Carefree Highway: A Tribute to Gordon Lightfoot

Like a lot of Canadian musicians, I grew up in awe of Lightfoot’s catalog of songs. He fully deserves his place in the list of the world’s top singer-songwriters. He made common themes universal without losing a Canadian sensibility. He could make straightforward narratives about shipwrecks and railroads universal. His love songs are often tinged with loss and regret. Some of them are deceptively simple, but contain subtleties that reward repeat listening. His significance to me is similar to the Group of Seven, in allowing us to look at our country with a fresh perspective. If you go deep into the catalog there are some some incredible gems that often didn’t make it to radio. We’re going to celebrate some of those alongside the better-known hits. And we’re going to bring our own ideas and versions to the party. Lightfoot’s work is ready for fresh interpretations from younger musicians and new audiences.