Nicholas Jennings

**Nicholas Jennings** (born March 29, 1953) is a Canadian music journalist, historian and cultural preservationist focusing on Toronto music history. He is best known as the author of _Lightfoot_, the acclaimed biography of singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot.

## Early life and education

He was born on March 29, 1953, in London, England, and grew up in the Don Mills suburb of Toronto, Ontario. Jennings developed an interest in music and journalism, influenced by his father, Cedric Jennings, a historian and journalist. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University).

## Career

Jennings' early fascination with music and its cultural impact can be traced to his time working at the legendary Riverboat coffeehouse in Toronto’s Yorkville neighborhood during the 1960s. The experience influenced his decision to merge his interests in writing and music.

In 1981, Jennings joined _Maclean's_, Canada's national weekly news magazine, as a part-time researcher. A year later, he was appointed the magazine's music critic and feature writer, a role he held until 2000. During this time, Jennings interviewed and profiled many of the world's leading artists, including Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell, Sarah McLachlan, Diana Krall, and Oscar Peterson.

Jennings went on to write for _The Toronto Star_, _eye weekly_, _The Globe and Mail_ and various magazines, while contributing liner notes to numerous recordings.

Jennings’ first book, _Before the Gold Rush: Flashbacks to the Dawn of the Canadian Sound_ (1997), chronicled the influential Yorkville coffeehouse scene of the 1960s. The book became a national bestseller and an often referenced source on Canadian music history. It inspired a CBC documentary, _Shakin’ All Over: Canadian Pop Music in the 1960s_, and led to three sequels. Jennings served as researcher, writer and interviewer on all four documentaries.

In 2000, Jennings authored _Fifty Years of Music: The Story of EMI Music Canada_, an anecdotal history of Canadian music through the lens of one of the country's most influential record labels.

Jennings' most celebrated work is _Lightfoot_ (2017), the biography of Gordon Lightfoot. This definitive account of the legendary singer-songwriter received critical acclaim and became a national bestseller. _Rolling Stone_ called it “the preeminent account of the late singer’s life.”

As an active historian and preservationist, Jennings has led walking tours focused on the city’s music history and acted as consultant on public projects, including murals and heritage plaques that commemorate renowned artists and historic music venues in Toronto. In 2018, he helped establish the Friar's Music Museum, located in the former Friar's Tavern, where Bob Dylan first collaborated with The Hawks, later known as The Band, and has since co-curated exhibits there.

Jennings is a founding director of the Toronto Music Experience (TME), a non-profit charitable organization dedicated to creating Toronto’s first full-scale music museum. TME aims to showcase the city's rich musical contributions while fostering community engagement through exhibits, programs, and events.

## Books

- _Before the Gold Rush: Flashbacks to the Dawn of the Canadian Sound_, Penguin Books, 1997, ISBN 0-670-87381-0
- _Fifty Years of Music: The Story of EMI Music Canada_, Macmillan, 2000, ISBN 0-7715-7664-1
- _Lightfoot_, Penguin Random House, 2017, ISBN 978-0-7352-3255-6

## Films

- _Musicians In Exile_, Nemesis Productions, National Film Board (1990)
- _Voodoo_, Nemesis Productions (1993)
- _Shakin’ All Over: Canadian Pop Music in the 1960s_, Amerimage/Soapbox (2006)
- _This Beat Goes On: Canadian Pop Music in the 1970s_, Amerimage/Soapbox (2009)
- _Rise Up: Canadian Pop Music in the 1980s_, Amerimage/Soapbox (2009)
- _Life is a Highway: Canadian Pop Music in the 1990s_, Echomedia/Soapbox (2011)
- _Gordon Lightfoot: If You Could Read My Mind_, Insight Productions (2019)
- _Play It Loud: How Toronto Got Soul_, Ultramagnetic Productions (2024)

## Liner notes

- _Movin' On - 1967-1968_ - Ian & Sylvia, Mercury Records/Universal Music Canada, 1999.
- _Songbook_ - Gordon Lightfoot, WarnerArchives Reprise/Rhino Entertainment, 1999.
- _Stompin' Tom Sings Canadian History_ - Stompin' Tom Connors, Capitol/EMI Music Canada, 2001.
- _QSW - The Rebel Zone_ - Various Artists, Sony Music Canada, 2001.
- _The Best Of Murray McLauchlan - Songs From The Street_ - Murray McLauchlan, True North Records, 2017.
- _Bruce Cockburn True North - a 50th Anniversary Boxed Set_ - Bruce Cockburn, True North Records, 2020.