"Old Times, Good Times"-
Graham Jones-lead vocal, guitar; Cate
Cloak (Cathy Carke)-vocals; Mark
Plouffe-drums; Ron Lowe-vocals, bass;
Bruce Brautigan-lead guitar ... live from
the St. Vital Hotel, circa 1971.
And: Bill Alton, Brian
Hunter, Bob Russell, Marc Plouffe,
Dennis Faraci
Home Cooking played the Winnipeg bar scene
in the early 70's – often at The St.
Vital, Village Inn, or The Plaza.
The beginning of the band was with a group
of friends living in the old apartment
blocks near the Leg - The Castle and
Chelsea Court. Bill Alton, Graham
Jones, and Bruce Brautigan were guitar
players moving on from the folk
scene. Ron Lowe was looking for an
alternative to his day job with Templeton
Engineering. Parties featured lots
of guitar playing and singing. Dale
Russell, who went on to play with Jim
Kale’s version of The Guess Who, was a
working musician and part of the group of
friends. He got a gig in The Pas
with Ron and Graham. Other gigs
followed with Graham, Bruce, Ron, and Bill
as Friends. Brian Hunter joined on
drums.
Bill's stay in the group was short.
He had realized that 3 guitars was one too
many, and bought an electric piano.
He'd never played piano before and it was
a steep learning curve. Bill was in
the band when they set up on the top deck
of a houseboat and played while cruising
the Red River.
Bob Russell replaced Brian on drums.
While playing in The Pas, they checked out
an all-girls band from Saskatoon playing
at another nearby bar. The band
featured a soulful lead vocalist, Cathy
Clark. Cathy was looking to leave
Saskatoon and agreed to join the band,
moving to Winnipeg a couple of weeks
later. Like everyone else he met,
Graham soon gave Cathy a nickname -
Cate. (Later, married, she became
Cate Cloak).
With Cate’s arrival, it was time for a new
name - Home Cooking. Our agent - by
this time we were with Frank Weiner of
Hungry I – had got us a gig in Grand
Forks. All the permits were
arranged, but it was too late for us to
get one for Cate. At the border, the
agent refused to let her in. Somehow
we got her back to Winnipeg and on a plane
to Grand Forks. But the first night,
after the first set, a Customs agent came
up to us and told us she had to go.
We dragged out our previous sets and
finished the week.
We needed a new drummer when Bob Russell
was leaving the band. We went to
catch a band playing at the Fireplace on
Pembina - Fish Belly White. The
drummer was Jim Hillman. He agreed
to join us. Jim was a good player
and a great guy. He also brought an
eclectic taste and an R and B
influence. Practices were fun,
sometimes swapping instruments and
jamming. Jim was with us for a year
or so and was replaced with Marc Plouffe
who gave the bank a rockier personality.
Graham had met Burton Cummings through a
mutual friend. On a couple of
occasions we all went to his house off
Main Street. He had a great music
collection. He introduced us to
Lambert Hendricks and Ross. He also
had something to do with us getting gigs
opening for The Grassroots in Winnipeg and
Saskatoon at the Centennial Concert
Halls. The Grassroots played
Winnipeg in August 1971.
Graham Jones was replaced in the band by
Dennis Faraci on guitar. Dennis had
played in a lot of bands, notably The
Electric Jug and Blues Band.
The band didn't last much longer with
Graham gone. He had been the heart
and soul of the band. Once he was
gone, there wasn't enough to keep us
together.
After Home Cooking, Graham Jones joined
Bootleg. They eventually moved to
Calgary. Graham played in Moon Logic
and The Wild Colonial Boys and operated a
recording studio. He died in Calgary
on the morning of his scheduled heart
operation in June 1996, a victim of the
cuts to the Alberta medical system.
Jim Hillman moved to Montreal in 1975 and
became a very successful jazz drummer,
lyricist, and band leader of the Merlin
Factor and the Teresina Quartet.
Ron Lowe became a teacher and school
principal and continued to dabble in
music. He played for several years
in the Biivver Band, currently regulars on
the Winnipeg bar circuit.
Cate Cloak moved to Calgary. She
played in several bands in a variety of
styles, including Moon Logic, and did
studio work.
Bruce Brautigan went on to work for the
Federal Civil Service. He moved to
Courtney BC.
The best things about Home Cooking?
The vocals were strong with Cate and
Graham on lead and Ron and occasionally
Bruce on harmony. Bruce's guitar
leads were often dazzling, musical and
inspired. Graham could add harmonica
or flute. At our best, we
rocked. A very musical group.
In the beginning and in the end, friends.
