Gordon Lightfoot Squashes Rumours of His Own Death by Releasing Album

Gordon Lightfoot, who had reportedly died last week, is apparently not dead, evidenced by Lightfoot releasing a new studio album. The sixty-six year folk legend was thought to have passed away quietly at his home surrounded by family. However, he was actually in a Toronto recording studio putting the finishing touches on his twenty-sixth studio album, appropriately titled “Gordon Lightfoot, Still Alive 2005”. The fifteen time Juno award winner, Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductee and Companion of the Order of Canada has long been Canada’s most beloved singer songwriter. News of his supposed death had brought in tributes from across Canada and around the world. Leonard Cohen said of Lightfoot, “His gift of words and melody has been unmatched in this country.” Willie Nelson called Lightfoot “...the finest Canadian musician I know and a complete gentleman.” Lightfoot has been battling health problems over the last few years and news of his death although saddening was not entirely shocking. Lightfoot said he was shocked to learn of his death and repeatedly tried to phone media outlets to put down the rumours. Many people who took calls from Lightfoot said they thought it was someone playing a practical joke. To compound the situation, Lightfoot’s publicist was on vacation at the time and was unavailable to help Lightfoot dispel the rumour. The rumour apparently had its roots in an unintentional cbc.ca pre-written obituary that was mistakenly made public. The Globe and Mail then picked up the story, it then spread to media outlets across the country. The CBC issued a public apology and launched a review of its website policies. Lightfoot initially was unaware of his reported death because he virtually cuts himself off from the outside world when recording an album. On Monday Lightfoot entered a Toronto coffee shop near the recording studio and the waitress, Cindy Wallace, who had gotten to know Lightfoot over the last few weeks, had thought she had seen a ghost. “I was speechless at first and he asked me if I was OK because I had turned white. I just handed him a copy of the paper with his picture on the front cover above a story about his death.”, Wallace said. Lightfoot then calmly ordered breakfast and read the articles about his death in the newspaper. After Lightfoot could not quell the rumours of his death, despite his reported sightings in public, he simply went back to the studio and put the finishing touches on the album. “I figured that if no one was going to believe that I was alive I might as well finish the album and get back on tour.” Lightfoot said. “Gordon Lightfoot, Still Alive 2005” has received very good reviews and is currently number three on the Canadian music charts.