Bob McBride

McBride was born in Toronto and graduated from North Toronto Collegiate Institute.[2]

As a young man, McBride was part of Ronnie Hawkins' backup band for several years.[3] He joined the band Lighthouse in 1970, replacing original singer Pinky Dauvin.[4] His voice contributed to successful Lighthouse songs such as "Hats Off (To The Stranger)", "1849" and "One Fine Morning".[2][5][6] He also won a 1973 Juno Award in the Outstanding Male Performance category[7][8] and was nominated for 1974 Juno's in the Best Male Vocalist category, and as Male Vocalist of the Year.[9]

In October 1972, while still a member of Lighthouse, McBride embarked on a solo career, signing a record deal with Capitol and releasing his debut album Butterfly Days. The album was both a critical and commercial success, going gold in Canada (selling over 50,000 copies) and spawning the hit singles "Pretty City Lady", "Treasure Song", and the title track.

In summer 1973, McBride officially parted ways with the band, some of whom were upset after he failed to appear for a New York recording session for the album Can You Feel It. Fellow member Skip Prokop sang the band's hit song "Pretty Lady" in his place, although Prokop said in an interview that McBride "could have done it bigger and better".[1] It was reported in a 1998 Toronto Sun article that McBride was fired after a suicide attempt.[2]

McBride continued his solo career, releasing the album Sea of Dreams in 1973. Although it was another critical success, the album was a commercial disappointment to Capitol and he was dropped from the label soon after. With the exception of some live dates around Southern Ontario with a backup band named "Magic", he all but disappeared from the music scene for a few years.[10]

In 1976, McBride was allegedly approached to become the lead singer of Blood, Sweat & Tears, replacing David Clayton-Thomas. A few months later this was dismissed by Thomas' manager, Fred Heller, stating that this claim was "completely unfounded" and "Blood, Sweat & Tears with lead vocalist David Clayton-Thomas will perform with him fronting the band. Thomas also did all the lead vocals on the band's new album."[11][12]

In 1978, McBride had a cocaine overdose.[2] After landing a new recording deal with London Records, he returned to the studio that same year with a different backup band he dubbed "Expedition". The result was his self-titled album, which produced a handful of singles and yielded a minor hit with "Wild Eyes". McBride set out on the road and a series of dates throughout central Canada ensued into the following spring.[13]

He returned with Here to Sing in the fall of 1979, with famed producer Jack Richardson. It generated more singles, and although the music's maturity was heralded by critics, none of the singles made the Top 40.

He reunited with many Lighthouse alumni in September, 1982 for a weekend of four concerts at Ontario Place, which drew 33,000 people; at the end of the weekend the musicians went their separate ways.

The band got together again in 1992 with a ten-member line-up, which included the founding members Prokop, Hoffert and Cole, with McBride on vocals. McBride had been addicted to heroin for over a decade, and the drug problems resulted in poor performances and erratic behaviour; by the end of the year he was once again gone from the band.

Ralph Cole, Ross Reynolds, Jamie Prokop (son of Skip Prokop), Lara McBride (daughter of Bob McBride) and Paul Hoffert on the red carpet at Lighthouse's induction into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame

On October 17, 2022, McBride, along with his fellow Lighthouse members, was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame. His daughter, Lara McBride , accepted on his behalf.

In 1994, McBride was sentenced to 90 days in prison after he robbed an Ottawa drugstore twice for morphine. As part of his sentence, he organized two benefit concerts to raise awareness of the dangers of drugs.[14] In 1996, he was charged with a 1992 jewelry theft. A 1996 trial was postponed due to his ill health. It continued in December 1997, a mistrial was declared, and McBride was scheduled to return to court in March 1998, but never returned due to his death in February 1998.[2]

After his departure from Lighthouse, McBride succumbed to a number of illnesses, including diabetes and Hepatitis B, resulting from his years of substance abuse. He also received head injuries during a robbery at his parents' residence in 1996.[1] He died in February 1998 at North York General Hospital in Toronto after heart failure[2][3] and is buried at Westminster Memorial Gardens in Toronto.

Later in his life, McBride was married to Janice Fobert-Seaton, who died in 2003.[15] one son was raised by them