Nov. 17: Gordon Lightfoot ("If You Could Read My Mind") is 72 today.

Gordon who was born in Orillia, Ontario in 1938, has achieved international success in folk and country music. Gordon first had chart success in Canada with his own recordings beginning in 1962 with the Number 3 hit "(Remember Me) I'm the One."

His other hits include "If You Could Read My Mind," which hit # 4 in 1970,  "Sundown," "Carefree Highway, and "Rainy Day People," which all hit Number 1; and "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" which hit Number 2 in 1976.

A few of his other best known songs he wrote include "For Lovin' Me," "Early Morning Rain," "Steel Rail Blues" and "Ribbon of Darkness" which in 1965 hit Number 1 in the US with Marty Robbins's cover version.

Some of Lightfoot's albums have achieved gold and multi-platinum status internationally, and his songs have been recorded by some of the world's most renowned recording artists, including Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, The Kingston Trio, Marty Robbins, George Hamilton IV, Jerry Lee Lewis, Bob Dylan, Judy Collins, Barbra Streisand, Johnny Mathis, Viola Wills, Richie Havens, The Dandy Warhols, Harry Belafonte, Tony Rice, Sandy Denny (with Fotheringay), The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem, Scott Walker, Sarah McLachlan, John Mellencamp and Peter, Paul and Mary.

Apart from various awards associated with his albums and singles, Gordon Lightfoot has received sixteen Juno Awards — for top folk singer in 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976 and 1977, for top male vocalist in 1967, 1970, 1971, 1972 and 1973, and as composer of the year in 1972 and 1976.

He has received ASCAP awards for songwriting in 1971, 1974, 1976, and 1977, and has been nominated for five Grammy Awards.

In 1974, Lightfoot's song "Sundown" was named pop record of the year by the Music Operators of America. In 1980, he was named Canadian male recording artist of the decade, for his work in the 1970s.

Lightfoot was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1986 and the Canadian Country Music Hall Of Fame in 2001. He was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame in 1998.

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In May 2003 he was made a Companion of the Order of Canada, the country's highest civilian honour. Lightfoot is also a member of the Order of Ontario, the highest honour in the Province of Ontario.

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