Mark Knopfler & Gordon Lightfoot

[twm]

I saw Gordon Lightfoot, on a multi-artist bill, in mid-1965. He was dressed in a white shirt and a tie (he came from a country & western bacground, as I recall).

In the book "The Face of Folk Music" [photos by David Gahr, now dead but a close friend of one of my American friends, and text by Robert Shelton, also now dead but someone I knew when he lived in Britain], there is a full-page photo of Gordon Lightfoot's guitar, taken in 1965, edge on, and showing, taped on, his cue sheet - the list of songs from which he chose what to perform at any given gig. There are around 80 song titles on the list!

Subsequent addition to original post:

The above prompted me to check on-line and I found this:-

http://www.lightfoot.ca/newport.htm

[McDeb]

It's interesting to see stuff about discovering Gordon Lightfoot late - sort of like I did Mark Knopfler. I keep thinking it's like "discovering" for yourself a well-known and prolific author. It's like you have a treasure chest full of books (in this case, songs) to encounter for the first time.

I've loved Lightfoot for years, but I have to say, when I play his albums (I have a bunch on vinyl), I always feel like skipping this song or that. Not so with MK. I love all his stuff. I only skip "If This Is Goodbye" or "Far from the Clyde" if I'm listening somewhere where I can't cry (seriously).

Here's a thing: Give a listen to Lightfoot's "Canadian Railroad Trilogy" and see if it doesn't remind you of "Telegraph Road." Oh, and also try "Ghosts of Cape Horn" ... just because it's so cool. Sailing ships seem to inspire both these composers in a wonderful way.