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Posted by LARRY LEBLANC His 20th original solo album in a four-decade career, "Harmony," is being released May 11 in North America by Toronto-based independent Linus Entertainment. The label is distributed in Canada by Warner Music Canada. In the United States, it is handled by New York-based SpinArt Records and distributed through This is the 65-year-old singer/songwriter's first original album since leaving Warner Bros. in 1998. Lightfoot signed with Warner's Reprise label in 1970 and went on to cut 14 albums for Warner-affiliated U.S. labels. He earlier recorded five albums in the States for United Artists. Lightfoot says he is "very happy" about the album being released by the boutique-styled Canadian label, also home to the Canadian Brass and Quartetto Gelato. "They really wanted to work with me," he says. Linus Entertainment president/CEO Geoff Kulawick adds, "I feel privileged having Gordon. He's an unbelievable songwriter, a consummate artist and a UNUSUAL WORKING CONDITIONS Undaunted, Lightfoot began working on completing "Harmony" two weeks after he awoke from his coma. While bedridden in the hospital, with the help of a Lightfoot left the hospital in mid-December 2003 and soon afterwards completed production on the album. "I was very happy I was able to do it," he says. "I feel like I really accomplished something." He adds, chuckling, "If you hear a chord or two out of place, you will understand." "Harmony" possesses its share of gems. The title track, as well as "River of Light," are among the most personalized lyrics penned by Lightfoot; the pop-styled "Inspiration Lady" is catchy. Also captivating are two tracks"The No Hotel" and "Shellfish"taken from Lightfoot's Massey Hall shows in Toronto in 2001. Lightfoot says, " 'Harmony' is my favorite track. I also like 'River of Light.' It's a positive song about getting away from it all, getting away by yourself." Linus Entertainment is servicing Canadian radio and video outlets with "Inspiration Lady" at the end of this month. In the States, the label has licensed three tracks to iTunes: "Inspiration Lady," "River of Light" and "Flying Blind." INFLUENTIAL ARTIST "BeautifulA Tribute to Gordon Lightfoot," a 15-track compilation released in 2003, included renditions of Lightfoot's songs by such leading Canadian acts The project is a joint venture of Ottawa-based Northern Blues Music and Toronto's folk-based Borealis Recording Co. Lightfoot was one of the five first inductees into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame at a gala Dec. 3, 2003, in Toronto. He received his award from "He's every bit a deeply branded part of our collective sense of Canadian identity and culture as Robbie Burns is to the Scots and James Joyce is to the Irish," Cochrane says. Asked to assess his career, Lightfoot says, "I took it to the best level I could take it to. My place is like being on a totem pole. Top to bottom, I'd be hanging out in the mid-range somewhere. I can do things the way I want to do them. I don't have to sell zillions of records." Lightfoot is determined that "Harmony" will not be his last album and that he will perform again, perhaps as early as this fall. Despite Canadian media reports to the contrary, his larynx was not damaged by a tube inserted into his windpipe during surgery. "I have a rehearsal schedule planned, and I have a bunch of ideas for another album," he says. "It all depends on how my health pans out over the next few
on 3/12/2004, 9:34 pm
24.243.11.131
BILLBOARD
March 20, 2004
New Set Sees Return Of Survivor Lightfoot
BY LARRY LEBLANC
TORONTO - Back from the brink of death after suffering an abdominal hemorrhage 18 months ago, Canadian contemporary-folk artist Gordon Lightfoot is gearing
up to release a new album.
Rykodisc Records.
Canadian icon."
As Lightfoot was preparing for an afternoon sound check for a concert at the Opera House in September 2002 in his native Orillia, Ontario, he had an abdominal hemorrhage in his dressing room. He was taken to McMaster Hospital in Hamilton, Ontario, where he spent the next six weeks in a coma, followed by three
months in a hospital bed.
headset and a CD player and co-producer Rick Haynes, Lightfoot oversaw instrumental overdubs by his band and mixing of nine tracks he had made as
vocal-and-guitar rehearsal recordings of songs he had written in late 2000.
Lightfoot has greatly influenced a generation of Canadian performers. Acts as diverse as Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, Marty Robbins, Johnny Cash, Sarah
McLachlan and Jane's Addiction have recorded his compositions.
as Bruce Cockburn, Ron Sexsmith, Cowboy Junkies and the Tragically Hip.
fellow Canadian singer/songwriter Tom Cochrane.
months. I may pick up a tour in the fall for 10 days and see how I do. The voice is fine. I'll know by May or June if I'm going to keep on doing this or not."
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