L-R:
Warren Hannah/Hannay (drums), John Bishop
(bass), Bill Hillman (lead guitar),
DelKeith Dubbin (vocals, rhythm guitar),
Cyril Stott (sax)
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This group consisted of
Delkeith Dubbin (rhythm guitar and
vocals), John Bishop (bass), Warren Hannay
(drums), Bill Hillman (lead) and later
Cyril Stott (sax). I brought Cyril
in from another group I was working with:
The Flamingo Combo. After the band parted
ways with Dubbin we picked up local
guitarist/singer Gerry Budinski and became
The Fugitives.
In the early days of the British Invasion
we played all over southern Manitoba and
Saskatchewan, many Brandon and Winnipeg
community clubs and shows, and Western
Canada tours. We started off as a
guitar band doing many of the Shadows hits
- guitar instrumentals I had learned from
records imported from England. When the
Beatles exploded in Britain and eventually
invaded the North American charts, we
started doing more R&B, blues and hits
off the British charts.
Our manager. Fred Smith, owned the Brandon
Roller Rink where we played on a regular
basis and eventually became house band.
This was a musician's dream as "The Rink"
also promoted shows featuring the top
touring rock acts of the day - as well as
some obscure black bluesmen. We got to
meet, study and sometimes play with acts
like: The Ventures, Conway Twitty (before
he turned Country) with Al Bruno on
guitar, Johnny Burnette, Dorsey Burnette,
The Fireballs, Johnny Cash, and Chad Allan
and the Reflections/Expressions (this band
later evolved into The Guess Who and
Bachman-Turner Overdrive: BTO).
Our first big break came on November 16,
1964, when we were booked as opening act
for the CKY Fall Festival of Stars in the
Winnipeg Auditorium. We then stayed on
stage as backup band for the Newbeats, who
were warmup act for Roger Miller and The
Everly Brothers. Miller's guitar player
was Thumbs Carlisle while the Everly's
lead player was Sonny Curtis from Buddy
Holly's Crickets (composer of Walk Right
Back, Mary Tyler Moore Theme, etc.)
Bill Hillman
Excerpt from MUSIC
INFLUENCES: 1943-1961
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