Neil Young pays tribute to “Canadian legend” Gordon Lightfoot: “a songwriter without parallel”

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Neil Young is the latest artist to pay tribute to fellow Canadian, singer/songwriter Gordon Lightfoot, who passed away Monday at the age of 84.

“I just spoke to Gordon a few weeks back and he sounded happy, although he had cancelled some shows and was re-organizing his touring,” Young shared on his Neil Young Archives site Tuesday. “I was saddened when I learned today of his passing.” 

Young called Lightfoot “a great Canadian artist,” and “a songwriter without parallel,” noting, “His melodies and words were an inspiration to all writers who listened to his music, as they will continue to be through the ages.”

Finally, he shares, “There is a unique and wonderful feeling to Gordon’s music. Lightfoot is a Canadian legend.”

And Young has been inspired by Lightfoot’s music in the past. He covered two of his songs, “Early Morning Rain” and “If You Could Read My Mind,” for his covers album A Letter Home, which came out in 2014.

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