Gordon Lightfoot, the iconic singer-songwriter, died last week at the age of 84. Numerous followers mourned the death of one of the most popular folk performers of his generation and a Canadian national icon.
On May 7, a memorial ceremony for the musician was conducted, and one old buddy gathered by his side, which was a touching sight.
Lightfoot, whose hits included “Sundown” and “If You Could Read My Mind,” was laid to rest in St. Paul’s United Church in Orillia, Ontario, Canada.
The musician, who remained close to his Canadian origins even as he rose to international fame, allegedly asked for his funeral to be conducted at the Orilla church, where he performed in the choir as a youth.
“He is the one who wanted it to be here, in this church that he grew up in,” Blair Bailey, director of St. Paul’s choir, told CTV News.
Lightfoot’s funeral was apparently a modest, private occasion attended by 50 close friends and family members, but local admirers were able to pay their condolences at a public viewing on Sunday.
Those who attended observed a heartbreaking scene when an unexpected mourner snuggled up at the late musician’s side: Taurus, a dog.
Taurus belongs to one of Lightfoot’s tour personnel, according to Lightfoot’s veteran spokeswoman Victoria Lord, and they bonded while on the road together.
“He used to ride with him on the road and wait for Gordon side stage,” Victoria Lord told Newsner. “Gordon loved dogs.”
It’s fairly unusual for dogs to lay near the graves or caskets of their lost loved ones, paying painful, bittersweet respect.
The way a person treats animals may reveal a lot about them. Taurus wasn’t Lightfoot’s pet, but it’s apparent they had a special affinity, and the dog will miss him terribly.
Gordon Lightfoot passed away on May 1st, at the age of 84. The musician apparently died of natural causes, according to the musician’s Facebook page.
With classics like “If You Could Read My Mind,” “Sundown,” and “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald,” Lightfoot earned his greatest worldwide success in the 1970s. Several of his albums were certified platinum.
Lightfoot, a folk music superstar of his period, was universally revered by his peers and considered as a national hero in his own Canada.
“He is our poet laureate, our iconic singer-songwriter,” Rush musician Geddy Lee stated in the 2019 documentary Gordon Lightfoot: If You Could Read My Mind, according to CBC.
“I can’t think of any Gordon Lightfoot song that I don’t like,” Bob Dylan once stated. “Every time I hear one of his songs, I want it would stay forever…. For a long period, Lightfoot served as a mentor. I believe he is still to this day.”
“Gordon Lightfoot captured our country’s spirit in his music – and in doing so, he helped shape Canada’s soundscape,” Trudeau said on Twitter after Lightfoot’s death, referring to him as “one of our greatest singer-songwriters.”
Gordon Lightfoot, may you rest in peace. Many people will miss him, especially devoted dog Taurus.
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