Gordon Lightfoot, Canadian folk musician, dies at 84
Hailed as a folk icon in Canada for lyrics that documented the nation’s history and culture, Lightfoot’s music has been likened to classical poetry. It was once said that if Canada had a Mount Rushmore, he would be on it.
Gordon Lightfoot, the Canadian folk singer-songwriter known for his poetic lyrics and reserved disposition, died in Toronto on Monday, his publicist confirmed. He was 84.
His 1970 track “If You Could Read My Mind” was a breakout hit. As his peers took a more confessional approach to songwriting, Lightfoot had a reputation for keeping to himself.
He was married three times and had six children. Throughout his life, he struggled with alcoholism, had difficulty maintaining close relationships and revealed in a biography that he paid a price for letting his career take over his personal life. Ultimately he sobered up, married happily, and continued touring and writing songs into his 80s.
Source: The Washington Post
