The Modern Day Troubadour like those in the ancient fraternity seeks to inspire as well as entertain. Energy follows thought and with this awareness and understanding, the Modern Day Troubadour empowers sound and music with conscious thought to serve and transform.
Gordon Lightfoot is perhaps the most accomplished and well-known singer/songwriter to ever come out of Canada. He is internationally known for such monumental folk/pop/rock hits as “Sundown”, “If You Could Read My Mind”, “Early Mornin’ Rain”, “Wreck of The Edmund Fitzgerald” and many more.
His songs have been covered by such music giants as Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, Barbra Streisand, Glen Campbell and Don Williams.
Born in Orillia, Lightfoot showed an early interest in music. His talents were supported by his parents who encouraged him to perform on local radio shows and in the community’s Church choir at St. Paul's (where this cache owner sings weekly herself). By the age of 13, Lightfoot had already made his debut performance at Massey Hall, taking home first prize in a Kiwanis Festival Competition. Little did he know that he would play this iconic Toronto venue many times throughout his lifetime.
Lightfoot began his music career fronting a variety of rock n roll bands around Toronto while still in his teens. In 1958, he relocated to Los Angeles where he found work writing jingles for TV commercials but returned to Toronto in 1962 where he rapidly became a fixture in the city’s burgeoning folk music scene. He made his first records for a local Toronto label in 1963, but it wasn’t until he signed a major record deal and released his first album in 1966 that he became widely known. In 1970, he scored his first top ten hit with “If You Could Read My Mind” beginning a decade of chart-topping albums and hit songs highlighted by his #1 hit in 1974 with “Sundown”.
After nearly 20 years of success, Lightfoot went into self-imposed semi-retirement in the late 1980’s but re-emerged in 1993 with the highly acclaimed album “Waiting For You”. His 1998 album “Painter Passing Through” also drew high praise from critics and fans alike.
To many, Gordon Lightfoot is the embodiment of Canadian music. Coming into prominence during a time when the music industry in Canada was in its infancy, Lightfoot has led the way for multiple generations of listeners and aspiring artists. His songs, which are deeply connected to his Canadian roots, have touched the hearts of millions worldwide and have helped define the very essence and sound of folk music across the world
A national treasure, Lightfoot is one of the most acclaimed and respected songwriters of the 20th century. His invaluable contributions have played a significant role in shaping the Canadian music industry as it exists today
Interesting Facts
Lightfoot performed at the 100th Grey Cup in November 2012. In January 2004, Lightfoot released his 20th original album, Harmony, which included the songs "Inspiration Lady", "Clouds of Loneliness", "Sometimes I Wish", "Flyin' Blind" and "No Mistake About It". Later that year, Lightfoot made an appearance on Canadian Idol, where the six top contestants each performed one of his songs, culminating in a group performance of his "Canadian Railroad Trilogy."
To claim your FIND please provide a photo at the cache location with your caching name written on a piece of paper with Gordie in the background to confirm your visit". Any log without a picture will be deleted.
Virtual Rewards 4.0 - 2024-2025
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between January 17, 2024 and January 17, 2025. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 4.0 on the Geocaching Blog.