Carefree Highway: Rhino Offers Rare “Moments” With Gordon Lightfoot

Gordon Lightfoot’s stands at Toronto’s Massey Hall have become a cherished tradition over the past forty years, with the Canadian troubadour having taken the stage more times than any other artist in the Hall’s 117 year history. Last May 25, 2011, Lightfoot performed his 150^th concert there, and as he prepares for this year’s stand in November, Rhino Records is reminding fans of his rich legacy there with the April 17 release of Massey Hall Moments – All Live. Why not just plain Live? Lightfoot has stressed that the recordings, selected from performances between 1998 and 2001, “have not been technically altered and are authentic live mixes” with each song heard exactly as the audience would have heard it.

Charles S. Cutts, President and CEO of the Massey Hall corporation, stated in the press release, “The contribution that Mr. Lightfoot has made to Toronto is immense and it’s only fitting that he would share some of these moments with the rest of the world with the release of Massey Hall Moments – All Live. Great halls need great performances from the greatest performers. Gordon Lightfoot is part of the Massey Hall legacy and we’re proud to welcome him back year after year. We always look forward to it. Welcome home Gordon!” This new set is also a timely reminder of Lightfoot’s contribution as a songwriter, featuring many of his most beloved compositions like “If You Could Read My Mind,” “Early Morning Rain,” “Sundown,” “Carefree Highway” and, of course, “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.” On Thursday, June 14, 2012, Lightfoot will be feted in New York City when he is inducted into the prestigious Songwriters Hall Of Fame in New York City alongside luminaries Bob Seger, Don Schlitz, Harvey Schmidt, Tom Jones and Jim Steinman.

Hit the jump for more on Massey Hall Moments – All Live including the full track listing with performance dates!

Release Round-Up: Lightfoot, Queen, ID4 and More

• Amazon has posted pre-order links for new remasters for folk legend (and non-dead person) Gordon Lightfoot. Wounded Bird will distribute these new releases of the LPs he recorded for Warner/Reprise, from 1970’s Sit Down Young Stranger to 1998’s A Painter Passing Through (pre-order links are missing East of Midnight (1983) – not sure as to why). They’re due June 8.
• EMI has set a May 31 release date for Queen’s The Singles Collection Volume 3. This replicates 13 original 7″ singles (sorry dance fans, no 12″ mixes here) from “It’s a Hard Life” (from The Works in 1984) to “Scandal” (from The Miracle (1989)). A fourth and final set is in the works as well.
• As previously mentioned, La La Land Records will be releasing a two-disc expansion of David Arnold’s score to Independence Day tomorrow. It’s a 5,000-copy edition, with the first 100 autographed by the composer himself. The label also has another release planned; no details given (usually the label announces a week in advance but since ID4 was leaked months ago they changed things a bit) except that it will be limited to 3,000 copies. This makes it a relatively sizable release, too. Both go on sale tomorrow at 12 p.m. PST.
• And if you’ve been living in a cave, check out the discussion over at ICE about the potential remastering and reissuing of the Badfinger catalogue. The tragic power-pop masters may be getting some love on CD over the summer from Rhino, it seems – as always, stay tuned when more info becomes available.