Legendary Musician Gordon Lightfoot Dies At 84

Gordon Lightfoot has passed away at the age of 84.

The legendary Canadian singer died Monday in Toronto, according to Fox News. Representative Victoria Lord confirmed the news, but didn't offer any details of what caused Lightfoot's death at the age of 84.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also announced the news late Monday night stating, "We have lost one of our greatest singer-songwriters. Gordon Lightfoot captured our country’s spirit in his music – and in doing so, he helped shape Canada’s soundscape."

Gordon Lightfoot is a legend.

Few musicians have had the kind of impact Lightfoot did during his career. His music has been popular for decades and across generations starting in the 1960s through today.

It doesn't matter if you're 75 or 35, when "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" starts playing in a bar, you sing. The man took a horrific boat sinking and turned it into an all-time great song.

As a Wisconsin native, I don't know a single guy above the age of 25 who can't sing the song word for word.

However, that wasn't Lightfoot's only major hit. "You can Read My Mind" and "Sundown" are both two of his most notable hits.

During his career, Lightfoot was nominated for five Grammy Awards and won the Juno award 17 times, which is Canada's version of a Grammy.

No matter how you analyze Lightfoot's storied career, the man was an absolute titan in the music industry. There's also no doubt his songs will continue to live on, especially "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald."

RIP to an absolute legend, and our thoughts and prayers are with Lightfoot's family during this difficult time. The world of music lost a truly important and incredible figure.

Written by
David Hookstead is a reporter for OutKick covering a variety of topics with a focus on football and culture. He also hosts of the podcast American Joyride that is accessible on Outkick where he interviews American heroes and outlines their unique stories. Before joining OutKick, Hookstead worked for the Daily Caller for seven years covering similar topics. Hookstead is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin.