Bob McBride
Encyclopedia
Robert Bruce McBride was lead vocalist for the Canadian popular music group Lighthouse
.
The Toronto-born Bob McBride attended North Toronto Collegiate Institute
in his youth. He joined Lighthouse in 1970, replacing original singer Pinky Dauvin. His voice contributed to successful Lighthouse songs such as "Hats Off To The Stranger", "1849" and "One Fine Morning". He also won a 1973 Juno Award
in the Outstanding Male Performance
category and was nominated for a 1974 Juno
in the Best Male Vocalist category.
He remained with the band until his dismissal in 1973. Tensions occurred within the band after McBride was absent during a New York recording session for the album Can You Feel It. Fellow member Skip Prokop
sung the band's hit song "Pretty Lady" in his place, although Prokop believed that McBride "could have done it bigger and better".
McBride reunited along with many of the Lighthouse alumnae in September 1982 for a weekend of four concerts at Ontario Place which drew 33,000 people but at the end of the weekend the musicians went their separate ways. The band again reunited in 1992 with a ten member line-up which included the founding members Prokop, Hoffert and Cole with McBride on vocals. McBride had become addicted to drugs, resulting in erratic performances, and he was dismissed several months later.
After his departure from Lighthouse, McBride incurred numerous illnesses such as diabetes and Hepatitis B, a result of his years of substance abuse. He received head injuries during a robbery at his parents' residence in 1996, an incident which his friends blamed for additional health problems. He died in February 1998 at North York General Hospital in Toronto after heart failure. He was married to Janice Fobert-Seaton and they had one son, Shawn.
Lighthouse (band)
Lighthouse is a Canadian rock band formed in 1968 in Toronto which included horns, string instruments, and vibraphone; their music reflected elements of rock music, jazz, classical music and swing...
.
The Toronto-born Bob McBride attended North Toronto Collegiate Institute
North Toronto Collegiate Institute
North Toronto Collegiate Institute is a non-semestered public high school of over 1,000 students located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is part of the Toronto District School Board....
in his youth. He joined Lighthouse in 1970, replacing original singer Pinky Dauvin. His voice contributed to successful Lighthouse songs such as "Hats Off To The Stranger", "1849" and "One Fine Morning". He also won a 1973 Juno Award
Juno Awards of 1973
The Juno Awards of 1973, representing Canadian music industry achievements of the previous year, were awarded on 12 March 1973 in Toronto at a ceremony at the Inn on the Park's Centennial ballroom...
in the Outstanding Male Performance
Juno Award for Artist of the Year
The Juno Award for Artist of the Year has been awarded since 2002 as recognition each year for the best artist/musician in Canada. The category was originally divided by sex...
category and was nominated for a 1974 Juno
Juno Awards of 1974
The Juno Awards of 1974, representing Canadian music industry achievements of the previous year, were awarded on 25 March 1974 in Toronto at a ceremony at the Inn on the Park's Centennial ballroom hosted by George Wilson of CFRB radio's Starlight Serenade programme.No television broadcasts had yet...
in the Best Male Vocalist category.
He remained with the band until his dismissal in 1973. Tensions occurred within the band after McBride was absent during a New York recording session for the album Can You Feel It. Fellow member Skip Prokop
Skip Prokop
Ronn "Skip" Prokop is a Canadian drummer and band leader who was a driving force in Canadian rock music, creating seminal bands, including The Paupers...
sung the band's hit song "Pretty Lady" in his place, although Prokop believed that McBride "could have done it bigger and better".
McBride reunited along with many of the Lighthouse alumnae in September 1982 for a weekend of four concerts at Ontario Place which drew 33,000 people but at the end of the weekend the musicians went their separate ways. The band again reunited in 1992 with a ten member line-up which included the founding members Prokop, Hoffert and Cole with McBride on vocals. McBride had become addicted to drugs, resulting in erratic performances, and he was dismissed several months later.
After his departure from Lighthouse, McBride incurred numerous illnesses such as diabetes and Hepatitis B, a result of his years of substance abuse. He received head injuries during a robbery at his parents' residence in 1996, an incident which his friends blamed for additional health problems. He died in February 1998 at North York General Hospital in Toronto after heart failure. He was married to Janice Fobert-Seaton and they had one son, Shawn.
Solo discography
- 1972: Butterfly Days (Capitol/EMICapitol RecordsCapitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
) - 1973: Sea of Dreams (Capitol/EMI)
- 1978: Bob McBride Live
- 1979: Here to Sing (MCA)