Regina musician shares memories of Gordon Lightfoot

A Regina musician is reflecting on his experiences with Gordon Lightfoot after the legendary Canadian artist passed away Monday.

Lightfoot died in a Toronto hospital at age 84.

Jack Semple, a Regina guitarist and singer, said he spent most of his life listening to and looking up to Lightfoot, and later got a chance to connect with him personally.

“He was one of my first heroes as a young guitar player,” Semple explained Tuesday.

“I tried to learn his music. I listened to his records. I was a devotee of his music. There’s lots of great guitar-playing on his records, and not to mention the brilliant songwriting.”

Semple said the first concert he ever saw was a live performance by Lightfoot back in the late ’60s or early ’70s – he couldn’t remember the exact date.

Semple said he followed Lightfoot’s career closely over the decades, and the music resonated with Semple to the point where he decided to record a cover album. He said he was able to give a copy of the album to Lightfoot himself during a concert in 2007.

“I did a tribute album of Gordon Lightfoot pieces, all instrumental guitar versions,” he said.

“He happened to be playing at the casino here in Regina while I was in the process of making it, so I talked my way backstage and got to meet him and give him a copy of my work in progress. He was very gracious and promised to listen to it.”

Lightfoot did listen to the cover album, and Semple said Lightfoot called him personally two weeks later to share his thoughts.

“He said he listened to all the pieces and said he liked nine of them, except for one of them I should try again – a song called ‘Don Quixote’ – he said it ‘sounded like a bit of a handful,’ ” Semple said.

“I hung up the phone and I was so thrilled to have just talked to Gordon Lightfoot.

“I listened to my version of ‘Don Quixote’ again and I thought to myself, ‘It was pretty good.’ The phone then rang again and it was Gordon Lightfoot and he said he just listened to ‘Don Quixote’ again and said ‘It was pretty good; I wouldn’t redo it.’ I had just got a ringing endorsement from the author, so that was a big thrill for me.”

Semple said he’ll remember Lightfoot by simply listening to his music.

“I’ve been listening to his music all morning and just remembering some of the masterful pieces he wrote,” Semple said. “Like Bob Dylan said, when he hears a Gordon Lightfoot song, he doesn’t want it to end, and that’s how I feel.”