Ray
Ayotte ~ Drums
Vic
Delisle ~ Lead Guitar
Bernie
Gagnon ~ Guitar, Vocals
Dave
Hadden ~ Saxophone
Gord
Walker ~ Keyboard, Trumpet
Howdy,Above is a photo of a group called The Thunderbolts, circa 1961 or so, with Ray Ayotte on drum. Note singular use of drum.
I'm the sax player and my name is Dave Hadden, see pic circa 1962. Ray had one snare drum, one cymbal and a pair of drumsticks when I first met him and the other guys.Vic Delisle played lead guitar and Bernie Gagnon played rhythm and sang. Gord Walker (I think it was Walker) played keyboard and trumpet.
I joined near the end of 1960 or early into 1961. I turned 16 in 1961 and shortly after that birthday I left home and moved in with Ray and his family. My Dad paid the Ayotte family $40.00 per month for my room and board and I shared a bedroom with Ray.
All of us except Gordy washed floors at the local Super-Valu store one night a week and we played at the Teen Town dances on Thursday nights at the Centre, in Maillardville. We played lots of Catholic Youth Organization talent shows trying to get known and then we moved to dances, bowling banquet type events and the like.
I left the Vancouver area in 1962 so ended my association with those guys. I stopped playing the sax a couple of years later but Ray went on to bigger and better things, obviously.
The last time I saw Ray he still had his Drums Only store on Main St., so that's quite a few years ago. His brother George was still partners with him then too, but I know Ray bought him out later.
It was neat for me to stumble across this web site, Hope this info adds something to it.
Dave Hadden, July 2007