National Music Centre Acquires Items from Gordon Lightfoot Estate Collection
Historic items find a home in Canada as NMC safeguards the legacy of a Canadian songwriting legend
(Calgary, AB — April 14, 2026) The National Music Centre (NMC) is thrilled to announce that it has acquired items from the Gordon Lightfoot Estate Collection, ensuring that artifacts connected to one of Canada’s most beloved songwriters remain preserved in the country for all Canadians to enjoy.
With music memorabilia appearing in international auctions, many pieces of Canada’s music history are increasingly at risk of leaving the country. The National Music Centre exists to safeguard those stories in Canada and, in many cases, to help bring them back home.
Over the years, NMC has repatriated significant artifacts, including Randy Bachman’s “American Woman” guitar, and several Neil Young items previously auctioned in the U.S. Most recently, thanks to an anonymous donor, NMC was able to participate in an auction to secure pieces connected to the Gordon Lightfoot Estate.
Of the items NMC was able to secure were two of Lightfoot’s plush velvet jackets (one in blue and another in green). In his later years, he frequently wore velvet jackets during his live performances. NMC also obtained his RPM Gold Leaf Award for Male Vocalist of the Year in 1971; signed performance contracts, including one for a run of shows at legendary Toronto coffeehouse The Riverboat in 1966; and an electric guitar of his that will be part of NMC’s living collection that allows artists to use history to make history.
National Music Centre houses four of Canada’s national music halls of fame – the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame, the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the Adisq Hall of Fame, dedicated to the Quebec and Canadian Francophone music industry. As an inductee of three of those halls of fame, Gordon Lightfoot’s pieces will now be showcased in the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame, and Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame galleries, and his 1983 Fender Telecaster will be available for use in NMC’s studios.
“Gordon Lightfoot’s music helped shape Canada’s musical identity, and these artifacts offer a tangible connection to that legacy,” said Jesse Moffatt, National Music Centre’s Senior Director of Collections and Exhibitions. “By bringing these pieces into NMC’s collection, we’re ensuring that future generations of artists and audiences can engage with and be inspired by one of our country’s most influential songwriters.”
About National Music Centre | Centre National de Musique
More than a museum, the National Music Centre (NMC) is a registered charity dedicated to amplifying the love, sharing, and understanding of music. NMC’s work is guided by five key focus areas: Exhibitions and Collections, Artist and Professional Development, Performance and Recording, Education and Learning, and Music and Wellness. From its headquarters at Studio Bell in the heart of Calgary’s East Village neighbourhood, NMC celebrates Canada’s rich musical legacy, honouring legendary artists, nurturing new voices, and bringing people together through music. As the home for music in Canada, NMC houses a vast collection of rare instruments, artifacts and memorabilia, world-class recording studios, and four national music halls of fame, including the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame, the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, and Quebec’s Adisq Hall of Fame. For more information about NMC’s onsite activities, please visit studiobell.ca. To check out the NMC experience online, visit amplify.nmc.ca.
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Media Contact:
Julijana Capone, Senior Manager, PR and Marketing
julijana.capone@nmc.ca | @nmc_canada