What is Gordon Lightfoot birthday?

Gordon Lightfoot was born at 1938-11-17

Where is Gordon Lightfoot's birth place?

Gordon Lightfoot was born in Orillia

What is Gordon Lightfoot nationalities?

Gordon Lightfoot's nationalities is Canadian

Who is Gordon Lightfoot spouses?

Gordon Lightfoot's spouses is Kim Hasse (m. 2014), Brita Ingegerd Olaisson (m. 1963–1973), Elizabeth Moon (m. 1989–2011)

Who is Gordon Lightfoot childrens?

Gordon Lightfoot's childrens is Eric Lightfoot, Fred Lightfoot, Ingrid Lightfoot, Meredith Lightfoot, Miles Lightfoot

How tall is Gordon Lightfoot?

Gordon Lightfoot's height is 183

Who is Gordon Lightfoot's father?

Gordon Lightfoot's father is Gordon Lightfoot, Sr

Who is Gordon Lightfoot's mother?

Gordon Lightfoot's mother is Jessie Vick Trill Lightfoot

How famous is Gordon Lightfoot?

Gordon Lightfoot is famouse as Singer, Songwriter

What is Gordon Lightfoot's facebook?

Gordon Lightfoot's facebook is https://www.facebook.com/GordonLightfootOfficial

What is Gordon Lightfoot's twitter?

Gordon Lightfoot's twitter is https://twitter.com/lightfoot365

Gordon Lightfoot - Songwriters, Facts and Childhood

Home › Canadian › Gordon LightfootNovember 17, 1938819 views

Gordon Lightfoot Biography Stories Embed this Biography stories

Table of contents

Personal Details
Photo
Overview
Awards
Timeline
FAQ

Canadian Lyricists & Songwriters Singers Country Singers Folk Singers Scorpio Celebrities

Gordon Lightfoot's Personal Details

Gordon Lightfoot is a renowned Canadian singer and songwriter

Information	Detail
Birthday	November 17, 1938
Nationality	Canadian
Famous	Lyricists & Songwriters, Singers, Country Singers, Folk Singers, Songwriters
Spouses	Kim Hasse (m. 2014), Brita Ingegerd Olaisson (m. 1963–1973), Elizabeth Moon (m. 1989–2011)
Known as	Gordon Meredith Lightfoot, Jr.
Childrens	Eric Lightfoot, Fred Lightfoot, Ingrid Lightfoot, Meredith Lightfoot, Miles Lightfoot
Birth Place	Orillia
Height	183
Gender	Male
Father	Gordon Lightfoot, Sr
Mother	Jessie Vick Trill Lightfoot
Sun Sign	Scorpio
Born in	Orillia
Famous as	Singer, Songwriter
Socials	https://www.facebook.com/GordonLightfootOfficial https://twitter.com/lightfoot365

// Famous Songwriters

Billie Eilish

Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O’Connell is an American singer and songwriter. Check out this biography to know about her childhood, family, personal life, birthday, etc.

Isac Elliot

Isac Elliot is a Finnish pop singer-songwriter and dancer. Let’s have a look at his family & personal life including age, date of birth, girlfriends, net worth, and fun facts.

Laura Marano

Laura Marano is an American actress and singer-songwriter. Let’s have a look at her personal & family life including age, net worth, boyfriends, and fun facts.

Who is Gordon Lightfoot?

Gordon Lightfoot is a renowned Canadian singer and songwriter who has made his name in the genres of folk, folk-rock and country music. He has been in the music industry for over five and is considered among the most important artists in Canada. Gordon’s talent was recognized at an early age and he was constantly a part of his school and church choir. He went on to join several groups before starting to write his own songs. His career as a songwriter took off with famous artists covering his material. Thereafter he signed a deal with United Artists and produced many albums under them; later on he was associated with Warner Bros. Records, under which he had immense success and fame. Despite many physical hurdles, Lightfoot continued to tour around the world and made fans everywhere. His legacy is evident in the number of awards and recognitions he has received. He has won the Juno Award 16 times and was nominated for the Grammy five times. He was also bestowed as a companion of the Order of Canada, the highest civilian award, by the country.

// Famous Country Singers

Jennette McCurdy

Jennette McCurdy is an American actress and singer-songwriter. Let’s have a look at her family and personal life including age, boyfriends, net worth, and fun facts.

Shania Twain

Shania Twain is a Canadian pop singer famous for her album ‘The Woman in me’. This biography of Shania Twain provides detailed information about his childhood, life, achievements, works & timeline.

John Denver

John Denver, a famous American singer-songwriter and activist, is remembered for songs like Take Me Home, Country Roads and Annie's Song. To know more about his childhood, career, profile and timeline read on

Childhood & Early Life

Gordon Lightfoot was born on November 17, 1938 in Orillia, Ontario, to Gordon Lightfoot Sr. and Jessica Lightfoot. His evident singing skills were observed and recognized by his mother, who encouraged him to perform in public.

He performed regularly at school. He was also involved in the St. Paul’s United Church choir under Ray Williams, his first mentor and inspiration. He used to perform regularly at high school in Orillia District Collegiate and Vocational Institute.

He also learnt to play the piano, folk guitar, drums and percussions. He made his first local appearance at Massey Hall and then began performing in concerts across the district.

Apart from music, Gordon was a natural athlete and took part in competitive shot put, pole vault, and football. His multifaceted abilities won him scholarships at McGill University’s School of Music and University of Toronto.

In 1958, he moved to California to study at Westlake College of Music. He also worked on jingles and advertisements to support himself financially. He returneds to Toronto in 1960.

Career

On his return to his hometown, Gordon Lightfoot performed across local cafes along with ‘The Swinging Eight’, a locally famous band. He also teamed up with Gino Silvi Singers. His popularity grew progressively and he released two singles in 1962.

His singles ‘I’m the One’ and ‘It’s Too Late, He Wins’ became popular locally and were played on the radio. He later teamedup with Terry Whelan and recorded a live album ‘Two-Tones at the Village Corner’ in 1962.

He start touring in Europe and the UK in 1963. He hosted BBC’s ‘Country and Western Show’. He was next seen at the Mariposa Folk Festival in 1964 and developed a reputation as a songwriter. Many popular artists, including Elvis Presley and Marty Robbins, sang songs written by Gordon.

He signed a recording deal with United Artists and choose Albert Grossman to represent him in 1965. His debut album was released in the next year and was titled ‘Lightfoot!’. The album was a huge hit and earned him several accolades.

He was commissioned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation to write a special broadcast in 1967.

In the upcoming years, he recorded four albums: ‘The Way I Feel’ (1967), ‘Did She Mention My Name?’ (1968), ‘Back Here on Earth’ (1968)’, and ‘Sunday Concert’ (1969) under United Artists. Several songs from these albums went on to rank highly in the Canadian charts.

After a fallout with United Artists, he signed a recording deal with Warner Bros. In 1971, he release his single ‘If You Could Read My Mind’, which became a hit internationally. The song was awarded a gold disc.

After signing with Warner Bros., Lightfoot’s frequency of international tours increased. He performed in New York City, Europe, and Australia.

He had a successful career with Warner Bros., with several hit albums. These included ‘Summer Side of Life’ (1971), ‘Don Quixote’ (1972), ‘Old Dan’s Records’ (1972), ‘Sundown’ (1974), ‘Cold on the Shoulder’ (1975), ‘Summertime Dream’ (1976), and ‘Endless Wire’ (1978).

He contracted Bell’s Palsy in 1972, which posed a problem for his tours. But Lightfoot continued to produce music at the same rate.

He continued his association with Warner Bros. into the 1980s and 1990s. His original albums include ‘Dream Street Rose’ (1980), ‘Shadows’ (1982), ‘Salute’ (1983), ‘East of Midnight’ (1986), ‘Waiting for You’ (1993), and ‘A Painter Passing Through’ (1998).

In 2000, he performed at a concert at Nevada and it was broadcasted live by the CBC and the PBS. In the following year, he gave a closing performance at the Tin Pan South Legends concert at Ryman Auditorium.

In 2002, he had to undergo a surgery for his stomach and remained in critical care. His health did not improve until the end of the year. He stayed at home to recuperate and missed his tours and concerts.

He signed up with Linus Entertainment in 2003 and released his new album, ‘Harmony’, in 2004. This was his first album after recovering from his sickness.

In 2004, he returned to the stage and perform at Mariposa, Peterborough, and Hamilton. These shows were a huge hit.

In 2006, he suffered a minor stroke, which caused damage to his fingers. He used a substitute guitarist but eventually gained control and dexterity to return playing the guitar himself.

Despite his deteriorating health and age, he continued to performing several times a year. In 2012, he performed at the National Arts Center in Ottawa and at the 100th Grey Cup.

He toured United Kingdom in 2015, visiting Ireland and Scotland as well. His shows were sold out throughout his tours.

He was invited to play on Parliament Hill in 2017 by the Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. This was in celebration of Canada’s 150th celebrations.

He remains Canada’s greatest singer-songwriter today. He has been inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame, and Canada's Walk of Fame. He was also awarded with the highest civilian honor of Companion of the Order of Canada.

Major Works

While many of Gordon’s albums have become huge hits, his most popular song even today is his single ‘The Wreck of The Edmund Fitzgerald’. This single was written as a tribute to the sunken SS Edmund Fitzgerald, and his performance and composition earned him a Grammy nomination.

Personal Life & Legacy

Gordon Lightfoot was married to Bita Ingegerd Olaisson from 1963 to 1973. The couple divorced due to Lightfoot’s infidelity. They had two children, Fred and Ingrid.

He married Elizabeth moon in 1989 and the couple separated in 2002. However, they finally divorced each other only in 2011. They had two children, Miles and Meredith.

His third marriage was to Kim Hasse, in December 2014, at Rosedale United Church.

Trivia

At the Winter Olympics in Calgary, in 1988, Gordon Lightfoot performed alongside K. D. Lang at the opening ceremony.

A bronze sculpture titled ‘Golden Leaves: A Tribute to Gordon Lightfoot’ was inaugurated in October 2015 in his hometown.

// Famous Singers