Gordon Lightfoot Wife History: The Three Marriages Behind His Most Personal Era

If you searched gordon lightfoot wife, you’re usually looking for a clear, reliable summary of who he married and when. Gordon Lightfoot was married three times: first to Brita Ingegerd Olaisson, then to Elizabeth Moon, and later to Kim Hasse, who was his wife at the time of his death in 2023. His private life wasn’t constantly in the spotlight, but the core timeline is well documented and helps explain why listeners often connect his music to real life.

Quick answer: Who were Gordon Lightfoot’s wives?

Gordon Lightfoot’s wives were:

• Brita Ingegerd Olaisson (married 1963, divorced 1973)
• Elizabeth Moon (married 1989, divorced 2011 after a long separation)
• Kim Hasse (married 2014)

When Lightfoot died on May 1, 2023, reputable reporting noted he was survived by his wife, Kim Hasse, and his children.

Why people associate his marriages with his songwriting

Lightfoot’s songs often feel intensely personal—like you’re overhearing a confession rather than listening to a performance. That’s why many listeners connect his relationship history to the emotional tone of his catalog. Even if you don’t know his biography, the themes are unmistakable: distance, longing, regret, devotion, and the quiet ache of love changing shape.

Still, it’s important to keep perspective. Biographical facts can offer context, but they don’t reduce his work to gossip. His writing stands on its own. Knowing the broad outlines of his marriages simply helps explain why so many of his lyrics feel lived-in rather than invented.

First marriage: Brita Ingegerd Olaisson

Lightfoot’s first wife was Brita Ingegerd Olaisson, a Swede. They married in 1963 and divorced in 1973. This period overlaps with the years when his career accelerated and his time on the road increased—an environment that can strain even strong relationships.

Fans often connect his early heartbreak material to this era, not because every line is autobiographical, but because the emotional realism fits the timeline. His music from this general period frequently centers on the painful gap between what love promises and what real life delivers.

The song many people connect to his first marriage

“If You Could Read My Mind” is commonly discussed as one of Lightfoot’s most emotionally direct songs, and it’s often associated with the unraveling of his first marriage. You can hear why: the lyrics don’t sound like a fictional plot. They sound like a person trying to explain a feeling they barely understand themselves.

That’s also why the “wife” question is so persistent. With Lightfoot, listeners aren’t just curious about a name. They’re trying to locate the emotional source of songs that still cut deep decades later.

Second marriage: Elizabeth Moon

Lightfoot’s second wife was Elizabeth Moon. They married in 1989 and later divorced in 2011, after a long separation. Compared with the early-career chaos of the 1960s and 1970s, this marriage belongs to a different phase of his life—one where his legacy was established and the pressures looked less like “making it” and more like sustaining it.

Long marriages are rarely one-dimensional, especially when one partner’s career includes constant travel, public attention, and intense creative demands. While the public doesn’t have a full window into their day-to-day life, the length of the relationship and the eventual separation suggest a complex, evolving partnership rather than a simple headline.

Third marriage: Kim Hasse

Lightfoot married for a third time in 2014, to Kim Hasse. In the years that followed, he continued to be recognized as a legendary Canadian songwriter, even as his public appearances became less frequent. When he died in 2023, Kim Hasse was widely referenced as his surviving wife in reputable coverage.

For many fans, this final chapter carries a quieter kind of meaning. It suggests companionship later in life, away from the peak fame years, during a time when the world often sees artists only through the lens of their past hits.

Did Gordon Lightfoot have children?

Yes. Public reporting commonly states that Gordon Lightfoot had six children. Biographical summaries also frequently note that he had children within his marriages as well as from relationships in between.

Because his family kept a relatively private profile, it’s best to keep discussions at the general, widely reported level unless you’re working from a clearly reputable biography or a primary source. For most readers, the key point isn’t the children’s personal details—it’s that Lightfoot’s life included responsibility and family alongside touring and songwriting.

Why there are three different “wife” answers depending on what you mean

People often type “wife” assuming there’s one definitive person tied to the whole story. In Lightfoot’s case, “wife” depends on the chapter you’re asking about:

• If you mean early career and the first major breakup era, you’re usually looking at Brita Olaisson.
• If you mean the long, middle period of his life, you’re usually looking at Elizabeth Moon.
• If you mean his later years and the time of his death, you’re looking at Kim Hasse.

This isn’t unusual for a public figure with a decades-long career. The difference is that Lightfoot’s work makes people feel like the personal story matters more, because the songs are emotionally specific in a way that invites biography-based curiosity.

FAQ about Gordon Lightfoot’s wives

How many times was Gordon Lightfoot married?
He was married three times.

Who was Gordon Lightfoot’s wife when he died?
Kim Hasse was his wife at the time of his death in 2023.

Who was Gordon Lightfoot’s first wife?
His first wife was Brita Ingegerd Olaisson.

Who was Gordon Lightfoot’s second wife?
His second wife was Elizabeth Moon.

Bottom line

If you want the cleanest answer to gordon lightfoot wife, here it is: Gordon Lightfoot was married three times—Brita Ingegerd Olaisson, Elizabeth Moon, and Kim Hasse. Each marriage belongs to a different season of his life, which is part of why fans keep returning to the question. His music feels personal, and understanding the broad shape of his relationships can add context without turning his life into rumor.