A month before what would have been Gordon Lightfoot’s 85th birthday, Globus Theatre in Bobcaygeon is presenting a two-hour musical tribute to Canada’s greatest songwriter, with seven performances from October 15 to 19.
In Early Morning Rain: The Legend of Gordon Lightfoot, singer Leisa Way and her Wayward Wind Band return to the stage at the Lakeview Arts Barn with a musical journey through the life and career of the folk-rock legend, who passed away last May at the age of 84.
You can expect to hear all of Lightfoot’s hits, including “Early Morning Rain,” “If You Could Read My Mind,” “Carefree Highway,” “Sundown,” “For Lovin’ Me,” “Canadian Railroad Trilogy,” “Ribbon of Darkness,” “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald,” and more, along with stories, facts, and anecdotes that honour the iconic singer-songwriter.
Leisa Way is a favourite of Globus Theatre audiences, performing one of her shows at the Lakeview Arts Barn every year with the Wayward Wind Band. This year, she will be accompanied by an award-winning ensemble of Canadian musicians under the direction of pianist Bruce Ley, who composed the music for the 1984 Academy Award nominated short film The Painted Door, along with bassist Junior Riggan, drummer Don Reid, and up-and-coming guitarists Brant Garratt and Jack Gaughan — all of whom also contribute their vocals to the show.
“What makes this performance special is the storytelling and the great connection these musicians have to the music, and to their audience,” Way says in a media release. “They love the music, they love Gord, and they perform these tunes from the heart. Audiences naturally respond with standing ovations, and the best part is hearing the audience sing along to every song.”
Born in Orillia on November 17, 1938, Lightfoot gave his first public performance in grade four and later performed on local radio and in local operettas and music festivals. When he was 12, he performed for the first time at Toronto’s Massey Hall, a venue he would later return to more than 170 more times throughout his career. When he was 20, he moved to Los Angeles to study jazz music and, to support himself, wrote commercial jingles and sang on demo records. Returning to Toronto two years later, he became well known at Toronto folk music-oriented coffee houses and released his first two singles.
Throughout his career, Lightfoot recorded 20 albums, received 17 Juno awards and five Grammy nominations, had 16 number one hits, 18 top ten hits, and 21 top 40 hits. His songs have been recorded by artists including Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, The Grateful Dead, Blue Rodeo, Johnny Cash, Eric Clapton, Neil Young, Sarah McLachlan, Harry Belafonte, Judy Collins, Barbra Streisand, Toby Keith, and more. In 2012, he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and received the Governor’s General Award and the Companion to the Order of Canada Honour of Merit.
Early Morning Rain: The Legend of Gordon Lightfoot runs from Tuesday, October 15th to Saturday, October 19th, with performances at 8 p.m. on October 15 and 17 to 19, with 2 p.m. matinee performances on October 16, 17, and 19. An optional dinner is available at 6 p.m. before the evening performances.
Tickets are $50 for the show only, or $100 for dinner and the show. For tickets, visit globustheatre.com or call the Globus Theatre box office at 705-738-2037 (toll free at 1-800-304-7897). Note: All dinners are now sold out, but you can contact the box office to be added to the waiting list. Tickets for the show only are still available.
