Canadian folk legend dies

Canadian singer and performer Gordon Lightfoot, who rose to international fame as a folk music star in the 1960s and ‘70s, died on Monday. He was 84.

“Gordon Lightfoot passed away this evening in a Toronto hospital at 7:30 pm (2330 GMT),” a post on his official Facebook page read, as obituaries started pouring in from the Canadian press. The immediate cause of death was not made public. “More info to come,” read the post.

While he is known as a folk and folk-pop star of the late 20th century, Lightfoot’s popularity -- and continued songwriting -- meant he was touring internationally until just last month. In April, the singer canceled his 2023 tour dates, citing unspecified health issues.

Lightfoot’s songs -- dealing with everything from a failed marriage to the beauty of the Canadian countryside -- were covered by artists including Elvis Presley, Harry Belafonte, Bob Dylan and The Grateful Dead.

The singer, known for hits such as “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald,” “Early Morning Rain,” and “If You Could Read My Mind,” was often hailed as a modern-day poet in his native Canada.