WHEN TWO QUIET CANADIANS CHANGED MUSIC HISTORY FOREVER
On May 2, 2023, only hours after the passing of Gordon Lightfoot, fellow Canadian legend Anne Murray joined CBC Listen for a deeply emotional conversation that felt less like an interview and more like a final goodbye between two old companions who helped define an era of Canadian music.
Listening to Anne remember Gordon is profoundly moving because there is no performance in her words. Only honesty. She speaks about a man who “lived to perform,” someone who wanted to stay on stage forever and nearly did. Even after illness forced him to cancel concerts, Gordon still held onto the dream of continuing. Anne recalls him joking at a Canada’s Walk of Fame dinner: “We’re going to do it forever, right?” It is the kind of small memory that suddenly becomes heartbreaking after someone is gone.
Their history stretched back to the earliest days of Singalong Jubilee, where Anne regularly performed Gordon’s songs long before either became international stars. She lovingly lists classics like “Early Morning Rain,” “Steel Rail Blues,” and “Song for a Winter’s Night,” admitting that she still regrets never recording the latter. Her admiration for Gordon’s songwriting is unmistakable. Anne explains that unlike some writers whose songs seemed to pour out naturally, Gordon carefully crafted his music piece by piece. And it showed. His songs felt personal, poetic, and timeless.
What makes the tribute especially touching is Anne’s reflection on how both of them resisted leaving Canada behind. At a time when many artists believed success required moving to America, Anne Murray and Gordon Lightfoot stayed rooted in Canada. One remained anchored in Toronto, the other in Nova Scotia. Together, they proved Canadian artists could conquer the world without abandoning home.
Anne also reveals the gentle, private side of Gordon Lightfoot. He was humble, reserved, and never entirely comfortable seeing himself as special, despite becoming one of the greatest songwriters his country ever produced. They were not inseparable friends, she admits, but their careers moved in parallel for decades through award shows, television appearances, and the shared experience of carrying Canadian music onto the global stage.
The interview closes with Anne introducing “Cotton Jenny,” the only Gordon Lightfoot song she ever recorded — a version Gordon himself deeply loved. As the song begins playing, you can almost hear an entire generation saying goodbye.
Oldies Songs