Skip Prokop was a visionary and a dreamer. His drumming was off the scale. He spun words into gold. He loved movies, good jokes and bad ones too. He could talk your ear off but was always a great listener. He was wary of "the man” and looked out for the little guy. He was a dear friend.
The Lighthouse family mourns the loss of our brother. We were gratified to hear that he passed with great peace, surrounded by his loving family. We send them our love. They are a family of faith, as was Skip, and are bearing their sadness with strength.
They invite all those who knew him to help celebrate his life.
Visitation will take place at H. A. Kebbell Funeral Home in Aylmer Ontario on Tuesday September 5 from 2:00pm – 4:00pm and 7:00pm – 9:00pm. Click on the link below for more details.
http://www.kebbelfuneralhome.com/mobile/
Service will be held at Aylmer Evangelical Church in Aylmer on Wednesday September 6 at 1:00 pm.
The Lighthouse family mourns the loss of our brother. We were gratified to hear that he passed with great peace, surrounded by his loving family. We send them our love. They are a family of faith, as was Skip, and are bearing their sadness with strength.
They invite all those who knew him to help celebrate his life.
Visitation will take place at H. A. Kebbell Funeral Home in Aylmer Ontario on Tuesday September 5 from 2:00pm – 4:00pm and 7:00pm – 9:00pm. Click on the link below for more details.
http://www.kebbelfuneralhome.com/mobile/
Service will be held at Aylmer Evangelical Church in Aylmer on Wednesday September 6 at 1:00 pm.
Skip Prokop’s ability to conceptualize a sound and structure a group around it has always made him more than just a great rock drummer. He had his first international success with The Paupers in the early sixties and after they disbanded, was in great demand as a studio session musician for superstar bands including Peter, Paul and Mary, Carlos Santana and Janis Joplin.
Skip's vision of a rock orchestra, incorporating jazzy horn lines, lush strings and a rocking rhythm section was way outside the box when he dreamed it up in 1968. His fortuitous meeting with jazz pianist and film composer Paul Hoffert was the impetus he needed to put his dream in motion. With the addition of Detroit guitarist, Ralph Cole, and ten other musicians pulled from the jazz, rock and classical worlds, the dream became a reality and Lighthouse was born.
Skip’s energetic drumming was at its heart, driving the band with finesse, power and musicality. But perhaps his most enduring contribution was as a songwriter. His fresh melodies and sensitive lyrics for hits such as One Fine Morning, Sunny Days, Pretty Lady, and You Girl have kept Lighthouse on the airwaves for almost five decades.
Skip left the band in 1973, a year before it disbanded, but continued to be involved in various areas of the entertainment industry as both a creator and producer. He composed music for film, television and commercials, produced several albums and was a dedicated organizer of charitable events. Working with his son Jamie, he performed with their band Mercy Train and produced and performed on the award-winning smooth jazz album titled, "Smoothside."
Skip picked up where he left off when Lighthouse reunited in 1992. He was one of the main writers for the band's 1996 release, Song of the Ages, and enjoyed the opportunity to be out on the road with his bandmates, performing for old and new fans across the country and in places as far away as Brazil. His vigour was still apparent on the DVD that accompanied the 2009 release of 40 Years of Sunny Days but health issues were already beginning to plague him. His last performance with the band in March 2014 was fittingly in Hamilton, the city of his birth.
Though he was no longer able to power through a Lighthouse set, he continued to perform with the worship band at his church in Aylmer. He was always interested in young people and particularly enjoyed sharing his knowledge with a number of drum students around town. For the last few years he kept creatively engaged by working on a book about his life in music with Canadian journalist, Jaimie Vernon.
Skip’s inspiration to create a band with a bold, new sound has become an iconic Canadian legend. Lighthouse, with his son Jamie behind the drums, will uphold his vision, honour his legacy and keep his music alive.
RIP Skip. You will be sadly missed.
Skip's vision of a rock orchestra, incorporating jazzy horn lines, lush strings and a rocking rhythm section was way outside the box when he dreamed it up in 1968. His fortuitous meeting with jazz pianist and film composer Paul Hoffert was the impetus he needed to put his dream in motion. With the addition of Detroit guitarist, Ralph Cole, and ten other musicians pulled from the jazz, rock and classical worlds, the dream became a reality and Lighthouse was born.
Skip’s energetic drumming was at its heart, driving the band with finesse, power and musicality. But perhaps his most enduring contribution was as a songwriter. His fresh melodies and sensitive lyrics for hits such as One Fine Morning, Sunny Days, Pretty Lady, and You Girl have kept Lighthouse on the airwaves for almost five decades.
Skip left the band in 1973, a year before it disbanded, but continued to be involved in various areas of the entertainment industry as both a creator and producer. He composed music for film, television and commercials, produced several albums and was a dedicated organizer of charitable events. Working with his son Jamie, he performed with their band Mercy Train and produced and performed on the award-winning smooth jazz album titled, "Smoothside."
Skip picked up where he left off when Lighthouse reunited in 1992. He was one of the main writers for the band's 1996 release, Song of the Ages, and enjoyed the opportunity to be out on the road with his bandmates, performing for old and new fans across the country and in places as far away as Brazil. His vigour was still apparent on the DVD that accompanied the 2009 release of 40 Years of Sunny Days but health issues were already beginning to plague him. His last performance with the band in March 2014 was fittingly in Hamilton, the city of his birth.
Though he was no longer able to power through a Lighthouse set, he continued to perform with the worship band at his church in Aylmer. He was always interested in young people and particularly enjoyed sharing his knowledge with a number of drum students around town. For the last few years he kept creatively engaged by working on a book about his life in music with Canadian journalist, Jaimie Vernon.
Skip’s inspiration to create a band with a bold, new sound has become an iconic Canadian legend. Lighthouse, with his son Jamie behind the drums, will uphold his vision, honour his legacy and keep his music alive.
RIP Skip. You will be sadly missed.