Canadian musician Gordon Lightfoot, one of the country’s folk legends, died Monday at the age of 84 in a Toronto hospital, according to his publicist.
In April, Lightfoot canceled the concerts he had planned for this year due to health concerns, although he did not provide details of his situation.
Artists like Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Barbra Streisand, Eric Clapton, Olivia Newton-John or Jerry Lee Lewis have performed some of the more than 500 songs he wrote.
In Canada, Lightfoot is considered one of the artists who has best embodied the essence of the country in his songs, from its climate to its landscape, including its people.
Following news of his death, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted that Canada “has lost one of its greatest singer-songwriters.”
“Gordon Lightfoot has captured the spirit of our country in his music, helping to shape Canada’s soundscape. May his music continue to inspire future generations and may his legacy endure forever,” Trudeau added.
Lightfoot released his first album, “Lightfoot!”, in 1966 after working in the US and UK and building a reputation as a songwriter.
The album, which earned him recognition in Canada and the United States, features some of his most popular songs, including “For Lovin’ Me” and “Early Morning Rain”, which was covered by Presley and Dylan, among others.
Dylan, who has been a friend of the Canadian artist for nearly 60 years, went so far as to say of Lightfoot: “Every time I hear a song by him, it’s like I wish it had lasts forever.”
After the release of his first album, Lightfoot traveled across Canada, the United States and Australia while releasing new albums with very diverse themes, including “Don Quixote” (1972), his eighth album, in reference to the character of the writer Miguel de Cervantes.
In the 1980s, after years of alcohol abuse and being convicted of drunk driving, Lightfoot changed his lifestyle and revitalized his career with the album “Salute” (1983) .
His last album, his twenty-first, was “Beginnings”, in 2021.
“Devoted organizer. Incurable thinker. Explorer. Tv junkie. Travel buff. Troublemaker.”
