Posted on 02/20/2010 7:22:12 PM PST by nickcarraway
Gordon Lightfoot was pronounced dead on the Internet on Thursday, in a well-planned hoax. Apparently the news started from the social networking, and the micro blogging site Twitter, and from there it spread like wildfire to the radio, TV, news channels. Even Gordon Lightfoot heard his own death news on the radio in his car, as he was traveling to work.
So Gordon Lightfoot is very much alive, contrary to reports that he had died while touring North America. His death news on Thursday was confirmed as a hoax. The 71-year-old Canadian singer-songwriter is well known for his hits like “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald”, “Sundown”, and “Carefree Highway”. His publicist Bernie Fielder confirmed that the news came via “a Twitter coming out of Ottawa”. Gordon said that he is fine, but however his death hoax has been good for his career, as all of a sudden his music is in demand.
Musician and Lightfoot’s close friend Ronnie Hawkins said that the death hoax might have began with a prank played on him. Someone pretended to be Gordon’s grandson left a message for Ronnie saying that Gordon had died. A shocked Ronnie then told his wife Wanda, who sent out e-mails to some of their close friends and contacts in the music community, where the false news spread further. “Man I couldn’t be happier to hear (he was alive),” Hawkins said Thursday afternoon in an interview. “We had plans this summer.”
His death has been talked about for YEARS! Nothing to do with Twitter.
Heard that Mr. Lightfoot was not all that healthy. He had had a drinking or a substance abuse problem. Don’t know if that was a rumor too, but in any event, glad he is still among the living.
Ping.
>>His death has been talked about for YEARS!<<
Which, interesting enough, is how long “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” runs... :)
Gordon Lightfoot is one of the best. Christian Island, Rich man’s spiritual, Early morning rain, I could go on. He really captures the essence of what good folk music should be.
He also brings forth fond memeories of my mom, who played his music until she wore out the record.
Is that Ronnie Hawkins of the Hawks, who later became The Band?
Gordon Lightfoot is great. I don’t know about his politics, but I love the music.
I loved Richard Jenni’s bit about using that song to get people to leave your home if a party is lasting too long.
Bought a CD of his at an unclaimed baggage store ..listened to it all the way home.
If You Could Read My Mind"...
So do I. :) I liked Richard Jenni.
Lightfoot was hooked on booze and amphetamines during the 1970s but he’s been clean & sober for years now. He did have a health scare a few years ago but made a full recovery.
I think I saw that documentary a while back - really sad. It's amazing that a lake can have a storm big enough to affect a ship/boat that size.
I would assume so. Love his music as well as Lightfoot's. The Band wasn't too shabby either.
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