Lighthouse, one of the best-known groups in Canadian music history, will be headlining at the 2012 Penticton Peach Festival.
Lighthouse is among only three groups to earn the Juno Award, as Canadian Group of the Year, in three consecutive years (the others are Loverboy and Blue Rodeo). During the peak of their popularity, in the 1970s, they were the number one group in Canada and gained international recognition.
“We are thrilled to have Lighthouse coming to Penticton,” said Bill Kolter, the Peach Festival’s entertainment director. “They are truly a legend in Canadian music.”
Their big band sound, which was often compared to Chicago, produced numerous top 10 hits including: One Fine Morning, Hats Off to the Stranger, Pretty Lady, Sunny Days, Take It Slow and You Girl. In the 1970s, Lighthouse performed for capacity crowds at Carnegie Hall, Filmore East, Filmore West, the Monterey Pop Festival, the Isle of Wight Festival (England), and the World’s Fair in Japan. More than 100,000 people attended a free Lighthouse concert in Downtown Toronto.
The group disbanded in 1976, but reunited to headline at the Calgary Stampede in 1992. Since then, they have been thrilling audiences throughout Canada and the U.S. The current 10-member group, which includes five original members, has been intact for 18 years.
“They tour extensively in the east and they came as far west as Alberta last year. Now, thanks to the generous support of Peters Bros., we’re bringing them to the Peach Festival,” said Kolter.
Lighthouse will perform on the Peach Festival’s main stage on Aug. 8 in Okanagan Lake Park.