GUELPH – Fans of Gordon Lightfoot are in for a treat as the River Run centre hosts a tribute performance celebrating the Canadian icon.
The Lightfoot Band is the original lineup that toured and recorded with Gordon Lightfoot for decades. Now, they are paying homage by keeping his music alive, playing all the hits and deeper cuts. Part of the Sleeman-Spring Mill Music Series, The Lightfoot Band takes River Run’s Main Stage on Oct. 24 at 8pm.
The legacy of Gordon Lightfoot is undoubtedly in good hands with his original bandmates: Rick Haynes on bass, Barry Keane on drums, Mike Heffernan on keyboards, and Carter Lancaster on lead guitar, say officials.
The lineup is also joined by Andy Mauck as their lead vocalist, playing a Martin D18 six-string guitar and Gibson B45 12-string guitar, just as Lightfoot did.
“We felt that it was our duty to continue to perform Gordon’s great songs, the way he wanted them performed,” says Barry Keane, the band’s drummer for 47 years in a press release.
Fans can expect to hear favourite classics including Sundown, The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, If You Could Read My Mind, Beautiful, and “Carefree Highway.
Also thrown in the mix are a few lesser-known tunes for die-hard fans, some of which have not been heard live for decades.
Lightfoot’s rich contribution to Canadian music is everlasting and has touched the hearts of millions, claim officials.
One of the most celebrated artists of the 1970s, he won 16 JUNO Awards, an induction into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and Canada’s Walk of Fame, the SOCAN Lifetime Achievement Award and the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award. He also received the Companion of the Order of Canada, the country’s highest civilian honour.
Lightfoot passed away at the age of 84 on May 1, 2023. The upcoming performance at River Run Centre, with thanks to Series Sponsors Sleeman Breweries and Spring Mill Distillery, and Season Sponsor Richardson Wealth, is part of the band’s dedication to preserving Lightfoot’s musical legacy.
Tickets to the event range from $49 to $99 for adults, $47 to $97 for patrons over 60 years old, and $29 to $39 for those under 30.
All ticket levels can save 20 per cent when you buy tickets to four or more shows.
For more information or to purchase, call 519-763-3000, visit River Run’s Box Office at 35 Woolwich St., Guelph, or go to riverrun.ca/whats-on/the-songs-of-gordon-lightfoot-the-lightfoot-band.
