Lightfoot

Returning to Canada, Lightfoot settled in Toronto, eventually landing a job writing and arranging scores for 15-and-18-piece orchestras that performed on the Canadian Broadcasting Co.

A fixture in the local folk clubs, Lightfoot had a pair of hits in Toronto and Montreal and, by 1963, had traveled to Europe, where he ended up hosting BBC-TV’s “Country and Western Show” for a year.

By 1965, Lightfoot had become known as a songwriter. His “Early Morning Rain,” recorded by Ian and Sylvia Tyson, then Peter, Paul and Mary, started a run that saw Lightfoot compositions done by Marty Robbins, Judy Collins, Richie Havens and The Kingston Trio.

It wasn’t until he moved to Warner Brothers Records, which finally recognized him as a singer as well as a songwriter and then stumbled upon “If You Could Read My Mind,” that Lightfoot hit in the U.S.

Not coincidentally, Lightfoot’s first marriage began to fall apart in the late ‘60s (the subject of “If You Could Read My Mind”) and ended in 1973.

“As my first marriage failed, I was able to devote all my time to songwriting,” Lightfoot said. “It’s a very isolating experience, writing songs. You have to shut people out of your life. I had to work very hard at it.”

Lightfoot made nine albums in the ‘70s, records that included his biggest hits. He continued to write and record albums through the ‘80s and ‘90s until he suffered an abdominal aneurysm in 2002.

He’s released two albums since then — 2004’s “Harmony” and a 2012 live disc — but recently revealed he is making a new album.