Gordon Lightfoot - the final four (1 Viewer)

[Jeff Ulmer]

Just picked up the final four Gordon Lightfoot CDs which have never been available on CD before, and man is there a lot of good music in there.

The titles are Old Dan's Records (1972), Dream Street Rose (1980), Shadows (1982) and Salute (1983). All of these are up to the standards of the rest of his catalogue.

Having never heard any of these albums in their LP incarnations, it is great to discover a whole new batch of great songs.

 

[John Watson]

I know a record dealer in Ottawa, who occasionally squealed with glee when a copy of a pre-stardom album of Gord's would show up for sell or trade.

Apparently Lightfoot so disliked his early attempts to be a teen idol, that he was actively trying to destroy any copies of those obscure old albums that might turn up, and my friend the dealer knew he could probably get $100 or so from aficionados for any that came his way.

BTW, any one know how is Gord Lightfoot doing, after his attack last fall?

 

[James Corey]

Odd you should ask John... there was an article here saying that he was released from hospital this week.
His DVD has been highly recommended to me.... ordered it a couple of weeks ago but it hasn't arrived yet. I couldn't find it on the shelf of any Canadian B&M's so had to order it from a US 'net dealer...should be here next week

 

[Jeff Ulmer]

It's great to hear he's doing better.

I reviewed the DVD for dOc and am very happy to have a performance on video. It figures you can't find it in Canada....

One thing I love about Lightfoot's production is the atmosphere created by the steel playing. I can't say I've ever heard anyone else get that feel in the music.

 

[James Corey]

He's a one of a kind, that's for sure. I'm just beginning to have a new-found appreciation for his music. Back in the very early 70's Canadian radio stations were required to have at least (I think) 60 percent Canadian artists in their playlists. Early on, it meant a heavy rotation of Lightfoot, Anne Murray and...gulp... Susan Jacks and The Poppy Family. Thank heavens for the likes of Lighthouse,The Guess Who, April Wine, A Foot In Coldwater and The Band, etc. as these artists led the way in expanding our playlists up here.

 

[John Watson]

You guys probably know that THE TOWER OF SONG dvd highlights Lightfoot, and many others of course.

It's a very good disk for Canuckistani music fans, eh?

James, regarding Lighthouse, I've always thought they were a little jazzier than a band known as Dr Music, which I gather included Doug Riley. A limited number of Lighthouse tracks made cd, but Dr Music is (I think) only known for "When I Die", recorded as Motherlode?

My older brother would start believing in Santa Claus again, if someone brought Dr Music to cd!

 

[Jeff Ulmer]

Hey, I like the Poppy Family, or at least some of Terry Jacks' songs.
Speaking of Anne Murray, I do wish they would do a proper remastering of her debut album , What About Me. That edited abomination that came out with rerecorded parts and synth overdubs is criminal. The rest of her catalogue got nice remasters.
I only recall one Lighthouse tune. Does anyone remember One Horse Blue from way back? They had a white and blue album cover. Always meant to pick that LP up and never did. I think the band reformed as a country act and that original album has vanished.

 

[James Corey]

Jeff.... I've seen listings for 5 CDs from Lighthouse - the Live album, Sunny Days, Sunny Days Again (Best of) and a couple of re-formed group releases from the 1990's.
The hit that Dr Music is best known for (at least in these parts) is "Sun Goes By".
From the Dr Music collective, it was Ken Marco- Electric Guitar and Steve Kennedy - Tenor sax, harmonica and vocals, that recorded as part of Motherlode.
The other Motherlode players were: Wm. "Smitty" Smith - Organ, Piano, Harpsichord and Vocals Wayne "Stoney" Stone - Drums, Carol Kay - Bass & Acc. Guitar, except on 'What Does It Take', Dave Young - bass on 'what does it take', Paul 'Mickey' MacCallum - Congas on 'what does it take' and Andy Cree - percussion on 'Dear Old Daddy'. The album was produced by Doug Riley & Mort Ross. as per my copy of Revolver RLPS 501.
Check out this link for more detailed history of the comings and goings between Motherlode and Dr. Music !

 

[Jeff Ulmer]

It seems to me that I was about 6 or 7 when I first heard of Lighthouse - I'm still not sure what the song was, but I remember taping a song off the radio of theirs (the old fashioned way: mono Sony recorder held up to the speaker...). That's about all I really know of them.

I know even less about Dr. Music and Motherlode, as I don't recognize any of the titles on Canoe.

 

[James Corey]

I'm pretty much in the same boat on Dr Music and Motherlode... I don't recall anything from either other than those two hits.

Lighthouse was the first concert I attended in....1971 ...? as I recall Sha-na-na opened for them at Alumni Hall at UWO... I still have the pictures around here that I took that night...the Sunny Days Again disc is a good way to check out their other works as it contains most of the better songs from their repetoire.
They still play here in London from time to time.

Oddly, I too started recording music with an old hand-held mic held to the speaker of my parent's radio, hooked to a battery operated 3" reel-to-reel from Woolco (cassettes weren't in vogue yet).