The Legend of Gordon Lightfoot

Starring Leisa Way and The Wayward Wind Band 

(Bruce Ley, Brant Garratt, Jack Gaughan & Don Reid) 

Leisa Way’s critically acclaimed concert Early Morning Rain celebrates the remarkable life and career of legendary Canadian, Gordon Lightfoot.  An all-star Canadian cast of award-winning musicians, under the direction of Academy Award nominated composer and musical director, Bruce Ley, capture the magic of Lightfoot’s live performances in this two-hour celebration of this iconic Canadian songwriter and singer.

This two-hour inspired performance includes iconic Lightfoot hits like “Early Morning Rain,” “If You Could Read My Mind,” “Canadian Railroad Trilogy,” “Carefree Highway,” “Sundown,” “For Lovin’ Me,” “Bitter Green”, “Cotton Jenny”, “Did She Mention My Name”, “Ribbon of Darkness,” “Go-Go Round”, and “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald”, just to name a few. 

Take a trip down memory lane, and celebrate a Canadian legend by joining Leisa Way and The Wayward Wind Band for this magnificent night of greatest hits from Canada’s favourite troubadour. 

This concert opened on the stage named after Gord, in his hometown of Orillia, the very week he passed away.  In the audience were fans from all over the world, and this concert has now been seen by and enjoyed by some of Gord’s family and band-mates, some of whom played with Leisa’s pianist, Bruce Ley, ‘in the old days’ on television. 

Way discovered young musician Brant Garratt on Youtube – singing Lightfoot songs.  After hearing him, audiences often comment, “It’s like the spirit of Gordon Lightfoot lives on in him”, and Way agrees.  Now Ontario based, Garratt’s family is originally from the east coast of Canada and Newfoundland. Garratt is a natural born story-teller. 

This full stage show has a 5-piece band and an all-star lineup including Canada’s Songbird Leisa Way who was named Toronto’s Musician of the Year, and recently on the cover of the magazine International Musician. As a child, Leisa remembers tuning in to shows like The Tommy Hunter Show and Ronnie Prophet Show – both TV shows that her musical arranger and pianist, Bruce Ley, happened to be the piano player on!  Bruce has actually accompanied artists like Dolly Parton, Chet Atkins & Brenda Lee, among hundreds of others. Leisa’s multi-talented band includes Ley, along with vocalist/guitarist Brant Garratt (rising star vocalist with Duke Street Turnaround, and incredible flat-picking guitarist); Junior Riggin on bass (Susan Aglukark, Beverley Mahood); Toronto big band and theatre player Don Reid on drums; and recent Humber College grad Jack Gaughan. Jack is a guitarist/vocalist from Huntsville who made headlines and went viral at age 13 when he covered Stevie Ray Vaughn’s Grammy nominated instrumental song “Rude Mood”.  This is a group of rising stars and seasoned veteran performers who raise the roof on every stage they grace.  

Lightfoot recorded 20 albums, has 5 Grammy nominations, 17 Juno Awards, and earned sixteen number ones, eighteen top 10s and twenty-one top 40 hits. Other great artists who have recorded his songs include Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, Eric Clapton, Hank Williams, Jr., Judy Collins, Barbra Streisand, Peter Paul & Mary, Glen Campbell and Toby Keith. 

In 2012, Lightfoot’s legacy was further enhanced when he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and decorated with the Governor’s General Award and the Companion to the Order of Canada Honor of Merit. 

Gordon Lightfoot is a national treasure and was a legend in his own lifetime. 

“What makes this performance special is the connection these musicians have to the music, and to their audience,” says Way. “They love the music and perform these tunes from the heart. Audiences naturally respond with standing ovations and the best part is hearing the audience sing along to every song.”