Gordon Lightfoot died at a Toronto hospital on Monday at the age of 84, his representative has confirmed. Lightfoot, born in Ontario, made his performing debut in 1943, at the age of five, singing "I'm A Little Teapot" at a local church Sunday school, according to his website.
He later found himself immersed in the Canadian and American folk scene, amid contemporaries like Joni Mitchell and Neil Young.
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.
Dylan once called Lightfoot one of his favorite artists, saying "I can't think of any (songs) I don't like."
Lightfoot, on the other hand, was more reserved about his talents, once telling Canadian paper The Globe and Mail: "Sometimes I wonder why I'm being called an icon, because I really don't think of myself that way."
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