'Sundown' folk singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot dies at 84

Gordon Lightfoot, the Canadian folk legend often regarded as one of the genre's greatest songwriters, has died at age 84.

Lightfoot's family announced his death Monday, writing in a Facebook post that he died "peacefully" at 7:30 p.m. local time at Toronto's Sunnybrook Hospital.

"He died of natural causes," the post read. "He is survived by his wife Kim Hasse, six children — Fred, Ingrid, Eric, Galen, Miles and Meredith, as well as several grandchildren."

Born in Ontario in 1938, Lightfoot began his mainstream career in the 1960s with the release of 1966's Lightfoot!, his first album with United Artists. He would go on to release a total of 20 studio albums, with 2020's Solo marking his final standalone LP before his death.

According to the Associated Press, he recorded over 500 songs and performed at over 1,500 concerts during his life. Just weeks ago, he canceled his 2023 tour due to declining health.

Amid a slew of No. 1 hits in Canada, Lightfoot's greatest success in the United States came in 1974, when his hit "Sundown" reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 before its parent album of the same name attained a platinum certification in the region for sales of over one million copies.

Mark Horton/Getty Images Gordon Lightfoot

Lightfoot received four Grammy nominations for his work, including one for his 1968 album Did She Mention My Name? and another for the 1970 smash "If You Could Read My Mind," which hit No. 5 in the U.S. "If You Could Read My Mind" was later covered by Johnny Cash on his 2006 album American V: A Hundred Highways.

A further two Grammy nominations — including one for Song of the Year — came for his 1976 single "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald," which became one of his most iconic releases in Canada, as it commemorated the 1975 sinking of the titular ship on Lake Superior.

In addition to his solo work, Lightfoot's material was covered by Elvis Presley, Barbra Streisand, Sarah McLachlan, and the late Harry Belafonte.

"We have lost one of our greatest singer-songwriters. Gordon Lightfoot captured our country's spirit in his music – and in doing so, he helped shape Canada's soundscape," Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a statement on Lightfoot's death. "May his music continue to inspire future generations, and may his legacy live on forever. To his family, friends, and many fans across the country and around the world: I'm keeping you in my thoughts at this difficult time."

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