CLASSIC LIGHTFOOT LIVE
comes to Simcoe County SPRING 2025

CELEBRATE Canadian music with Canadian artists and members of the Lightfoot family 

John Stinson and the Classic Lightfoot Live – GORDON LIGHTFOOT Tribute show is returning to the Orillia Opera House Saturday May 3 and the Midland Cultural Centre Sunday June 8, 2025. Stinson is excited to perform once again in these wonderful theatres. “These venues are really great for our show and what a great time to show our support for all things Canadian. The songs are all Canadian and the band members are all Canadian. With all the border issues, Canadian artists can’t play in the US but Americans can cross our border and perform anywhere. It’s an unfair system. Support Canadian artists performing in Canada!”

Originally from Toronto, Stinson has been performing for more than 30 years. While raising his family in Aurora he became neighbours with Lightfoot’s original lead guitarists, Red Shea and Terry Clements.

“Spending time with Red Shea and Terry Clements brought me even closer to understanding the details and nuances of Lightfoot’s music,” Stinson says. “It’s important in these times for Canadians to support our country, our artists, and our musicians. To me, Lightfoot’s music really does reflect what it means to be Canadian. His lyrics tell stories: his stories, our stories, Canadian stories. They reach out and touch audiences in deep emotional ways.”

Stinson has been recreating Lightfoot’s music in a full theatre show since 2011. Thousands of patrons across Ontario have filled theatres and commented.

“Others can tell, even if they don’t know how or why John’s renditions come off as being so faithful. I’ve been told before, and many did that night, they can’t believe how well John sings Gord’s tunes.” (John Swartz, SunOnlineMedia, Nov 2023)

All the band members are born and raised in Canada. And they all have close relationships with Lightfoot. You can’t get much more real than having Lightfoot’s nephew (Steve Eyers) on board as the bass guitarist and Lightfoot’s record producer (Bob Doidge) as Music Director. Steve Eyers is the son of Beverly Lightfoot (Eyers) of Orillia; she was Gordon Lightfoot’s sister and managed Gordon for a period of time in the 1970s. Bob Doidge produced Lightfoot’s last five albums at his Grant Avenue Studio in Hamilton, Ontario.

Eric Kidd, a long time Barrie resident and an accomplished professional musician and music teacher, is the lead guitarist, and plays “mind-blowing guitar,” said Stinson, adding that he also knew and studied with Red Shea from Lightfoot’s first band. “Red Shea’s early work on Lightfoot’s records always helped to define Gord’s music and Eric channels Red and Terry’s guitar style perfectly.”

Clearly, connections to Lightfoot run deep in this band.