It always shocked me that "Wherefore and Why" was never played at any shows of his, other than this one. It's such an uplifting song, and you can hear just how wild the crowd goes for it here - hell, it's one of the songs on Gord's Gold!
This would be awesome on cd or record right now. I wish they’d dive off in his archives and grab some of these to release. Be nice if they could do a Songbook Part 2
If this show was planned to be an official live release it's a good thing it wasn't as there are many far better Lighftoot live recordings out there. The 1972 BBC being the best of them.
It almost sounds like he is playing solo. I realize his band might be laying , but why ? Are they newly arrived? Minimal sound system. He sounds a lot like Stompin Tom Connors. It's pared down for sure. You can hear him getting comfotable. Canadians seem to be more appreciative than American audiences. I guess it's because he is their native son. Even today, you can mention Stan Rogers and many folks from the USA still look at you bewildered. Mention Dylan and it's a different story all together. Ahhh!, There it is it,.. "Our fingers entwined",.. It does take a while for Gordon to warm to his audience. He was a beautiful man! I met him when I was a young man just out of the Air Force and very confused.. how many people say he ruined my life. I picked up a guitar and never put it down after hearing him. I still am learning songs that he wrote. I will be 74 in June 21. It is the same with Stan once I heard him sing I could never learn enough of his songs. And Dylan too. And I still do this Tennessee stud! (Although I learned this one after I lifted up the tent in Union Grove and popped up behind Doc Watson during his performance in a torrential downpour.) He could have been a great auctioneer!. He was though in a way. I now understand he is/was highly influenced by Appalachian music-mountain music as was Dylan. Oh boy! Now I've stepped in it.
I just read somewhere that his band is continuing to tour without him, and replaced him with singer-guitarist Andy Mauck. I wonder how that would turn out.
I wouldn’t use the term “replaced”, there’s nobody that could replace him. It’s more of a tribute/celebration than anything, plus Mauck is pretty well versed in playing Gords music.
@@coltonnovak1887If it was a tribute/celebration concert, they would’ve stuck with the format of various guests appearing on the stage with them to perform his songs and talk about them. However; since they opted to strictly use one one vocalist/guitarist, and opted to continue their tour playing in various cities and countries with the “actual”/“real” touring band members if not the “original” ones, and finish without him, despite him being dead, and not have a say, I’m afraid they just did. Everyone gets replaced at one time or another, and Gordon Lightfoot is no exception. I used to think he was one of the most irreplaceable artists in Canadian music when he was alive, because of his unique sound and ability to sing and write great songs with impeccable lyrics, but after watching the quality of his performances on RU-vid videos representing his later years, and noticing the band’s decision to feature Andy Mauck as the vocalist and the rhythm guy for the group, I’m convinced that Lightfoot can be replaced as a touring musician, and as a singer. Maybe not so much as a “songwriter” or “composer”. I can only hope that Mauck does a good job of doing these songs justice as the new “designated” Gord.
The replacement singer can be pitchy at times. He sings in the same timbre as this era of Gord which is nice to hear again. We lost that Gord back in about 1984. I wonder what Rick Haynes has to say?
@@vintagesouthern54 If the replacement was pitchy, and a little fast, then I cannot understand why they didn’t pick Brian Ekard as their new singer. I listened to the replacement, and compared him to Brian Ekard from You Tube, and I think Brian Ekard has the Lightfoot singing, and covering down pat. His voice and timbre is second to none, in comparison to most Lightfoot soundalikes. Ekard’s voice and styling is very close to that 1968-1984 Lightfoot that you speak of and refer to as his prime years. He doesn’t get too agitated, and covering his songs, and sings them in the same speed as Lightfoot does. The only two criticisms that I have with Ekard’s videos are that A. He has never performed in front of a crowd or an audience, it was always in a dark room with shadows, and dogs running around the house, or it was in a recording studio with friends. Does Ekard have stage fright, or a sense of self-consciousness when performing Lightfoot or other music in front of others? and B. Ekard has too much of a shaggy appearance when presenting himself in the videos. Yes Lightfoot sported a beard in the 1971-1976, and 1979-1982 years, but it wasn’t as extreme as Ekard was projecting. Ekard looked more like Grizzly Adams than he did the Gord of any era. Ekard, could’ve cut the fuzz down, and permed his hair to match Gord’s: A poodle-cut, with a mustache and no more than a “string” of beard around the jaw. Andy Mauck I think seemed like the wrong choice for the role, and could’ve been used as an understudy for David James Carlson, another Lightfoot tribute artist in my opinion. He’s a bit too sloppy and too intense to carry on as the the new voice and rhythm guy for the Lightfoot band.
Great concert. It cuts off after Divorce Country Style, so the remainder of the second set is not available? Thanks for sharing though. Great voice and amazing songs.