An open letter to Thane:
Hardy Roberts
Wow what a piece of work you (and Gord) have done. Just as a fan who
has been on this board for several years, and part-time contributor -
(Remember? - I broke this story last September when Gord told me
after the Paducah concert that Rhino was going to release some "new
stuff")
I just say: Thanks!
You could have simply gone through the motions, stuck it out there and
yeah, sure, I'd buy it. I bet most of the people on this newsgroup
would too. That's probably what Warner would have done, judging by
their past performance, BUT:
Your work and the excellent ensemble you have assembled
around you illuminate - no, augment - the body of work that is
represented here: "Gordon Lighftoot - Songbook."
To paraphrase what's been stated by others previously, "Ya can tell
that a fan did this."
The liner notes: I don't know, but I got my collection (this is too
valuable to be called a set of discs) on Wednesday and spent the rest
of the work-nights listening. This weekend, I got down to reading
everything.
"Gordon Lightfoot:
Master Craftsman of Popular Song"
by Nicholas Jennings is written by a fan too isn't it?
This is a history written from the "Canadian Side." (at least I guess
from this Paducah, Kentucky southern boy's perspective).
I wouldn't change a word of it!
I think he gives us all the personal details that we want to know, as
well as the time-line and perspective that we NEED to know in order to
understand just where Gord was mentally at that point in time (to
paraphrase some of the Watergate stuff that has been written on the
group lately). More importantly, I think he imparts the - what's the
word, proudness? - ... stateliness? ...maybe exultancy? - Gord's
"...... heading north across that line's the only time I'm flying." -
feeling of sublime pride that Canada feels about Lightfoot and
Lightfoot feels about Canada.
Us (fellow) Lightfoot fans owe you something my friend
Hardy Roberts