Bob McBride

Born: 17 November 1946 - Died: 20 February 1998. Canadian singer, songwriter and guitarist, recognized for his vocal talent: a tenor of of exceptional range, power, and emotional depth equally at home with soft ballads and full-throat arena anthems. A recipient of the 1973 Juno award for Outstanding Male Performance of the Year, McBride is often mentioned alongside Burton Cummings as one of the best rock singers Canada has ever produced. In the early sixties, McBride was one of the young musicians who was drawn to Toronto's Yorkville music scene, alongside contemporaries such as Joni Mitchell, Neil Young and Gordon Lightfoot. He'd already spent several years in Ronnie Hawkins's backup band, and had taken vocal lessons with Johnny Mathis in Los Angeles to hone his skill. When he auditioned for Lighthouse he was hired on the spot, and his soaring vocals became immediately central to Lighthouse's identity. Plagued by substance abuse for many years and despite attempts at recovery McBride declined in health and social function, ultimately succumbing to illness and heart failure.