The Edmund Fitzgerald post made me remember - - - Gordon Lightfoot

[Joe T.]

As I said in the 'Edmund Fitzgerald' post, I have been a Gordon Lightfoot fan for a long time.

I first saw him in concert at college - University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) - in about 1972. I next saw him was at a concert at the Cotillion in Wichita, KS in 2010. Yes, he has changed a lot. But, it sure brought back good memories.

He is a great balladeer. Here are a few of my favorites. I hope you enjoy them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBypfO9nKjo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdS7ShVIG-Q

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9EuEr0N5Os

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPMe9dMFHEA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXzauTuRG78


I think Gordon talked about the 'Summer Side of Life' in one of his ballads. Well, I'm at the autumn of my life. Being retired, I have too much time to reminisce. This guy brings back a lot of my good memories with the wife, family, friends, colleagues, and neighbors.

Gordon, thanks for the memories!

Joe T.

[Indyron]

Trivia question: Who was Edmund Fitzgerald?

[Joe T.]

Good question! I Googled it:

Namesake of ill-fated Edmund Fitzgerald to get his due

Published on April 15, 2014 by sara.krueger

Namesake of ill-fated Edmund Fitzgerald to get his due

When launched in 1958, the Edmund Fitzgerald was the largest ship traversing the Great Lakes, setting records for hauling taconite iron ore mined in Minnesota and destined for Midwest steel mills.

The ship’s esteemed history is overshadowed by the tragedy that sent the vessel plunging to the bottom of Lake Superior with all 29 crew members on board in 1975, a catastrophe immortalized in the Gordon Lightfoot song.

What few know is the ore carrier was named after the president of Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co., which owned the ship. Edmund Fitzgerald came from a long line of Great Lakes ship captains, and a ship was named after his father — the W.E. Fitzgerald. So when the new ore carrier was built and named after Edmund Fitzgerald, it was a proud moment.

“The day that ship was launched was the probably the happiest day of my grandfather’s life,” said Edmund G. Fitzgerald, who owns a marina in Manitowish Waters.

On Edmund Fitzgerald’s 65th birthday, his employees gave him a 4-foot-long ship’s model of his namesake during a big party at Milwaukee’s Auditorium. He kept it in his office until he died at the age of 90 in 1986, when it passed to his son Edmund B. Fitzgerald, who in turn kept it in his office.

When he died in September, it was bequeathed to the Wisconsin Marine Historical Society’s Great Lakes Marine Collection at the Milwaukee Public Library.

[Indyron]

Nice job. I believe NML helped finance the building of the EFG.