Ronnie
Prophet was born in Hawkesbury, Ontario, across the Ottawa River from his
boyhood home in Calumet, Quebec. At
the age of 11, Ronnie started to develop expertise with the piano, mandolin,
guitar and many other instruments. He
eventually chose the guitar and, in his mid-teens, started to play local clubs.
He teamed with school chum, Dougie Trineer, and moved to Montreal where
he soon became a hit.
The
sixties saw Ronnie so successful in the lounges of the USA that, in 1965, he
applied for and received papers to move to the United States.
Initially, Fort Lauderdale was home; then, with bookings and marquee
profile, he moved to Nashville to perform on a regular basis at the Carousel
Club. In 1970 and the years to
follow, Ronnie teamed with Danny Thomas through the William Morris Agency, to
play Vegas, Tahoe and Reno. These
tours were always followed by a return to the Carousel.
In 1972, after guesting on the Tommy Hunter Show, Ronnie was offered his
own show on the CBC.
Following
two summer replacement series, Ronnie moved to CTV where, for the next seven
years, he hosted “Grand Old Country” and “Rocky Mountain Inn”.
From a humble 1960 start on CHLT-TV Sherbrooke to a network host was a
giant step that had the added bonus of enhancing is recording career.
His early career in recording was established from a home-based studio
but now, with an RCA contract, his release of “Sanctuary” and other solid
chart hits brought new fortune.
Click here to see the memorabilia donated to the hall of Fame by Ronnie Prophet