I’m watching from Ontario, Canada about 2 hours west of Orillia where Gordon was born. I have listened to Lightfoot’s music since the age of 14. You have described him very well in your video and have shown him the respect he so deserved from his peers and his fans. Gordon was shy and introverted, but he was a massively talented man. This talent and his body of work will never be equaled in this country. I thank you for this video, Otis!

@ralphdavis9670

11 ай бұрын

And I thank you for your comment.

Hey All ..I had the luck to meet Gordan twice i lived in Northampton MA BACK IN THE EARLY 2000,S ..And was working for a man named Eric (aka ironhorse intertainment) i worked at the Pearl St Ballroom ,And the Calvin Theater.. I picked Gordan up at the airport in CT.. He was so easy to work with Some folks Think they are real stars and get lost in all the crap We made small talk on the drive back to the theater He didnt want anything no ten folded towles and water from the mountains of Figi . On the ride back to the airport i praised him for killing it he just smiled..I told him that i was a Canuck another way to say French Canadian And we had a conversation ... A couple of years later...The second time i picked Gordan up at the airport he wanted to ride up front and Yap...A great player , A great song writer And just a class act as a person

GL was a shy, private, reserved, humble, kind man. There are numerous videos on line of him being interviewed.

Don't ever worry about boring us or repeating yourself. We are all in too deep by now.

@defh2o

Жыл бұрын

@@rickylakemusic what you said!

@PaulReed-lj2ym

Жыл бұрын

U got right ✅️

@devonfulton1759

Жыл бұрын

No kidding. You’re family OG. No worries. I think there should be a whole series on Mini’s career as an Indiana squirrel and how she found you.

I have lived in Orillia for 35 years and lived in a neighborhood with people and met other people, whom grew up with Gordon Lightfoot. The one thing in common, is that not one person has/had ever said anything negative about him. I have also been to or involved with the Mariposa Folk Festival in Orillia over the past 20 years. Gord, was a constant in supporting the festival and often would show up with his guitar and join in with the other musicians. He also would come to Orillia to support or raise funds for the hospital or other groups within the community. He loved the community and the community loved him back.

That's so funny, 'sit around and dread it'. That becomes more of a reality once you hit 60. Ya know, you look in the mirror and say, who is this imposter invading my body? Thanks for thevideo.

Long time Lightfoot fan, thanks for the respect you showed him

Love him. Bawled my eyes out when "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" first came out. I still bawl my eyes out at it.....who am I kidding.

Cheers Otis! You make Saturday mornings easier to wake up to. I’m a musician (loosely speaking), so our normal waking hours are a”little “ different. So, early on Saturday mornings I can get up, a little after she does, because she thinks everyone should get up early, but, then I can sit and blearily come to life listening to you and drinking coffee. lol. I tell her “a man’s gotta do what he’s got to do.” …..hey, it’s pleasant and she understands. I love her dearly.

@melodymakermark

Жыл бұрын

“I’m a musician (loosely speaking)” 🤣 I love the humility. I told someone awhile back that I’d been playing guitar over 40 years, to which they replied “wow you’ve got to be an awesome guitarist then”, to which I replied “I’ve been playing guitar over 40 years”.

You’re a good man Otis… Thanks for sharing..👍🏼❤️

Through my goggles, that weird apartment interview is an example of a huge missed oportunity. The interview was more about the journalists' weird obsessions linking interior design to amateur psychology than it was about Gordon Lightfoot.

I wrecked my friends truck a number of years back and spent a few weeks in jail until they sorted things out…. I had two tickets to see Gordon Lightfoot at the civic center here in Asheville NC and the tickets were in my wallet when I was let out of there. The show was a week or so before I was released. That was a sad realization. RIP Gordon, I only ever got to hear your material performed live by Norman Blake with Tony Rice.

Anyone who grew up thru the 70s with a folky-hippie-ish mom like me knows how big Gordon was back then. I got to meet him at our venue a few years back, and he signed my Don Q record for me. He was really nice, one of the few times i asked to actually meet an artist in our venue.

So cool Gordon Lightfoot getting ready for the big Elvis concert! One year later 1973 Elvis would sing Early Morn Rain to millions via satellite, so cool! T.C.B. 🤟 p.s. glade u let delivery stay in .

I like Saturday mornings, sitting around drinking coffee with you, Otis sitting on the porch outside, listening to the birds, feeding the squirrels and having a good conversation with you Otis hope you have a groovy day☮️

Gordon was able to hold an audience in the palm of his hands.

Gordon Lightfoot and a Stampede Wrestling reference. As a kid who grew up in Saskatchewan, you just ticked off two major boxes, Otis. Thanks for the great posts.

Otis, love the sitting around 2 hours dreading story, really hit home ! Im not the only one !! Thank You Otis !!!

@bruinsfan8278

Жыл бұрын

You lost me on your panties storys !!!

I live Phoenix and every time I drive on Carefree Highway I think of Gordon. Keep slippin away.

Souvenirs is a great song about struggling, having to sell items you had over the years, ones that have a story.

you're the best story teller my friend. Carry on with the knowledge that we're listening and loving it!

That review of the Gordon Lightfoot concert describes exactly the concert of his I saw in 72-73, when he played the basketball arena at the University of Oregon (long before Phil Knight start building palaces all over the place). A huge venue that he made completely intimate. Great to hear the stories about JJ Cale, though not surprising. I mentioned in a comment on your Ray Charles video a couple of days ago that when I'm blue I'll sometimes put on Ray's song "No Use Crying" and play lead to it. The other song I invariably put on after that is JJ's Magnolia. My natural guitar style is his guitar style. The difference is I'm mediocre at best and he's one the all-time greats.

Gordon Lightfoot had a romanticized woodsman in the country image. A good example is Gordon and his guitars. Yes appreciated his Gibson and his Martin acoustic guitars but he saw them for the most part as tools and dare I say nice hammers. Which too fit that image. BIG BUT> His real passion were electric guitars and talked about them like a guitar tech discuing every part in them using the jargon of builders and technicians. He was very proud of his probably best collection on the planet of Sears Roebucks Silvertone brand guitars. He specialized in collecting models made by Danelectro. He could tell the differences between the same model made 6 months apart. Better still he could hear the difference. He handled them as if he had a Stradivarius violin in his hands :-)

Along the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia w a fresh cup of coffee. Did we miss the opportunity for Otis’ first unboxing video of the new camera?

@frankwebster9110

Жыл бұрын

The first 5 words of your comment has the Jerry Garcia version of that song stuck in my head. Such a great little dittie.

@frankwebster9110

Жыл бұрын

"I've been all around this world" is the title I think

There was a lot of purple prose in the GL interview you read to us, a sure sign that the writer was more interested in her own work than in Gordon Lightfoot's. I have to pay you a compliment here, Otis. After watching a lot of your videos I've realized why your interviews are so great. Where most journalists just ask the same tired questions "where do you get your ideas for songs", you get them talking about other artists, and in telling that story about George Jones or Johnny Cash or some other legend they reveal themselves and their own personal stories in a much more interesting, deeper and more meaningful way than if you just asked "tell us about yourself."

East Tennessee sending you much love Otis.

*It sounds like he was interviewed by Rita Skeeter and her **_Quick Quotes Quill._*

When I met GL he was a little quiet but very kind.

If you could read my mind, you'd know how much I appreciate a respectful sendoff. Listening as a young woman, I'd never had thought my son would grow up to become a professional musician and live in Montreal (another country)

People in Canada clamour for that article's type of celebrity gossip about our own. We can't accept that we breed a different type of famous person. Gord was a real one. Thanks for digging these up Otis.

Lol… your underwear story, just reminded me of a story my sister in law told me one time… she was an RN in the ER in the Dallas area for many years, and she was telling me some of the funniest things she had seen while working. One day a big burly construction worker came in, he had accidentally shot himself in the thigh with a nail gun. They told him his pants would have to come off, and he kept refusing to take them off.. finally they convinced him it was not an option to leave them on, and when he dropped his pants… he had a frilly red pair of ladies panties on… she said they carried on like everything was fine… until they got out in the hallway, where they laughed their asses off! You just never know….😂

I was at the 1970 Lightfoot concert in Calgary at the Jubilee Auditorium (named for Alberta's 50th anniversary). It was a life-altering experience for me. Otis, thanks for reminding me of a great concert by a great artist.

Love JJ Cale!

Very nice video Otis..... Gordon Lightfoot for me, an American, is one of the greatest song writers of all time.... Loved his writing and music... The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald still does something to me every time I listen to it...! Everything about the song, the words, the sound, just amazing, especially since I am a Great Lakes guy and lived here all my life..... God rest his soul... R.I.P. GL

I’m surprised that Cafe Bustelo isn’t already a sponsor. We even found their pods. There is an interview I’ve seen with Gordo in his house. He shows the interviewer his guitar room (omg) and how he keeps a humidifier in them. A lot of old Guilds. He also revealed his dislike for his song “That’s what you get for lovin’ me” during the interview. The phrase “poet laureate” is almost always used when taking about him. I think Canada thinks of him the way we think of Bob Dylan. He’s even a bigger deal in Canada than here. Side note: the way you treated your UPS guy is exactly how imagined how you’d do it. Nicely done. Go unpack that camera. Can’t wait until Otis does the ol’ Jon Stewart “meet me at camera 2” turn. Haha. !

Lightfoot was a out doors man and as a hobby he traveled Canada river's in canoe trips three months at a time with friend's and was a wilderness lover for year's. OTIS, thank you for taking the time to defend negative press , this man was a very shy person and never liked the famous part of his life. His songs came from nature and every song had expressions of nature .

I love this type of your video's setting around shooting the $#!t having the morning coffee with you and all your KZread friends.

@PaulReed-lj2ym

Жыл бұрын

U got that right

St. Albert, Alberta. 🇨🇦Loved Gordon. ✌️. Saw him about 10-15 years ago at the Northern Alberta Jubilee. Great show, but his voice was very hard to hear. So glad that I saw him. Great Canadian. Cheers Otis.

thanks for leaving minnie and the delivery fellar good stuff and love the wind noise and breezy trees too

J J , was a unreal artist , his later years living in Escondido , Ca. In the hills and would see him driving his white turbo Porsche and buying vegetables at road side stands in Valley Center , he was always friendly and was willing to talk with you , he would always smile when I said the he made Clapton better with his songs wrote and that the last album " road to Escondido " was great work and why both of them and should have teamed up more in their later years. Would be to hear more about J. J.

Here’s a Gordon Lightfoot story for y’all: My neighbor, back in the 60s/70s, was a budding musician/composer/songwriter, and some years after the fact he told me about how, in the early/mid 70s, (he would have been around 17 or 18), he just decided one day to go on over to Gordon Lightfoot’s stately manor (the one on Poplar Plains that Otis mentions), and see if he could get some career advice. (We would always drive by the place, and on cue we'd all sing "Gitchee Goomee"! and so that is what we ended up calling it.) So this kid, call him Barry, goes and knocks on the door of this mansion; as I recall it, it was like the size of a whole city block, surrounded by trees with a stone wall or a black wrought iron fence, (or maybe both), and lo and behold, Gordie answers the door! Barry is standing there at the portal to Gitchee Goomee, with his attractive teenage girlfriend/singer, and he mumbles through his lame explanation of why he’s there, at the door of one of the most famous artists in all of Canada, looking for a ‘free handout’ of career advice from a guy who already, by this time, had a wall of gold records. And damned if Gordie didn’t invite them in! (I think he must have liked the look of the girlfriend/singer), but within two minutes they were chatting with him in a parlor or sitting room; the maid was dispatched to bring tea and biscuits, and Gordie regaled my buddy with tales of the bigtime, giving them all sorts of inspirational talk. Barry offered to play him a song or two, but I don’t think that happened. Anyway, dear old Gordie is gone now, and my intrepid friend is living the good life down in Florida (better than growing old in cold Toronto). He never did make it as a songwriter, although he did write a bizarre full-length rock opera based on Moses and bible stories which basically got nowhere. But I’ll never forget how Gordon Lightfoot, at the height of his fame, invited this scruffy, uninvited hippy couple in to his home one afternoon for “tea and sympathy”…

Not a band name but the quote from your favorite uncle "I like to sit around and dread it" would be a great song title.

Really appreciated this bi-op of interviews. Otis, you are great at exploring and extracting the feelings of the time. We like witnessing your story telling. Shout out to UPS guy.

Of all things Rickie Nelsons song Garden Party came to mind hearing that.

I love, respect and honor his life all parts! Good and bad! He was an honorable man! Who lived his life with humbleness. He corrected his errors when he could. I hate that people do not see how totally Amazing he was. Poet, musician, loving gift to this world. 🕊💗💗💗 He was so deeply unique! Some can see that. He gave his heart to his fans and the world.

This was a great show. My favorite bits were the UPS delivery and your comments around that, and the birth of Panty Embargo on the world stage. All the rest was good too, though. What a strange interview with Gordon Lightfoot! I got the sense that the interviewer was trying to whittle him down or embarrass him. I know a little about that. I grew up part of the time in Ireland, and the culture there could be like that, as in not wanting anyone to get 'above themselves,' as my relatives there would say. I played locally a bit, and got the tiniest bit of praise, and OMG they never stopped making fun of me for that apparently intolerable, miniscule success. Maybe the interviewer was exhibiting a mix of envy and arrogance somehow. I got the sense that the interviewer thought that GL was feeling himself better than his origins, and needed to be taken down a peg maybe. Which was wrong, obviously. It's always pleasant to hang out with you on Saturday morning, drink coffee, talk about random stuff and reminisce. Thanks for sharing that with us, Otis.

Thank you, Otis! Me, you and your uncle - like to have time in the morning to enjoy my coffee and contemplate life ❤ I’m out here near the Carefree Highway GL sang about. Got a special ❤ for him!

From about age 4 on, Lightfoot was on the record player, cassette deck, compac-disc reader, and then computer. What the heck do we do now, you guys? Our Greats are taking their trains outta town at a higher frequency. ✌️🤟 Back to Joining again soon. Had to make some quick changes which is Life. Yet the Future is Bright!

My band name suggestion: Dog Likes Peanuts Thank you for the excellent show Otis!

I started watching this morning, but had to stop myself. I'd forgotten my coffee. Once that situation was corrected, I resumed. Time well spent, to be certain. Yet another wonderful video, with an insightful and respective commentary on what it must have been like to be Gordon Lightfoot. May he RIP. Thank you, Mr. Gibbs.

Thanks Otis for this. The press has to have something to write about so they will either focus on the good or try to come up with something that they can find to rip apart.

Tony Rice has commented on Gordon Lightfoot and meeting him and covering his songs.

For the price McDonald's Coffee is okay. I dug you leaving the delivery guy in the clip, hey it's real life !

With so much evil in the world it is such a blessing to see that there are intelligent people out there i can relate too...thanks otis

Thank you, Otis. You always bring us information about artists as people and you give us details about the music and how that magic came to be. Thank you, friend. Rest in peace, Gord. Via con Dios.

Hi Otis, This is Miguel from Mallorca. I remember you mentioned once Micah Schnabel. I love Two Cow Garage and I think they haven't put out an album for quite some time. So here is the question for you: since I asume you know them, do you know if they are still active as a band? Nobody ever talks about them, at least in Spain... Pretty sad. Your channel is just heaven on earth for us freaks

Thanks Mr Gibbs love ❤ your knowledge talent and excellent videos peace ❤

Hey, Otis. You did talk about truck stop cappuccino. I remember going to comment and i got busy and never did. So anyway, i came to the same method except the gas station had a powered hot chocolate machine that i would use to cut the mud they called coffee. There's definitely a little MacGyver in all of us I guess!

I come to listen for the humaneness of it all in these vids.

THAT was exactly what I saw. Ain't nothing like it. 😊

"I like to sit around and dread it" is a song lyric waiting to happen.

@edh533

Жыл бұрын

a Guy Clarkesque lyric

About 30 years ago myself and a few ppl were thinking of starting a band called “rebels without applause”

Love the series & the interviews. Would LOVE to see you do an episode on John Denver, how weird his career was ... how big he got, and then it went away overnight and now he's rarely mentioned (despite being a pretty great songwriter, and a peerless singer.) His lead guitarist Mike Taylor (the late Mike Taylor) was brilliant, and he treated his touring musicians really well. And he recorded songs by Brel, Kristofferson, Prine, Eric Anderson, Tom Paxton, Jerry Jeff Walker, Mason Williams, Biff Rose, Buddy Holly, James Taylor, Robbie Robertson, Steve Goodman, Steve Gillette, Hoyt Axton, Michael Martin Murphy etc. etc. - he knew a great tune when he heard one. He's protrayed as this relentless happy, smiling dude but really his records are dark and deep and he was early in on being environmentally conscious. Also, Denver was a terrifically underrated guitarist. Thanks - and keep on keepin' on.

Perfect sense, Otis. Thanks!

Thank you Otis, for seeing through this BS. You have an ear for what is real, and what is not.

in the jj cale doc 'to tulsa and back' he says he likes living in a trailer.

Happy Saturday, Otis and fellow travelers! I look forward to Saturday mornings, in it for the long haul. Thank you 🙏🏻 My high school choir/ guitar teacher used to tell stories about running around, busking, and crossing paths with a hard-drinking, smoking, Canadian folk singer in his younger days (mid-60s?). I got the impression they weren't good friends, but they knew each other. Hard to know, they're both gone now. Loved the Joe Pug interview. I think Steve Earle is amazing, and Justin Townes was following close behind. Great songwriter, performer... gone too soon. I enjoy your music, and it's led me to places I didn't know I wanted to go. I know you've gone on a few tours these last few years, are you writing more songs? New album anytime soon? Be good to you 🤍💛

A brutal part of fame. I love Gordon Lightfoot it’s sad when our beloved artists suffer so in this business

I agree with your impression of the first writer. Sounds like they're trying too hard to sound profound, and tells us more about the writer than about Gordon.

Remember him from early commercials and some TV shows shown from Ontario. First Edition Kenny Roger's was popular around that time

I have no questions. Only answers.

I think so much of the article is about the Canadian psyche, they always seem about to apologize for being themselves, not some American stereotype.

Watching from Pennsylvania USA. First, I think journalists, press, media, purveyors of information have overtaken or at least equaled Lawyers as the lowest life form. The first article from 1972 has the “Lester Bangs” flare to it. At that time many rock/pop post hippie intellectual music journalists/critics thought it was their job to point out how all the contemporary artists, who were finally making some money were hypocrites and were betraying the “hippie” ethos of antiestablishment (sex, drugs & rock & roll) and “vow of poverty” mentality. I think it was about this time Gordon had actually been dealing with the music business for a while and was starting to deal with the pressures in not the healthiest of ways. Which is mighty forgivable IMHO. RIP Gordon Lightfoot….

Very timidly I'm going to ask another question😂. Have you ever reconnected with one of your own songs later in life. I know that for me one of my favorite things is to have an old favorite hit me at a later point in my life differently. it reminds me that today isn't forever, tomorrow will be different and even if things are great right now you can't hold onto it anymore than you can carry a handful of sand. Love ya man!

Gene Simmons doesn't mind if you observe he's only in it for the money.

Thanks for helping too spread good music.

*JJ Cale* !!! Would be cool if you could find the time to finish that potential episode :-)

If I’m not mistaken he wrote the circle is small from that apartment. Song for a winter’s night was wrote from motel room in Cleveland is what he said in the documentary. So who was she to question something she’s to blind to see

Otis! Your coffee story with the hot cocoa packet hit me in the feels! I’ve done that more times than I can remember over the years and just skipped the sugar & cream.

Lousy writer is all. If I were reading this Otis...I would just stop and put it down. Thank you Otis You and Most appreciate Gordon ❤️

As far as questions go, I'd like to hear you talk about your recording history, like did you start off 4 tracking at home like many of us? What do you think is the best record you have made? Most disappointing sessions? Stuff like that... peace from Ann Arbor MI!

Ways to support this channel. www.patreon.com/otisgibbs kzread.info/dron/YX2MTovE0vYjD8touqRH7Q.htmljoin Tip jar for anyone who wants to help support this channel. paypal.me/otisgibbs?locale.x=... www.venmo.com/OtisGibbs Paypal: @otisgibbs Venmo: @OtisGibbs

As a Canadian, I've been thrilled by Lightfoot's music. Saw him perform twice, magical both times. Simple but complex and perfectly executed, it was clear he was at home on stage. Years later, stories about his personal struggles with fame surfaced which might not be surprising for a small town boy who was probably unprepared for global fame. The Gazette was a trusted Canadian paper in that era which probably led to him consenting to the interview. So, while the article may have been intrusive, it seems she sensed the personal challenges Lightfoot was juggling with his newfound fame, yet he was still willing to share his story, albeit cautiously. After all, he was a storyteller. Near the end, it seems like he was still enjoying his time on stage, the love of the audience and showing that all the bad things that happened to him hadn't broken him so he could leave on his own terms. Thank you Gordon

Great episode Otis - thanks!

I have always loved your interview style for the EXACT reason you talked about with Gordon Lightfoot. You never (literally never) make someone feel defensive in an interview and I've seen other broadcast journalists do over and over and over again. They make the interviewee feel on the spot, nervous and defensive. And I hate that. It's actually cruel. If it's political, I get it. But an artist??? ** Also there's a new biography out on Leon Russell. And they are both Oklahoma guys. They talk some about JJ Cale in it. It's a really great read.

Hey Otis, finally got caught up on the videos from the past 2 weeks or so. This recent stuff is some of the best stuff on the channel. Barry, Layng, etc, just great stories! Keep it up!

i agree with you otis ive (not) read countless articles including by a fella i grew up with that start with that sort of trying ot find alluring personal detail malarky

Otis, I have squirrels that come to the front door and look in the sidelight and beg for peanuts. A favorite “Little Mama” always waits for the second peanut and makes off with 2 in her mouth. 🥜🐿️

Gordon, Neil Young and Ian Tyson are Canadian historians with the love and sings of Canada, my home country

Most enjoyable thanks

Lighter roast coffee retains more caffeine

My citys health care gave him 20 more years of life after a stomach aneurysm almost killed him. Only 5% survive it. When he recovered he gave 2 benefits for the hospital andgave freetix to staff members He was quite the alcoholic til he got on the wagon and they often don't have the clearest of thought. The last time I saw him was in 2018 Unfortunately he had bad laryngitis in his top end which he apologized for profusively .

Otis you just may have the opportunity On Tulsa Time and Cains tour.

Excellent content sir! Have just come across your channel round abouts by way of some really exceptional commentary you made in that reflection on Willie Nelson. (believe its called "Badass Willie Nelson Stories") Definitely going to check out more and start working my way through. :-) Was going to also mention that there is a pretty good G L documentary out there - not perfect, but I do think its worth having a look at if someone comes across it. Keep up the good work Mr. Gibbs (subscribed and clicked the notification, looking forward to more). Matt from GA.

not that im not fully engaged but wish around 12 mins you could hear us say turn around ur furry friend is behind you lol

I think they should interview the person not the room they are in but what do I know

Totally makes sense.

I must say Otis, we fee the same way about you- if you don’t love you some Otis, what are you doin’ with your life….

I'd love to hear about your gear and setup. Your videos look and sound great. I'm always amused and curious about how you direct your intro shots of you and guest meandering in front of the camera in and out of the shallow focus. Better to catch the UPS guy bringing a package than some porch pirate taking it away. HA! Also, there are some 7-11 stores that have great coffee (and blueberry cake doughnuts). It depends on how much the staff cares about keeping fresh brew and varieties, but often it's some of the best in town.

If Gordon had spent a little time in the Dungeon with Stu, he could have kept those journalists in their place!