FOUNDING MEMBERS
Skip Prokop (drums)
Paul Hoffert (keyboards)
Ralph Cole (guitars)
EVERYONE ELSE
Horns:
Russ Little
Arnie Chycoski
Freddy Stone
Howard Shore
Dale Hillary
Keith Jollimore
Larry Smith
Mike Malone
Bruce Cassidy
Paul Adamson
Pete Pantaluk
Rick Stepton
Don Englert
Joe Ambrosia
John Capon
John Naslen
Dave Tanner
Sam Alongi
Rick Waychesko
Simon Wallis
Steve Kennedy
Strings:
Dick Armin
Paul Armin
Don Dinovo
Myron Moskalyk
Ian Guenther
Leslie Snider
Don Whitton
Howie Wiseman
John Ogilvie
Drums & Percussion:
Billy King
Tom Wells
John Dell
Lead Vocals:
Pinky Dauvin
Bob Mcbride
Billy Ledster
Doug Billard
Allan Stanniforth
Dan Clancy
Bass:
Grant Fullerton
Louie Yacknin
Al Wilmot
Terry Wilkins
Dennis Pendrith
Doug Moore
Keyboards:
Larry Smith
Sam See
Donald Quan
Don Paulton
Guitar:
Trevor Veitch
Drummer Skip Prokop (the Paupers, Al Kooper, Mike Bloomfield, Carlos Santana, Janis Joplin) and keyboard player Paul Hoffert (who had a background in the classics, film and show music) got together with guitarist Ralph Cole in 1969 to form Lighthouse, a 13-piece rock group combining horns, violins, cellos and vibes with the traditional rock and roll instruments of guitar, bass and drums. The band debuted at the Rockpile in Toronto on May 14 of that year with singer Pinky Dauvin and folk artist Tony Kosinec as the opening act.
They signed a contract with RCA Victor shortly thereafter, released three albums on Victor and one on RCA Records, and soon became internationally known and admired. After moving to the GRT label, they acquired Bob McBride as lead singer, and brought in star producer Jimmy Iennner (The Chamber Brothers, the Raspberries). They recorded seven albums for GRT and had a string of hits including One Fine Morning, Take It Slow, You Girl, and Sunny Days. Nine of their albums went gold in Canada (50,000 copies) with Lighthouse Live! selling platinum (100,000).
Appearances at the Monterey, Newport and Boston Globe jazz festivals, the Atlantic City Pop Festival, the Isle of Wight Festival in England and Carnegie Hall (the last of which being released as a live album) solidified their stature worldwide. They won a Juno in 1971 for Outstanding Group Performance, for Vocal Instrumental Group in 1972, and in 1973 for Group Of The Year.
Hoffert left the fold in 1973 followed by McBride, and then Prokop departed in 1974. The remaining band finally split ranks in 1976.
In 1982 the original members of Lighthouse did four shows at Ontario Place in Toronto, and 1993 saw Prokop, Hoffert, and Cole do a concert at Toronto's Nathan Phillips Square with Danny Clancy (singer) and Donald Quan (keyboards). 1996 saw the release of a new album, and in February 1998, Bob McBride died of complications from his years-long battle with substance abuse. Today the entity of Lighthouse is still going strong. The reformed members of Lighthouse currently reside in London, Ontario.
Singles
1969 Feels So Good (RCA)
1970 The Chant (RCA)
1971 Hats Off (To The Stranger) (GRT)
1971 One Fine Morning (GRT)
1971 Take It Slow (GRT)
1972 I Just Wanna Be Your Friend (GRT)
1972 Sunny Days (GRT)
1973 You Girl (GRT)
1973 Broken Guitar Blues (GRT)
1973 Pretty Lady (GRT)
1974 Can You Feel It (GRT)
1974 Good Day (GRT)
Albums
1969 Lighthouse (RCA Victor)
1969 Peacing It All Together (RCA Victor)
1969 Suite Feeling (RCA Victor)
1970 One Fine Morning (GRT)
1971 Thoughts Of Movin' On (GRT)
1971 One Fine Light [compilation] (RCA - US)
1972 Lighthouse Live! (GRT) [reissued on CD, Denon Records, 1991]
1972 Sunny Days (GRT)
1973 Can You Feel It (GRT)
1974 Good Day (GRT)
1974 The Best Of Lighthouse (GRT)
1989 The Best Of Lighthouse - Sunny Days Again (Denon)
1991 Lighthouse Live! [re-issue] (Denon)
1996 Song Of The Ages (Breaking Records/Denon)
1998 The Best of Lighthouse (TrueNorth/Universal) [remastered]
Video
Compilation Tracks
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