Gordon Lightfoot, the singer and songwriter, who has died aged 84, became one of Canada’s best loved musical figures, winning 16 of his homeland’s Juno awards. He scored eight Top 5 albums in Canada during the 1970s (including the 1975 compilation Gord’s Gold), four of them reaching No 1, and Sundown (1974) topping both the Canadian and the US chart.
He was held in huge esteem and amassed an impressive track record of having his songs covered by many of the leading artists of his era. The melancholy and lonesome Early Mornin’ Rain would become one of his signature compositions, covered by many artists including Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Paul Weller. Dylan, who would perform various Lightfoot songs in his own concerts, commented: “I can’t think of any Gordon Lightfoot song I don’t like. Every time I hear a song of his, it’s like I wish it would last forever.” Marty Robbins took Lightfoot’s Ribbon of Darkness to the top of the US Country chart in 1965, Harry Belafonte delivered a dramatic rendition of Oh, Linda, and Peter, Paul and Mary had a US Top 30 hit with For Lovin’ Me.
