Guests arriving to the Orillia Opera House stop to take pictures with the bust of Gordon Lightfoot before attending a sold out memorial concert for Lightfoot at the Opera House, in Orillia, Ont., Saturday, May 6, 2023. The show, titled “Early Morning Rain: The Legend of Gordon Lightfootâ€, served as a celebration of life after the famed musician died May 1st at the age of 84. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Drost
ORILLIA, ONT. – Fans of late folk singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot will have an opportunity to pay their respects in his Orillia, Ont., hometown today.
A public visitation will be held for the musician from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. at St. Paul’s United Church.
Lightfoot died on Monday at age 84 and tributes have been pouring in from around the world ever since.
The performer was known for his poetic and poignant lyrics on songs such as “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” and “If You Could Read My Mind.”
After Lightfoot’s death, Orillia residents began placing flowers on two monuments to the singer in the city. And on Saturday, a previously planned concert tribute to his career at the Orillia Opera House became a celebration of his life and career.
Lightfoot’s family says messages of condolence can be left at mundellfuneralhome.com, where service details are posted.
A book of condolences can also be signed at Toronto’s Massey Hall, a venue where Lightfoot frequently performed throughout his career. It will be available from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Lightfoot’s private funeral will take place at a later date in Orillia where he will be buried alongside his parents.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 7, 2023.
