Lightfoot Back on Track With Fresh Outlook

After a long hiatus from recording, Canadian troubadour Gordon Lightfoot has gained sobriety, a new family and a new album. “Waiting For You,” his first collection of new material in a decade, is out on Reprise label.

A concert Friday at Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza will feature songs from this 18th album and previous hits including “If You Could Read My Mind,” “Early Morning Rain” and “Sundown.”

Lightfoot cut his first album in 1965. The singer-songwriter’s lilting voice and bouncing acoustic picking style, especially on the 12-string guitar, earned him great success in the ‘70s as a balladeer. And he is probably best known for a string of mellow hits such as “Beautiful,” “Cotton Jenny” and “Don Quixote.”

During a career spanning more than 30 years, the 57-year-old singer has continued to tour and perform, earning a mantle of platinum and gold albums, four Grammy nominations and 16 Juno Awards, including membership in Canada’s Juno Hall of Fame.

He also appeared with Bruce Dern and Helen Shaver in the 1980 film “Harry Tracy” and, ironically, he played a musician struggling to overcome alcoholism in a television episode of “Hotel.”

In real life, substance abuse cost him two marriages and a lot of lost weekends. The first two marriages produced four children, who range in age from 14 to 32.

A gracious, if not loquacious fellow, Lightfoot spoke recently about his new album, the creative process and life after recovery. Here’s what he had to say during last week’s telephone conversation from the home in Toronto he shares with Elizabeth, his wife of seven years, and their two young children.

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Q: According to the press release, you stepped back from the studio because you felt as though you’d said everything you’d wanted to say. And you didn’t want to keep writing songs if they didn’t have any meaning to you. What changed your mind?

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A: I didn’t really stop thinking about writing. It just seemed to take more time. It was just a period when there were no results. Then in about 1980 I knew that I had another one album in me.

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Q: So it took more than 15 years. Tell us about the songs on the new CD.

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A: They’re simply produced. For the past two years we’ve been back to acoustic again. It just seems to ebb and flow that way.

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Q: Which tracks are you most proud of?

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A: First of all, it has a Bob Dylan song on it. This probably comes as somewhat of a shock but I’ve known Dylan for a long, long time. And I’ve wanted to do a song by him for many, many years. When a song came to me from his “Oh Mercy” album, I knew that was the song and I included it.

It’s “Ring Them Bells.” The other nine songs are written on my own. The quality of the songs is about as good as I can make it. It’s a mix--the ballad and toe-tapper combination with a little country sprinkled into it.

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Q: Any thematic continuity?

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A: The love and the environmental--things to do with the land--and the relationship between the people, and the man and the woman thing. “Wild Strawberries” has some very philosophical themes. It is a very common title. I realize it’s been used as the name of a movie and a group, but I didn’t think about that when I was writing it.

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Q: So there’s no connection with Ingmar Bergman?

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A: No. Dylan’s song has a really great environmentalist message. I look back through life in “Welcome to Try.” I’m a very emotional person and the songs are emotional. It’s got one in there called ‘I’ll Prove My Love,’ which I wrote for my wife in lieu of wearing a wedding ring because it drags on my E-string (laughter).

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Q: Your new song, “Welcome To Try,” seems autobiographical. What finally made you stop drinking in 1982?

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A: I wasn’t going to be around very much longer if I continued, that was the simple reason. I’m referring to my career and to my life--both. I started to do some of the wiser things. It’s something that I really don’t like doing at all, but I do exercise. I go to the gym. That’s what’s keeping me going, so that’s why I do it.

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Q: Was there a crisis point or a moment when you realized this is it?

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A: There was a meeting with my record company and my producer Lenny Waronker. We talked about it and we decided I was going to quit and I did.

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Q: What did you do during the many years between musical releases?

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A: I spent about three of those years being involved in projects with David Suzuki (the Canadian environmentalist). I did about 30 events with them, including a couple of shows for Brazilian chiefs here in Canada.

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Q: You’re very environmentally conscious. So set the record straight. Is Lightfoot a Native American last name?

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A: I’m Scottish all the way. That’s my ancestry. Someone told me that every Indian in the United States thinks I’m half Chippewa, but I’m Scottish. Sometimes I wish I were Indian, but unfortunately I’m not (laughter).

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Q: You described your music as “adult contemporary.” But many people think of your roots as folk-country. Who were your influences?

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A: Both musically and lyrically Pete Seeger, Bob Gibson, Bob Dylan, Ian and Sylvia in so many ways--the guitar playing, the lyrics, the chords. And I listened to Ernest Tubb.

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Q: Many of your songs have been recorded by other artists and have become standards. Which are you happiest with?

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A: Peter, Paul & Mary, “For Lovin’ Me”; “If You Could Read My Mind,” Barbra Streisand; “Early Morning Rain,” Elvis Presley.

Q: As a songwriter, which songs would you like to be remembered for?

A: “Wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald,” “Canadian Railroad Trilogy,” “If You Could Read My Mind.”

Q: Given your reputation, it’s odd you only mentioned one ballad.

A: Yeah, but I just love to play the music--all of it.

DETAILS

* WHO: Canadian singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot performs songs from his new album and classic hits.

* WHERE: Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, 2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd.

* WHEN: 8 p.m. Friday.

* HOW MUCH: $42, $37, $27.

* CALL: Tickets are available through Ticketmaster outlets or by calling the Civic Arts box office, (805) 449-2787.