Friday, November 10th, marked the 48th anniversary of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald. The following year, Gordon Lightfoot came out with the song that became part of Great Lakes folklore by commemorating the maritime tragedy. Sadly, this is the first anniversary with Lightfoot, who died earlier this year. The song has become do endeared to many people on both sides of the lake that it's almost an unwritten tradition to play the song on or around the anniversary.

The day after Lightfoot's death, the Mariner's Church in Detroit rang the bell it's normal 29 times plus one to honor Lightfoot.

In this video, Lightfoot performs his ballad live in Reno in April, 2000.