November 10th marked a significant day in America’s history. On this day back in 1775, the United States Marine Corps formed. Celebrating its 250th birthday this year, the White House looked to honor the unwavering commitment of the military branch and those who paid the ultimate sacrifice. Besides the Marine Corps, November 10th was also a day of tragedy for the SS Edmund Fitzgerald. And while some might need a history lesson, the Turnpike Troubadours offered a haunting performance to honor the famed shipwreck.
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Taking a trip back to Lake Superior in 1975, Captain Ernest McSorley took his post on the Edmund Fitzgerald. Among the cargo was 29 crew members and a load of iron ore. Tasked with transporting the iron to a steel mill on Zug Island, Michigan, the captain set sail.
By the next day, thanks to snow and winds up to 80 mph, visibility was extremely low. Knowing that Captain Bernie Cooper was commanding the Arthur M. Anderson along the same route, he radioed over to explain that the Fitzgerald was taking on water due to the rogue waves.
Trunpike Troubadours Remember Gordon Lightfoot
As the day went on, the two captains stayed in touch as they powered through the weather. Later in the evening, Cooper sent a message to check on the Fitzgerald. According to McSorley, the crew was “holding their own.” That would be the last message from the ship. The remains of the ship and its crew were found days later.
Killing all members on the ship, the wreckage revealed that the disaster caused the ship to practically split in two. Considered one of the largest shipwrecks on the Great Lakes, Gordon Lightfoot honored the ship’s legacy when he recorded “ The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.”
The lyrics included, “At 7 p.m., a main hatchway caved in, he said /Fellas, it’s been good to know ya/The captain wired in he had water comin’ in/And the good ship and crew was in peril/And later that night when his lights went outta sight/ Came the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.”
Now, 50 years later, the tragedy of the Fitzgerald remains a moment of grief in America’s history. But for the Turnpike Troubadours, they wanted to highlight its rich history while offering a tribute the career of Lightfoot and his 1976 album Summertime Dream.
Their performance didn’t just revisit a song – it reawakened a story that still weighs heavy on the waters of Lake Superior.
(Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images for Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival)
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