Gordon Lightfoot

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.

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.

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.

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.