SS Edmund Fitzgerald in 1971
Source: By Greenmars, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=106988525
Edmund Fitzgerald sank in Lake Superior 51 years ago
The shipwreck claimed the lives of 29 crew members, including the captain.
It was 51 years ago today that the now infamous freighter The Edmund Fitzgerald, broke in half and sank in Lake Superior. Though not as celebrated at last year's big 50th anniversary, the date is still an important milestone for many.
Most people know the story from Gordon Lightfoot's haunting ballad "The Wreck of Edmund Fitzgerald." The song is a factual retelling of the shipwreck that claimed the lives of 29 crewmembers including the captain, Ernest M. McSorley. In a 2015 interview with NPR, Lightfoot said he was inspired to write the song after seeing limited press coverage on such a monumental event. Lightfoot said he dove into researching the details to make sure his account was accurate. Then, with the tune already in his head, borrowed from an old Irish folksong, Lightfoot recorded the song just one month after the November of '75 tragedy.
The song was officially released the following August in 1976, rising to number 2 on the pop charts, rare for a historical folk song. Now, more than half a century later, what's rare is for someone to not know the song by the intro alone, before ever hearing those first lyrics "the legend lives on..."
Connie Fellman is a reporter for WGBW in Green Bay, bringing decades of experience covering local, regional, and national news. An Emmy Award–winning journalist, she keeps listeners informed with stories that matter to the community. Reach her at connie.fellman@civicmedia.us.
After a few twists, turns, and a couple of college dropouts, Amanda found her way back to radio in 2013—and has pretty much done it all, from board op and on-air talent to production, promotions, and social media. Today, she’s the Production Director for the Civic Media Radio Network. A Wisconsin native, Amanda enjoys photography, video games, plants, and wrangling two kids while speaking fluent sarcasm.