Final Gordon Lightfoot Album, ‘At Royal Albert Hall,’ Set to Drop in July

Andrew Wright | May 16th, 2023

Gordon Lightfoot pictured in an image from the upcoming live album 'At Royal Albert Hall,' which the late singer-songwriter insisted on releasing as soon as possible — and exactly as it was recorded in 2016 — before his passing in May. Photo: Carl Dunn

Fans of the late Gordon Lightfoot can look forward to one final album from the legendary Canadian singer-songwriter.

The double-disc release, At Royal Albert Hall, drops on July 14 and was recorded at the historic London venue live in concert on May 24, 2016.

According to a press release on the album, the prestigious venue was among Lightfoot’s favourite places to perform.

The offering is described as “an unembellished live mix of that night’s performance, without edits, overdubs, remixing, or re-sequencing.

“It captures every song performed in the order they were played, down to the encore by Gordon and his band — Rick Haynes on bass, Barry Keane on drums, Mike Heffernan on keys, and Carter Lancaster on guitar,” the release adds.

A representative for Lightfoot told The Canadian Press that, in the weeks leading up to his death on May 1 at age 84, the singer insisted on releasing the album as soon as possible and exactly as it was recorded.

The 26-track album features some of Lightfoot’s best known hits, including “Carefree Highway,” “Sundown,” “Early Morning Rain” and “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald,” as well as a large selection of songs left off his previous two live albums, including “The Watchman’s Gone,” “Sea of Tranquility,” “Now And Then” and “All The Lovely Ladies.”

Gordon Lightfoot
Lightfoot, who is remembered as a prolific live performer, played his last show in Winnipeg last October and put plans to tour on hold only shortly before his passing.

At Royal Albert Hall is available for preorder now through Linus Entertainment — the Canadian independent label that released Lightfoot’s last studio album with his band, Harmony.

See below for the full At Royal Albert Hall track listing:

Disc One

1. “The Watchman’s Gone”
2. “Sea of Tranquility”
3. “Now and Then”
4. “All the Lovely Ladies”
5. “Drifters”
6. “A Painter Passing Through”
7. “Christian Island”
8. “Rainy Day People”
9. “Shadows”
10. “Beautiful”
11. “Carefree Highway”
12. “Did She Mention My Name”
13. “Ribbon of Darkness”
14. “Sundown”

Disc Two

1. “Sweet Guinevere”
2. “The Wreck of Edmund Fitzgerald”
3. “Never Too Close”
4. “Don Quixote”
5. “Minstrel of the Dawn”
6. “I’d Rather Press On”
7. “Let It Ride”
8. “If You Could Read My Mind”
9. “Restless”
10. “Baby Step Back”
11. “Early Morning Rain”
12. “Waiting for You”

Gordon Lightfoot: A Tribute to His Incredible Life and Musical Legacy

Gallery: Gordon Lightfoot in Zoomer, Photographed by Bryan Adams