The Old Home Town

The Big Gig

I’m sure most of you are aware that Gordon Lightfoot’s hometown was Orillia. He was born and raised there and became its most well-known celebrity. 

The second annual “Lightfoot Days” celebration in Orillia begins this upcoming Thursday, October 30th, with a show by us, The Lightfoot Band, at the Opera House. 

There are activities spread over three days. On Friday, we’ll be hosting a panel which includes New York Times best-selling author, John U Bacon, who is launching his new book “The Gales Of November”. 

This book, if you haven’t guessed, is about the “Edmund Fitzgerald”. On November 10th, it will have been 50 years since it sank during the “storm of the century” in Lake Superior. 

Gord wrote a song about it, and it hit the international charts big-time in the fall of 1976. 

I read John U Bacon’s book “The Great Halifax Explosion” last year. I thought I already knew a lot about this tragedy. Still, he amazed me with some essential facts I didn’t know about. His delivery isn’t at all stuffy or pedantic, which is all too often the case with historical narrative. I know how trite this is, but I couldn’t put it down. I’m really looking forward to reading “The Gales Of November”. 

It’s worth noting that had it not been for our drummer Barry Keane’s tireless efforts, this celebration wouldn’t be happening.

Stay Tuned

My girlfriend Jeanette Lynes (another best-selling author) and I are heading up there on Thursday morning. I’ll be doing something similar to what I did on our trip through the US Midwest a few weeks ago, posting a half-assed travelogue. 

So check out this blog on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday morning.

The Lightfoot Band picture taken by Dorothy Mauck