Inducted in Canada’s Walk of Fame as an original member of Lighthouse in 2023, Grant Fullerton recently thrilled residents at Sandycove Acres in Innisfil when he performed a private outdoor concert.
A singer and songwriter since the age of 14, Fullerton went from growing up among 1,500 people in the small town of Parrsboro, N.S., to performing for 80,000 people as the bass guitarist and backup vocalist of Lighthouse on the same stage as Janis Joplin, Blood Sweat & Tears, and Creedence Clearwater Revival at iconic music festivals like the Atlantic City Pop Festival, Boston Globe Jazz Festival, and as the headliner at Carnegie Hall.
But Fullerton’s story and love of music began long before he was a member of the band that won Juno awards as the Best Canadian Group in 1972, 1973 and 1974.
He started playing his uncle’s guitar at the tender age of eight years old. At 14, Fullerton met John Yorke — his future bandmate in The Stitch In Tyme, which would become the most popular pop band in Toronto within one year of being signed by Yorkville Records vice-president Bill Gilliland.
Though he had already been a member of The Untouchables — which formed The Stitch in Tyme when merged with another band, The Continental — in Halifax, N.S., he became known in Toronto before international fame came calling.
It all started when Fullerton walked down Yorkville Street where he crossed paths with musician and friend Skip Prokop. He told Fullerton that he and Paul Hoffert were forming a 13-piece rock orchestra band.
“I want you to be in the band,” Prokop told Fullerton.
Though the two men didn’t know it at the time, history was already in the making, as that band would become internationally known for Lighthouse’s free-wheeling sound as a fusion of jazz, rock and classical music.
Fullerton had been a lead guitarist, so he rehearsed and refined his bass-playing skills in Hoffert’s living room in the winter of 1968-69, before the band debuted at Toronto’s Rock Pile in May 1969.
In conversation with Village Media, Fullerton said that Prokop was a "fantastic drummer" and Hoffert was a "genius," as he directed the orchestra.
“Everything just started to gel. We just played, and played, and played,” Fullerton said.
Fullerton appeared on Lighthouse’s first three albums. Though the band had been managed by a stellar manager, Albert Grossman, who also managed Janis Joplin and Bob Dylan, things changed when someone else took over.
“You need a manager that lives and dies with the band,” Fullerton said.
After the band's finances allegedly went awry and they were dissuaded from playing Woodstock, because it was viewed by some as a "bad scene," Fullerton left Lighthouse shortly after.
He continued his music career with Fullerdam, Madcats — whom Fullerton called a “great band” as he reminisced — and Buddha Records in the United States.
Lighthouse continued performing until the mid-1970s when they disbanded.
They reformed in 1991. Even though Prokop had not performed with Lighthouse since 2014, Prokop — with whom Fullerton had always shared a close bond — announced that he would no longer perform with Lighthouse in 2016. Prokop died the following year.
Fullerton, who says his favourite Lighthouse song to play is One Fine Morning, reunited with Hoffert, as they performed at the Stephen Leacock Theatre in 2018.
He says it was an honour and a proud moment to be inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame last September. Lighthouse was inducted in a ceremony at Massey Hall along with 11 other bands/musicians, including April Wine, who are also from Nova Scotia, as well as and Max Webster, Prism, The Parachute Club, Avril Lavigne and Kardinal Offishall.
“The place was packed. Absolutely packed,” Fullerton said.
He explained that Hoffert served as the spokesperson for Lighthouse during the ceremony, but all members went onstage when they were inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame.
“We put the work in. To be acknowledged for that was pretty overwhelming. It’s hard to express,” Fullerton said.
When asked about the music business, he said a lot has changed.
“It was tough back in our day, and it’s tougher now," said Fullerton, adding there's no money in streaming, and artists write and record music in order to make money by selling merchandise, but artists used to be paid for songwriting and publishing.
“It’s never been about the money for me,” he clarified.
As a resident of Innisfil for the past four years, Fullerton said, “people are special around here. They’re very kind people. They help each other out.”
He and his wife, Linda, who have two grown sons, say they enjoy the community.
“Right now, I’m just having fun with my one-man show,” he said, then explained that he uses a drum machine, but no background tracks during his performances.
More than 140 people attended Fullerton’s private concert at Sandycove Acres on June 8.
Tim Danbrook, who’s known Fullerton for 35 years, called him an “absolutely amazing guy.”
Danbrook told Village Media that he used to “hang out with him” at Scamps when Fullerton played music there every Wednesday night.
“(He’s the) best one-man entertainer on the planet, in my opinion,” said Danbrook. “And I’ve seen a few!"
“Wasn’t that a party,” Sandycove Acres resident Marilyn Sehn said.
She and co-committee member Donna Grimbly organize what the community calls Gazebo Gatherings like Fullerton’s concert.
After the recent concert, Sehn said: “Grant Fullerton: rock 'n' roll at its best! His guitar playing is just so fantastic.”
Those interested in enjoying Fullerton’s music at their next event can contact him via email.
