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Gordon was born on November 17, 1938 to parents Gordon Sr. and Jessica Lightfoot.
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Gordon began piano and vocal lessons at the age of 12, under the mentorship of Ray Williams.
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Gordon first began preforming in bars and at festivals with a quartette called the Collegiate Four.
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Gordon writes his first song, entitled The Hula Hoop Song.
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Gordon continues to perform at bars and festivals, now in a duo called the Two Timers. They gain enough popularity to play on the radio in 1957 and a television show in 1958.
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Around this time, Gordon became interested in folk music, and learned to play 6 and 12 string gutairs, rather than 4 strings.
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Gordon's first two singles ("(Remember Me) I'm The One" and "Negotiations"/"It's Too Late, He Wins") were local hits in Toronto, reaching 3rd place and 25th place in the charts, respectively.
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Gordon traveled to Nashville and recorded 12 songs for Art Snider's Chateau label.
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In April 1963, Gordon marries his first wife, Brita Olaisson. They move to London, England.
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Before this time, Gordon had written 75 songs. Now his writing begins to flourish. He also appears on many talk shows and plays larger gigs.
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In January on 1966, Gordon's first album, "Lightfoot!" is released.
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Gordon's first actual concert attracts 3,500 people to Varsity Sadium in Toronto.
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Gordon starts going on tours, playing at sold-out shows, and becoming increasingly popular in the Untied States.
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In late 1972, two more albums were released, the first time since 1968.
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Gordon sets a new record after Massey Hall sells out five consecutive nights in a row.
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Gordon and his first wife, Brita, divorce.
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Gordon releases a new album, titled "Sundown".
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In late november after the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald, Gordon writes and records one of his most popular songs: "The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald".
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Two more albums are released in the first half of the year.
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The Edmund Fitzgerald sinks in Lake Supierior.
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In November, Lightfoot marked his 20th year in the music business. CHUM-FM in Toronto declares a "Gordon Lightfoot Day".
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"Endless Wire" is released.
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Lightfoot is declared Canada's Male Singer of The Decade for his music work from the 70's.
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"Dream Street Rose" is released.
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The film "Harry Tracy Desperado" is released, with Lightfoot co-starring with Bruce Dern.
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A new album, "Shadows", is released.
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Lightfoot's 16th album, "Salute", is released.
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Lightfoot does not tour at all this year, instead putting all his energy into completing a new album.
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"East Of Midnight" is released after 6 months of hard work writing and recording.
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Lightfoot was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.
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By winter of 1988, Lightfoot's albums were beginning to be reissued onto CD's. The first to get digital treatment is: "If You Could Read My Mind", "Sundown", "Gord's Gold", "Summertime Dream" and "East Of Midnight".
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"Gord's Gold II" is released as Lightfoot's 22nd album.
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Many new songs are played live during the touring season of this year.
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Lightfoot's UA albums are finally released on CD.
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"Waiting For You" is released.
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Lightfoot wins 12 SOCAN career airplay awards, signifying that some of his songs have been played over 100,000 times each on Canadian radio.
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The concert hall at the Orillia Opera House is named the Gordon Lightfoot Auditorium during a ceremony.
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Lightfoot is presented with the Governor General's Arts Award at a presentation in Ottawa.
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Lightfoot is among the new members inducted into the brand new Canadian Walk Of Fame in Toronto. Out on tour, he is unable to attend the ceremony.
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Lightfoot's new album, "A Painter Passing Through" is released.
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By the end of January, Lightfoot has 30 new songs written for his next studio album.
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Lightfoot inducts the Tragically Hip as new members of Canada's Walk Of Fame.
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Lightfoot suffers severe stomach pain and is airlifted to McMaster Medical Center in Hamilton, ON. Lightfoot undergoes surgery for a bleeding problem in his abdomen and remains in the ICU. Lightfoot's remaining concerts dates are cancelled. After more than 3 months in the hospital, Lightfoot is released in December.
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Lightfoot's Order Of Canada status is elevated to Companion, the highest ranking of the order.
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After almost two years, Gordon's album "Harmony" is completed and released.
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The year of 2005 sees Gordon returning to touring after recovering from his illness.
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Canada Post issues 52-cent limited-edition stamp honouring Lightfoot.
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Lightfoot celebrates his 70th birthday.
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Lightfoot appears in Hamilton, Ontario, for the unveiling of a sculpture of himself.
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The news reports that Lightfoot has died. The rumours are quickly put to rest as Lightfoot goes on the radio in Toronto to tell a relieved public that he is fine.
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Throughout the 2010's, Gordon has been very busy on tours and playing at other unscheduled places around North America and the world.
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Lightfoot marries his wife, Kim Hasse, in Toronto.
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A Lightfoot statue is unveiled on the Lightfoot Trail in Orillia's
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As of this year, Lightfoot continues to tour, this time throughout Flordia. At the end of the year, he celebrates his 80th birthday. Gordon was and still is a great influence on all Canadians, giving us strength and pride through the wonderful music he makes, and that he is still going stong after 80 years on the road.
