Gordon Lightfoot's "final album" to be released in July

Beloved Canadian folk musician Gordon Lightfoot peacefully passed away on May 1st, 2023, aged 84. Having released 21 studio albums in his lifetime, record label Linus Entertainment have announced what they are calling Lightfoot's 'final album' - due for release on July 14th.

The album, At Royal Albert Hall, will be a live recording of his concert performance at the venue in 2016 and features many of his most treasured songs such as, 'The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald,' 'If You Could Read My Mind,' 'Early Morning Rain,' and more.

Lightfoot is largely credited with helping to define the the folk-pop sound of the 1960s and 1970s and has been labelled 'Canada's Greatest Songwriter'. The award-winning singer was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1986 and the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001. He was also inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame in 1998.

At the very core of Lightfoot's legendary status is a songbook he wrote during the 1960s and 1970s. The book is filled with folk tales, bittersweet nostalgia and exists as one of the richest productions of his era. He is considered a national hero and a homegrown success who remained in Canada even after reaching stardom amongst the ranks of Bob Dylan, Phil Ochs and Tom Paxton, all of whom influenced his style.

"Mr. Lightfoot gave us so many special moments over the years," said Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in a statement at the time of his death. "With a career that spanned over half a century, Mr. Lightfoot’s music told stories that captured the Canadian spirit, none more so than his iconic Canadian Railroad Trilogy, which will forever be a part of our country’s musical heritage."

Gordon Lightfoot performs in 2019 /Credit: Scott Dudelson

Check out the tracklist for At Royal Albert Hall below:

01 The Watchman’s Gone
02 Sea of Tranquility
03 Now and Then
04 All the Lovely Ladies
05 Drifters
06 A Painter Passing Through
07 Christian Island
08 Rainy Day People
09 Shadows
10 Beautiful
11 Carefree Highway
12 Did She Mention My Name
13 Ribbon of Darkness
14 Sundown

01 Sweet Guinevere
02 The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
03 Never Too Close
04 Don Quixote
05 Minstrel of the Dawn
06 I’d Rather Press On
07 Let It Ride
08 If You Could Read My Mind
09 Restless
10 Baby Step Back
11 Early Morning Rain
12 Waiting for You