Gordon Lightfoot Book, Music and More!

It was the summer of 1963 and Doug Chappell was riding high. His Toronto band Richie Knight & the Mid-Knights had just hit No. 1 on the charts with Charlena, bringing the group local fame and enabling members, each barely out of their teens, to buy a car. Most purchased sensible sedans. But Mr. Chappell splurged on a brand new Pontiac Parisienne convertible – and painted it an eye-popping shade of pink. Then he cooked up a bold plan: to drive his new set of wheels to Detroit, stopping at every radio station along the way to talk up the band. Mr. Chappell’s taste for crazy promotion schemes and flashy sports cars never waned. Nor did his passion for music – especially by Canadian art...

Paying tribute to the music of his youth when “AM radio was really king,” the Canadian superstar turns to classics by Bob Dylan, the Beach Boys and others. While the ballads have their charm, Adams’ sandpaper vocals are best suited to feisty rockers like Eddie Cochran’s “C’mon Everybody” and the Beatles’ “Any Time at All.”

Adams would have remained a Top 20 opening act if it hadn’t been for this 1984 breakthrough, which featured six massive hits, including the timeless “Summer of ’69” and “It’s Only Love,” his duet with Tina Turner. Now reissued with bonus tracks and a concert DVD, it’s the Canadian superstar’s game-changing classic.