Gordon Lightfoot performs during the first concert at the newly re-opened Massey Hall in Toronto, Thursday, Nov. 25, 2021. The City of Orillia says Lightfoot was highly regarded in his hometown and had immense impact in his community and across Canada. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston
ORILLIA, Ont. – The Ontario city of Orillia is mourning hometown legend Gordon Lightfoot, saying the famous folk musician had an immense impact on the community and beyond.
Lightfoot died of natural causes at Toronto’s Sunnybrook Hospital on Monday at 84.
The City of Orillia says Lightfoot was highly regarded in his hometown.
It is setting up books of condolences for the music icon at the Orillia Opera House and Orillia City Hall today, with an online version also available.
Lightfoot was born in Orillia in 1938, sang in his church choir as a boy and dreamed of becoming a jazz musician.
He later emerged from Toronto’s Yorkville folk club scene in the 1960s, and went on to record more that 20 studio albums and hundreds of songs, including “Early Morning Rain,” “Carefree Highway” and “Sundown.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 2, 2023.
