Iconic Canadian singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot, best known for the immortal "Sundown", has announced the May 20 release of his first album in over a decade, which will be simply entitled, Solo. The release coincides with the 50th anniversary of his celebrated If You Could Read My Mind album, which featured the Top 30 Australian hit of the same name. ILYOS looks at Gordon Lightfoot's new album, brilliant career, and classic covers of his songs by the likes of Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley and Neil Young.

Described by fellow Canadian Robbie Robertson of the Band as "a national treasure", Gordon Lightfoot, who recently turned 81, is one of the great singer-songwriters. His immortal 1974 hit "Sundown" is one of those songs that, once heard, is never forgotten. He perhaps hasn't been the subject of constant critical reappraisal that the likes of Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash have received over recent decades, but that is probably more a result of his continued presence in Canada than anything. His early career saw many parallels to that of Dylan, Paul Simon and the like: influenced by the early folk revival, he spent time in the UK early on, and by 1963 his songs were being recorded by the likes of Peter Paul & Mary, Marty Robbins and Judy Collins. He even had the same manager as Dylan – the legendary Albert Grossman - with whom he signed in 1965. However, he didn't record his debut album, which was simply entitled Lightfoot!, until 1966, by which time the folk boom had moved into folk-rock.

While he was chalking up the hits at home, it wasn't until he moved to Reprise/Warner Bros – where he became label mates with the likes of James Taylor and countrymen Joni Mitchell and Neil Young - in 1970 that he had significant international success. His If You Could Read My Mind album – initially released in April 1970 under the name Sit Down Young Stranger but renamed after "If You Could Read My Mind" became a Top 5 US hit in early 1971 – remains a classic of the era. Featuring contributions from other label mates including Ry Cooder, Randy Newman, John Sebastian and Van Dyke Parks and including one of the first recordings of Kris Kristofferson's "Me & Bobby McGee", the album set the template for the stark and dramatic sound – sombre songs supported by acoustic guitar and orchestration – with which Lightfoot's name would become synonymous.

In 1972, Lightfoot's career was set back when he suffered a bout of Bell's Palsy, but he was back on the charts with "Sundown" – a US #1 – in 1974, and "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" which reached #2 in the States in 1975. He continued to record – he has released nine more studio albums since 1975, and the hits kept coming at home, but he was unable to maintain the same level of success internationally. He was inducted into Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1986, the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame in 2001 and Canada's Walk of Fame in 1998. In 2003 he was made a Companion of the Order of Canada, the country's highest civilian honour.

Last year, Lightfoot was the subject of a feature-length documentary, Gordon Lightfoot: If You Could Read My Mind. Here's a trailer. 

Lightfoot's new album Solo had its beginnings early in the new century. It is based on recordings that the songwriter made before he was struck with a near-fatal aneurysm late in 2002. A beautiful start and minimal work that harkens back to his classic early recordings of the 60s and early 70s, Solo features just Lightfoot and his guitar. Have a listen to the gorgeous "Oh So Sweet" for a preview.

Over the years a phenomenal list of other artists has recorded Lightfoot's songs, including Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan (who has repeatedly cited Lightfoot as a favourite), even Barbara Streisand. To finish off, let's hear some classic covers of two of Gordon Lightfoot's most enduring songs, “Early Morning Rain” and “If yYou Could Read My Mind”.

Peter Paul & Mary 

Barbara Streisand 

Elvis Presley 

Johnny Cash 

Neil Young