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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 23, 2007)
BY JOHN DOOLEY BOUTIQUE Buy 3 Sale Items Get one free 3 Days only Thursday, Friday and Saturday 1416 Willamette St www.zonaclothes.com 687-9175 BEST OF EUGENE Eugene Weekly ’ s ballot.eugeneweekly.com LIVE IN CONCERT: TICKETS FOR ALL SHOWS ON SALE NOW! SATURDAY AUGUST 25 • 8 PM $20 ADV / $25 DOOR TURF TALK MISTAH MENTION EUGENE WEEKLY FOR A F.A.B. 10% DISCOUNT ( S U B J E C T T O M I N I M U M FA R E S ) 541-688-8761 SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1 ST DUCK SEASON OPENER PARTY W EAR YOUR D UCK COLORS AND GET IN FREE ! $1 WELL DRINKS ALL DAY, EVERYDAY UPCOMING SHOWS: SEPT. 13th SEPT. 20th LEON RUSSELL Special guest The Essentials 23 W. 6th (across from the Hult Center) 338-8787 • www.tabooeugene.com 34 AUGUST 23, 2007 Gordon Lightfoot and Lee I T H OM E E G SAFEL Y Foot for Thought My Mind” topped the charts in 1971 that he come from an interesting family. My emerged from obscurity in the U.S. and cousin Lee, for instance, suffers from beyond. Lightfoot’s rich narrative style and congenital analgia, meaning he doesn’t timeless subject matter is eerily potent in his feel physical pain like most people. That “Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald,” a chilly sounds fun but can lead to disastrous com- musical tribute to the worst maritime disas- plications when you don’t feel your hand ter in Great Lakes history. burning away on the stove or you cut your- With numerous accolades under his self and don’t have a clue and unexpected- belt (15 Juno Awards, five Grammy nom- ly bleed out. In the Air Force, stationed in inations, inducted 2004 into the Canadian isolated Goose Bay, Labrador, his fellow Songwriters Hall of Fame), Lightfoot per- soldiers reveled in the fact that Lee worked forms today with the comfortably in the mechan- strength of an accom- ics bay in his skivvies and plished master musician. boots, in 30 below C. Gordon Lightfoot I ran into Lee last month Must have been 1977- 8 pm Friday, Aug. 24 during a short visit to 78. On the glove box of Cuthbert Amphitheater California. While walking Lee’s brand new VW bug, $30 gen., $60 res. around downtown Santa he’d painted a picture of a Rosa recently, scaffolding lightbulb and a bare foot, had broken loose and crashed down upon signifying his enjoyment of Canadian folk him. Lee heard it coming and pressed singer/songwriter Gordon Lightfoot. At a against a brick wall to avoid the tumbling time when rock and roll was the be-all- lumber and steel, but unfortunately, the end-all musically, I was intrigued at debris crashed onto him and severed half Lightfoot’s storytelling and easy delivery. of his foot. And despite his congenital But who uses model paint to decorate the analgia, for the first time in his life, Lee interior of a new car? That would be Lee. now feels pain, and lots of it. Now an oldie but a goldie (off the charts, “How’s your foot?” I asked as we sat still in our hearts), Lightfoot celebrates over down to eat. 40 years in the music business. He cut his “Missing,” he said. I’m not one to teeth performing in Toronto’s fabled folk chide others, but I think Lee went a little scene in 1960 and released his fist album too far this time honoring Gordon five years later. Though his songs were cov- Lightfoot. What with his new light-foot ered extensively by Dylan, Cash and and all. Presley, it wasn’t until “If You Could Read ew
