course, those who find their soulmates early on and are able to maintain love through all the family years until their senior days … well, in some ways they are indeed fortunate. But on the other hand, they might look with envy upon a life such as mine, with its change and variety, and its lack of responsibility. For somebody such as myself, who has had such an intense career and many men who have loved me over the years, it has not been easy to find a partner who did not eventually become resentful of my career. I think that it is much less challenging for a male performer to find a supportive wife than it is for a successful woman to find a supportive husband.
I look at Sarah Brightman, Joan Baez, Carly Simon, and so many other female artists who have entered their sixties alone. In a life dominated by a career, it is not always that simple to find that last great love — unless you happen to be Barbra Streisand, who somehow seems to have defied the odds! Although I have been without a loving husband, I did have a wonderful musical soul mate in Peter Bond and a guitar partner in Michael Savona, who each made recording and touring so enjoyable.
More concerts in Canada were booked and promoted by my sister’s good friend and former partner, Jimmy Prevost, whom we consider to be part of our extended Boyd family. Playing once again in the familiar Ontario towns made me feel as if I were in a time warp; although, of course, the different nature of the concerts that I was now giving made everything seem fresh. Happily, our new repertoire of songs seemed to strike a chord with my audiences, many of whom I’m sure were surprised to see me singing as well as playing my guitar. I invited Michael to contribute a couple of solos, and we added my spoken poem “Oh Guitar” while he accompanied me with Albeniz’s “Zambra Granadina.”
In June of 2012, through my friend Shaun Pilot, Michael and I were booked a concert in Anaheim, California, which provided me a great excuse to visit my former home again, have drinks with Jack and Maggy, see my beloved cat, Muffin, and catch up with several of my L.A. girlfriends. We stayed a couple of nights at the art-filled Hollywood home of my generous actress friend Mara New, where her husband serenaded us with Beethoven and Schumann on his grand piano, and then took us to hear a recital by a Russian virtuoso pianist he had discovered.
I did a test run of “We Are the Women of the World” while we were out in California and accompanied the colourful Agape church choir on my guitar. Rickie, the wife of charismatic New Age minister Dr. Michael Beckwith, was the soloist. What a thrill to hear everyone singing the words and melodies that Joanne and I had written two years previously.
That same month I flew down to Palm Beach to record with my girlfriend Olivia Newton-John, who had offered to sing harmony with me on “Canadian Summer Dreams.” This song would never have been written had not my sister, Vivien, expressed concern that so much of my new Canadian repertoire seemed to have been inspired by images of winter … from “Song of the Arctic” to “Aurora Borealis” to “Little Towns.”
“How about a summery cottage song to balance it out?” she had suggested.
I instantly visualized barbecues, marshmallows, biting bugs, and highway traffic jams. I shook my head, but within a few days “Canadian Summer Dreams” was born, a four-verse poetic song that I think captures the unique beauty of our Canadian summer cottage experiences.
…. With family and friends we loved it all
Listening to the loons and the wild geese call
The beaver dam, the pond, the waterfall
In those sun-kissed summer days we had it all
When I played it to Olivia, she told me she heard right away where her vocals would fit, and I was thrilled to pieces that her lovely voice would be immortalized in my song.
I had flown Peter down with me to record her and booked Echo Beach Studios in Jupiter so that it would be convenient. Before the recording session Olivia invited us both over to her house, where she made us one of her famous “cuppas” — strong British tea with milk and delicious Manuka honey. Waiting for the tea to brew, the two of us started singing the song together in her kitchen as Peter looked on smiling. How lucky I was to have such a talented girlfriend! Olivia only needed one or two takes for each section where she joined me in harmony, and when she decided to add improvised vamps to the end of the song, Peter and I had goosebumps listening to her sing it live in the studio. Her vocals were perfection!
• • •
Michael and I made a brief appearance at Idea City, Moses Znaimer’s stimulating week of intellectual lectures, concerts, and parties that he had modelled after the American TED Talks, and in July we played a most enjoyable concert in my old Toronto neighbourhood of the 80s at the Beaches Jazz festival while people sat picnicking on blankets. In August I was invited to perform as part of the 1812 celebrations in Fort Henry in Kingston, Ontario, where Michael and I played as guest soloists with the Kingston Symphony, something I had not done in years! This time it was not Rodrigo or Vivaldi, but four selections from my album, The Return … To Canada with Love that Mark Lalama had orchestrated for two guitars and voice.
• • •
The Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario, David Onley, invited me to perform a song and presented me with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal at Roy Thomson Hall, a lovely surprise and a moving ceremony, complete with bagpipes, a military band, and Aboriginal dancers. I had asked my mother to accompany me, and she enjoyed meeting many of the dignitaries in attendance, including Canada’s Governor General, David Johnston, who personally pinned the medal on my dress. Six months later, in February of 2013, I was flown up from Florida, as I, along with several well-known Canadians, had been invited back to the same venue, but this time to present the medals. My Palm Beach friends chuckled upon learning that I had hit the worst storm of the year in Toronto and that my return would be delayed.
“Remember to stay down here next February!” they reprimanded.
The benefits of a winter in Florida were reinforced for me by Prince Philip. He wrote me a letter saying that he envied my being in Palm Beach as Britain was suffering a miserable February, due to persistent icy winds from Scandinavia and Russia. Yes, I was indeed lucky to have my balmy Florida retreat to escape to.
• • •
It was now time to resume work on my Canadiana album. Many songs were complete, and I needed to see if various singers would be willing to add a line or two to my anthemic number, “Canada, My Canada.”
I had first thought to offer the opening line to Canada’s internationally renowned singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot. I felt that, as it was Gordon who had first encouraged me to write my own music and who had taken me on tour all those years ago, it was only fitting for me to honour him in this way. After all, I only needed him to sing eleven words.
I suggested that I could come with Peter anytime, anywhere, and pay for a studio of his choice if he preferred. I gently asked him on three different occasions, and every time he turned me down, the last time sounding a tad irritated. It was obvious that I had caught him at a bad time and was becoming a nuisance, so I apologized and decided to sing the first line myself. I imagine Gordon feared it might trigger additional requests from singers who would all love to do a duo with our Canadian legend.
Yet how many people, apart from his band, had done a hundred concerts with him, I pondered? There was only me, and by the end of all those shows I could recite the lyrics to almost all his songs. I shall always adore Gordon for his unique talent and for the kindness he showed to me in the seventies, so I forgave him, but I couldn’t help feel disappointed, as even singing just one short line together would have been the perfect way to complete a lifetime friendship. If I could peer then into the future, I would see what an amazing man was to eventually sing that first line with me, and also how thrilled dear Gordon would be when he heard a tribute song to him that I wrote and recorded in 2016, simply called “Lightfoot.”
While chatting with Moses at last year’s Idea City about the patriotic song I had written, I sought his advice. He suggested I speak to Jann Arden, one of Canada’s gutsiest, most humorous, and well-loved singers, who had also been a guest at the conference.
Jann had apparently enjoyed my performance, and after