Skip Prokop

It is safe to say that few Canadians in the entertainment industry have credentials that would equal those of Mr. Prokop. Four time Juno Award winner, Skip has written eleven North American and international “top 40” hits. Skip has spent his entire working life in the entertainment and broadcast industries in a variety of positions from producer, performer to creative/advertising consultant in these fields.

As a boy, Skip served in RCSCC LION Sea Cadets Corps in Hamilton. At the age of fourteen, he displayed signs of leadership as a “Leading Seaman/1st Class” as well as “Lead Drummer and Instructor” in the corps. Skip was also one of two cadets chosen nation-wide to serve in the Royal Canadian Naval Band. His leadership qualities won him an
offer of scholarship to the Royal British Naval Academy, which he turned down to pursue his love of music.

He moved to Preston (now Cambridge) and went on to play with a renowned and legendary drum corps, “Preston Scout House” One year later. He was accepted by the “Toronto Optimist” drum corps – the world famous Canadian National Champions.

Skip was encouraged to pursue a career in music and perfected his skill as a drummer. He won the prestigious “Canadian National Individual Rudimental Drumming Championship” at the age of seventeen and later that year, placed in the top three (three tenths of a point separating 1st 2nd and 3rd place) for the same title in the United States. A scholarship from prestigiousWestpoint Military Academy was offered to him as the first Canadian to be sponsored by a U.S. Senator. into West Point

While in Toronto, he graduated from Lakeshore Business College and took a position with the Metropolitan Toronto Police force in the Identification Bureau.

There is no doubt Skip’s talents were being recognized on an international level as well. He was offered a position with the United States Air Force “ Blue Angels” Presidential drum corps at age nineteen. At this point, Skip was also perfecting his guitar and piano skills and had started to write his first musical compositions. He left the drum corps to establish his first group.

The exposure of the Rock group “ The Beatles,” to the North American continent, inspired Skip to jump head long into a full blown professional career in music. He established Canada’s first underground group “The Paupers.” Who were the first Canadian group to sign a major US record deal. After successfully touring internationally for 4 years the group broke up and Skip went on to become one of the most sought after studio musicians in the U.S.A.

In 1969, Skip founded the rock group “LIGHTHOUSE”, the worlds first 13 piece rock orchestra and went on to achieve international success as Canada’s leading rock group. Lighthouse was the first group in Canada to be sponsored by a large corporation ( Labatt’s Breweries”) on a national level.

Since 1965 he has been composer of several film scores and popular advertising jingles.