2023 11:17PM
Canadian musician Gordon Lightfoot, the prolific singer-songwriter known for such folk-pop hits as "If You Could Read My Mind" and "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald," has died in Toronto aged 84.
He died in hospital on Monday of natural causes, his family said in a statement released by publicist Victoria Lord.
Known for his evocative lyrics and melodic compositions, Lightfoot received five Grammy nominations over the years and won 17 Juno awards, Canada's equivalent music honour.
Lightfoot achieved the height of his popularity in the 1970s, with songs from albums such as "Sundown," "Summertime Dream" and "Dream Street Rose" that built on his guitar-driven folk roots to produce more rock and pop-oriented songs.
He retained a loyal following in Canada and the United States through extensive concert touring.
Lightfoot's catalogue of compositions tops 200 songs, a number of them covered by such performers as Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, Judy Collins, Barbra Streisand, Glen Campbell and Richie Havens. His "For Lovin' Me" and "Early Morning Rain" became hits for the folk trio Peter, Paul & Mary.
Lightfoot emerged from the folk music movement of the mid-1960s with signature tunes such as "Canadian Railroad Trilogy" and "Pussywillows, Cat-Tails."
In the 1970s, he picked up an electric guitar to pen pop ballads such as "Beautiful" and "I'm Not Supposed to Care."
Lightfoot's 1976 epic, "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald," about the drowning of 29 sailors when a freighter sank in a storm on Lake Superior, remains one of fans' most loved songs.
In it, Lightfoot coupled a soaring melody with poignant lyrics about the sailors' last hours.
He also topped the singles charts with such titles as the wistful 1974 song "Carefree Highway" and the ballad "If You Could Read My Mind," his first major international hit from 1971, about a dissolving marriage.
"If You Could Read My Mind" launched a successful run at Warner Bros Records, after Lightfoot defected from his previous label, United Artists.
He had been unhappy there in part over a lack of support he felt when many US radio stations banned his 1968 single "Black Day in July," about riots in Detroit the previous year, seeing it as too incendiary.
Two other major 1970s hits, "Sundown" and "Rainy Day People", were reportedly inspired by his volatile romance with backup singer and rock groupie Cathy Smith.
Smith died in 2020 after serving time in prison for injecting comic actor John Belushi with a fatal dose of heroin and cocaine in 1982.
Aside from writing lyrics and music, Lightfoot performed his songs in a warm tenor suited to ballads, though his voice grew thinner over the years, and he was known for his clear articulation as a vocalist.
He survived a major health crisis at age 63 in 2002, when he collapsed from severe stomach pain before a concert in his hometown of Orilla, Ontario, and had emergency surgery for abdominal bleeding caused by a ruptured aorta.
He endured weeks of hospitalisation and multiple operations before returning to the recording studio and live performances.
At the time of his illness, Canadian country singer and admirer Ian Tyson saluted Lightfoot as a national treasure.
"I don't think anybody before or since has, or will have, the impact on Canadian culture, through popular music or folk music, that Gordon Lightfoot had," Tyson told Reuters then.
Following news of his death, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted that Canada "has lost one of our greatest singer-songwriters".
"Gordon Lightfoot captured our country's spirit in his music and in doing so, he helped shape Canada's soundscape. May his music continue to inspire future generations, and may his legacy live on forever," Trudeau wrote.
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05-20-2023, 08:24 PM
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#72
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 554
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Re: R.I.P Gord
It's a pity The West Australian newspaper's Perth Now entertainment section just copied what they had seen on an overseas website rather than doing a little research into the local connection. Perth is apparently the most remote state capital in the world, being 1300 miles from Adelaide and 1600 miles from Darwin. For that reason, Perth's concertgoers often miss out on music events that tour the eastern two-thirds of Australia. That situation existed even more back in 1974 when Gord did his one Australian tour. But despite Sydney, Melbourne and the other big, travel-friendly cities only getting one Gordon Lightfoot concert, Perth was blessed with two on consecutive nights. (And Gord mentioned Perth in his later song "Ecstasy Made Easy", recalling a midnight boat cruise he did there straight after the first concert.)
Last edited by Dave, Melbourne,Australia; 05-22-2023 at 04:04 AM.
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05-20-2023, 09:14 PM
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#73
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Moderator
Join Date: May 2000
Posts: 15,976
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Re: R.I.P Gord
https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmci...h=4cbff45875e6
Gordon Lightfoot Charts Back-To-Back Posthumous No. 1 Hits
Gordon Lightfoot passed away on May 1 at the age of 84, leaving behind a remarkable body of work that continues to captivate fans. Since his untimely death, there has been a surge in the popularity of his music, a common occurrence when beloved artists depart. However, Lightfoot has accomplished a feat on the Billboard charts this week that is uncommon for any musical act, especially for artists who have left us.
In a remarkable achievement, the Canadian musician currently holds the top spot on Billboard's Rock Digital Song Sales chart this week. What makes this even more noteworthy is that Lightfoot has replaced his own hit with another. His single "Sundown" climbs to the coveted No. 1 position, while his former chart-topper, "If You Could Read My Mind," now settles for second place. The two titles trade places, with each taking a turn in the spotlight.
"Sundown" and "If You Could Read My Mind" are the only two songs by Lightfoot that have reached No. 1 on the Rock Digital Song Sales chart. This is not entirely surprising, considering the ranking was introduced long after his heyday.
Out of the five tracks that Lightfoot placed on the Rock Digital Song Sales chart, three only debuted after his death. This week, Lightfoot controls the top three positions on the purchase-only list. In addition to "Sundown" and "If You Could Read My Mind," his track "The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald" remains firm at No. 3.
While his three highest-ranking songs dominate the upper echelons of the Rock Digital Song Sales chart, another fan favorite, "Carefree Highway," has slipped from No. 5 to No. 11.
Lightfoot still has one more album coming, and since it’s set to drop shortly after his passing, it might produce more charting wins. Billboard reports that his live recording At Royal Albert Hall is due July 14.
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05-20-2023, 10:26 PM
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#74
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Moderator
Join Date: May 2000
Posts: 15,976
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Re: R.I.P Gord
https://sunonlinemedia.ca/2023/05/08...aying-goodbye/
Gordon Lightfoot – Saying Goodbye
May 8, 2023 Sunonline/Orillia
By John Swartz
Thousands lined up Sunday afternoon to pay respects to Gordon Lightfoot, who was lying in state at St. Paul’s Centre in Orillia. A light sprinkle turned to rain at about 1:30 p.m. but that didn’t stop many from joining the line. Many people reported the wait was up to one hour to get into the church.
At 2 p.m. the bells at St. Paul’s and St James’ Anglican Church across the street rang in his honour. Lightfoot’s family and close associates were present, though there wasn’t a formal receiving line and the public was not allowed to interact with them.
Some came from further afield than Simcoe County, with at least one person travelling from Ohio and another from British Columbia. Some travelled from other parts of Ontario, several of whom grew up in Orillia.
The funeral to follow at a later time is closed to all but family, so friends and acquaintances also took the opportunity to say goodbye. Mourners were ushered into St. Paul’s in groups of 20 and given a moment before Lightfoot’s casket to contemplate their reason for being present.
In the accompanying video are comments from fans, and a few who had a closer relationship, worked for Lightfoot, or as in the last segment, have an incredible tale to tell.
They are David Newland, who along with Jory Nash and Aengus Finnan organized a 15-year run of an annual Lightfoot tribute night at Toronto’s Hugh’s Room, and Ollie Strong, who played steel guitar on Lightfoot’s Old Dan’s Records album – notably featured on the hit You Are What I Am.
The last comment, from Timothy Crumb, sounds fantastical. He also said he went to school with Lightfoot’s wife, Kim and remained friends with the Lightfoots over the years. The information he provided is opposite to what is generally known about the song, If You Could Read My Mind, and the veracity of his story will never be able to be verified, but this reporter observed Crumb to be warmly embraced by Lightfoot’s wife, giving credence to at least some parts of the story.
(Photos and Video by Swartz – SUNonline/Orillia) Main: Gordon Lighfoot’s Visitation at St. Paul’s Centre, Orillia, May 7, 2023.
https://barrie.ctvnews.ca/video?clip...29&jwsource=em
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05-21-2023, 11:12 AM
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#75
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Moderator
Join Date: May 2000
Posts: 15,976
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Re: R.I.P Gord
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