James Gordon (Canadian musician)

James Gordon
James Gordon performing at the Hillside Festival, which he co-founded in 1984.
OccupationSinger-songwriter
Known forTamarack, "Frobisher Bay", Hillside Festival
Political partyOntario New Democratic Party
SpouseVal Gordon
ChildrenEvan Gordon, Geordie Gordon
Websitewww.jamesgordon.ca
Notes
Folk Era Records

James Gordon is a Canadian singer-songwriter, known as a founding member of Tamarack.[1] He has also released more than 20 solo albums.

Musical career

As a prolific songwriter,[2] James Gordon is known for such diverse songs as "Sweaters for Penguins" and "Frobisher Bay". He wrote the weekly song for the CBC Radio program Basic Black. He is proficient on a variety of instruments including guitar, piano, banjo and mandola.[3] His songs have been covered by other musical artists such as the Cowboy Junkies ("Mining for Gold") and Melanie Doane.

He has toured internationally in North America, the British Isles,[4] Southeast Asia,[5] and Cuba.[6]

He is a co-founder of Guelph's annual Hillside Festival and was its first creative director, from 1985 to 1988.[7][8] He also founded (and was the artistic director of) the Canadian Songwriters' Festival,[7] and was a board member of the Ontario Council of Folk Festivals. Gordon is active in arts-, civics-, and environment-related causes in the Guelph region, for which he was given the Guelph Mayor's Award in 2008.[7]

Politics

Provincial

He was the candidate for the Ontario New Democratic Party in the riding of Guelph in the 2011 Ontario provincial election but lost to incumbent Liz Sandals.[9] He ran again in 2014 but once again lost to Liz Sandals.

Municipal

James Gordon declared his candidacy[10] for Ward Two City Councillor in the city of Guelph, Ontario in the 27 October 2014 Guelph municipal election. Gordon was elected to serve alongside Andy Van Hellemond and plans to continue his activist pursuits[11] such as touring his one-man show, "Stephen Harper: The Musical".[12] Gordon was re-elected in 2018 Ontario municipal elections. Gordon announced his retirement from municipal politics in June 2022.[13]

Discography

Tamarack

  • Au Canada (1980)
  • Wind River
  • Spirit & Stone
  • 13
  • Fields of Rock and Snow (1993)
  • Frobisher Bay (1993)
  • Leaving Inverarden (1995)
  • Blankets of Snow (1998)

Solo recordings

  • Looking for Livingstone (1987)
  • Farther Along (1991)
  • Hometown Tunes (1994)
  • Dim Lights, Small City (1995)
  • More Hometown Tunes (1997)
  • Pipe Street Dreams (1999)
  • Mining for Gold: Twenty Years of Songwriting (2002)
  • Tune Cooties (2002)
  • Out on a Rural Ramble (2002)[14][15]
  • One Timeless Moment (2003)
  • Endomusia (2004), includes "Weapons of Mass Instruction"
  • Nine Green Bottles (2007), includes "Casey Sheehan Didn't Die for Nothing", credited to James Gordon and Sons
  • My Stars Your Eyes (2009)
  • Coyote's Calling (2013), includes "Jack's Dream"
  • Sunny Jim (2016) includes “This Canoe Runs on Water” & “I’m Just A Farmhouse” (SOCAN).
  • Heritage Hall Sessions (2020)
  • Crybabies Caravan viral single with 300,000 views 2022
  • When I Stayed Home (2022)
  • Wrinkles and Scars (2024)
  • Songs from "Smashing the Oligarchy" (2025)[16]

Folk operas (musicals)

James Gordon used to perform with David Archibald as "Jim and Dave", producing family-oriented musicals.

  • Jim and Dave's Awesome Environmental Adventure (1990)
  • Jim and Dave's Awesome Search for the Golden Toad (1992)
  • Jim and Dave's Awesome Supernatural Camping Adventure (1993)

More recently, his work includes:

  • Hardscrabble Road (2003)
  • Two Steps and a Glass of Water (2005), which deals with mental illness and health, also a film by Glenn Curtis [17]
  • Tryst and Snout (2007)[18]
  • Stephen Harper: The Musical (2013)[19]
  • Smashing the Oligarchy (2025)[20]

Cinema

  • "Mining for Gold" on the soundtrack of the film Silver City (2004)
  • Two Steps and a Glass of Water

Electoral record

2018 Guelph Municipal Election: Ward 2
Candidate Vote %
James Gordon (X) 3,009 30.59
Rodrigo Goller 2,728 27.74
Jonathan Knowles 1,591 16.18
Dorothe Fair 1,341 13.63
Mary Thring 996 10.13
Sudha Sharma 170 1.73
2014 Guelph municipal election: Ward 2
Candidate Votes % Δ% Expenditures[a]
Andy Van Hellemond (X) 3,266 27.50 -1.56 $2,012.04[21]
James Gordon 2,990 25.17 – $5,450.18[22]
Ray Ferraro 2,615 22.02 +0.80 $2,458.07[23]
Martin Collier 1,314 11.06 – $3,662.99[24]
Sian Matwey 1,109 9.34 – none listed
Chris Keleher Sr. 583 4.91 – $270.13[25]
Mark Paralovos (withdrawn)[b] – – – $100.00[26]
Total valid votes/Expense Limit 11,877 100.0     $16,446.10
Turnout 6,846 48.50
Eligible voters 14,116
Sources: 2014 Official Election Results, City of Guelph, 2014 Election – Ward 2, City of Guelph, and Voter Statistics, City of Guelph
  1. ^ includes expenses not subject to spending limit
  2. ^ withdrew nomination 4 September
2014 Ontario general election: Guelph
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Liz Sandals 22,014 41.52 -0.91
Progressive Conservative Anthony MacDonald 11,048 20.84 -4.76
Green Mike Schreiner 10,230 19.29 +12.36
New Democratic James Gordon 9,385 17.70 -6.18
Communist Juanita Burnett 178 0.34 +0.04
Libertarian Blair Smythe 170 0.32 -0.33
Total valid votes 53,025 100.00
Liberal hold Swing +1.92
Source: Elections Ontario[27]
2011 Ontario general election: Guelph
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Liz Sandals 19,815 42.43 +1.68
Progressive Conservative Greg Schirk 11,954 25.60 +0.86
New Democratic James Gordon 11,150 23.88 +10.03
Green Steve Dyck 3,234 6.93 -12.52
Libertarian Philip Bender 305 0.65  
Communist Drew Garvie 139 0.30 -0.1
Independent Julian Ichim 100 0.21  
Total valid votes 46,697 99.56
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots 206 0.44
Turnout 46,903 50.27
Eligible voters 93,308
Liberal hold Swing +0.41
Source: Elections Ontario[28]

References

  1. ^ Fink, Matt. Pyles, David N. (ed.). "FAME Review: James Gordon – Mining For Gold: Twenty Years of Song Writing". Folk & Acoustic Music Exchange. acousticmusic.com. Peterborough Folk Music Society. Archived from the original on 31 January 2018. Retrieved 20 January 2008.
  2. ^ Varano, Lisa (2 February 2008). "James Gordon is well-known in Guelph for both his music and community activism. Yet he has never been formally recognized for his work. Reporter Lisa Varano asks, does that make him an unsunghero? / Gordon: Career spans more than 35 years". Here. Guelph Mercury. Metroland / Torstar. pp. E1, E2. ISSN 0841-6834. EBSCOhost Q4K400316879308. Factiva GMER000020080202e42200033. Newspapers.com 1151045718, 1151045721. ProQuest 356004263. Archived from the original on 15 February 2008. Retrieved 19 February 2008.
  3. ^ Fink, Matt. "James Gordon Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 26 August 2025.
  4. ^ "James Gordon: 30 Great Albums and Counting!". Artists. Winterfolk III. 23 October 2004. Archived from the original on 26 October 2004.
  5. ^ "Biography : Career Highlights". James Gordon. 30 May 2009. Archived from the original on 26 July 2010. LIVE CONCERTS: Toured Vietnam, Cambodia, Japan, Great Britain, U.S. and across Canada solo. [...]
  6. ^ "James Gordon". abetterworld.ca. Retrieved 20 January 2008.
  7. ^ a b c "James Gordon, 2008 Mayor's Award Recipient". mayorcouncil > past recipients. Guelph.ca. City of Guelph. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 21 May 2009.
  8. ^ "James Gordon and Sons". Hillside Festival. Retrieved 21 May 2009.
  9. ^ "Wheeler withdraws from NDP race, Gordon remains". Guelph Mercury. 14 June 2011. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
  10. ^ "Guelph Politico: James Gordon to Give Municipal Politics a Try". guelphpolitico.blogspot.ca. 27 August 2014. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
  11. ^ "Guelph councillor-elect James Gordon vows to remain an activist". guelphmercury.com. 31 October 2014. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
  12. ^ "Little Shop of Harpers: Musical satire, Stephen Harper: The Musical, comes to the Arts Project – the Gazette". Archived from the original on 24 February 2015. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
  13. ^ "James Gordon stepping away from municipal politics". 3 June 2022. Archived from the original on 3 June 2022. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
  14. ^ "Rural Ramble". CitizenFreak. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
  15. ^ "Out on a Rural Ramble". BandCamp. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
  16. ^ "Songs from 'Smashing the Oligarchy'". BandCamp. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
  17. ^ "Healing and Recovery Through the Arts International Conference". Retrieved 21 February 2008.
  18. ^ Van Wagner, Danielle. "Tryst and Snout (2007)". Archived from the original on 4 June 2010. Retrieved 19 February 2008.
  19. ^ "[Newsletter]". James Gordon. 2 May 2013. Archived from the original on 20 February 2015. Retrieved 24 February 2015. My new play "Stephen Harper: The Musical" is nearing completion. Tix on sale now for the Guelph debut. see the right column. Other cities to be announced soon. [...] TICKETS are Now On sale for the Guelph debut of my new play "Stephen Harper: The Musical". June 12 -14th It's Pay-What You-Can with a suggested price of 20 dollars. tickets online at http://jamesgordon.eventrbrite.ca
  20. ^ "Smashing the Oligarchy". jamesgordon.ca. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
  21. ^ Financial Statement: Andy Van Hellemond. City of Guelph.
  22. ^ Financial Statement: James Gordon. City of Guelph.
  23. ^ Financial Statement: Ray Ferraro. City of Guelph.
  24. ^ Financial Statement: Martin Collier. City of Guelph.
  25. ^ Financial Statement: Chris Keleher Sr. City of Guelph.
  26. ^ Financial Statement: Mark Paralovos. City of Guelph.
  27. ^ Elections Ontario. "General Election Results by District, 027 Guelph". Archived from the original on 14 June 2014. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
  28. ^ Elections Ontario (2011). "Official return from the records / Rapport des registres officiels – Guelph" (PDF). Retrieved 2 June 2014.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.