Who Was That
Guy in the Shoe Store
Dave Pomfret was born in “the last room of the new wing” of West Lincoln Memorial Hospital on June 30th, 1968, to parents Ray and Laura Doreen. His very early years were spent on a sprawling, two-acre property in Binbrook, Ontario. Life was idyllic for the tiny blond dude. Hockey and baseball dominated his dreams and his spare time. His family included a full brother, Larry, who was just two years Dave’s senior. Rick and Laurie were twelve and eight years older, respectively. They were from Laura Doreen’s first marriage, but lived with the Pomfret crew full time.
Around the time Dave turned seven, Ray turned back to the bottle. He had kicked the habit for as long as Dave had been around, but something pulled him back in. That led to the demise of Ray’s business, R.F. Pomfret foods, and to the loss of the family home. The Pomfrets moved to a much more modest home and Ray’s drinking intensified. It was only another five years before the marriage disintegrated.
Dave and Larry stayed with Ray, who without even blinking, moved in with who would become their Step-Mom, Jean. Right around the same time, Dave’s older brother Rick gave him a guitar for a school project, and his life would never be the same. Hockey and baseball were still important, but took a back seat to music, and girls.
At Saltfleet High School, Dave met drummer Gene Champagne. The two young fellows became best friends and would soon form The Munday Nuns. A couple years later the band’s line up rounded out with Mike Trebilcock and Erkki Raid. The Nuns would go on to become one of the most highly respected bands in Hamilton as the 80’s moved into the 90’s.
While that was happening, Dave’s first love broke his heart, and, despite having sworn to ‘never be like Dad’, it turned him toward alcohol. Within just a couple years, Music and girls took a back seat to booze. When that happened, Dave’s tenure in The Munday Nuns came to a limping end.
Dave never stopped writing songs, but did not perform in a professional sense, for nearly two full decades. In 2008, when Mama Jean passed away, Dave was left a lump of money. He made the decision to use some of that money to finally record some of his songs. The result was his 2009 release, No Rush. That effort splashed Dave right back into the Hamilton Music scene, and right back onto stages all over the city, including This Ain’t Hollywood, The Casbah, The Corktown, Rebel’s Rock, The Cat n Fiddle, Artword Artbar, and more. Critics raved.
“On his first solo effort, Pomfret demonstrates a mature songwriting craft that blends a rootsy grit with a natural pop sensibility” -Graham Rockingham, Hamilton Spectator “Former Munday Nuns member, Dave Pomfret's new CD: No Rush, is an amazing collection of songs that's hard to pin down stylistically. Dave (aka Salsa Dave) goes from catchy, rockin' rif s to mellow
melodies. On the way, he touches on folk, rock, and even bits of pop and country thrown in.”-Hamilton
Blues Lover
Within a few months, and after a third failed marriage, it became very apparent to Dave that if the drinking didn’t stop, everything else would. On April 5, 2010, he drank his last beer…ever. Good things started happening right away.
That same year, Dave would found supergroup, Fry Truck with fellow songwriters Danny Medacovic and Mike Trebilcock. The line-up has gone through some changes, but the band remains a consistent draw in and around Hamilton whenever they play.
In 2015, Dave went into the studio to record his sophomore record, A Devil’s Urge. If critics
loved No Rush, they positively swooned over A Devil’s Urge
“You had me from the first horn salvo on track one…Brilliant” -Greg Godovitz, GODDO
“Man, Great songs, great production. Way to go!” Will Kimbrough, Guitarist for Todd Snider,
Emylou Harris, and many others.
“I can’t recall a more personal, compelling and authentic album” ‘Marc Skulnick, Hamilton
Magazine
“From top to bottom, there is a lot to like. Dave Pomfret isn’t just ‘good, you know, for
Hamilton,’ he is good for anywhere.” -Glen Herbert
The CD release was held at Mill’s Hardware in Hamilton. Dave’s fourteen piece band played to a sold out audience, and to rave reviews. Combined sales of No Rush and A Devil’s Urge total more than 2500 units, plus digital sales.
Covid threw a wrench into all performing artist’s lives. Dave was no exception. Gigs have been fewer and further between, but the writing has never stopped. A new album is in the works, and fans are clamouring for it. More recently, Dave has found another creative outlet. Inspired by his partner, writer Michelle Morra, he dipped his toes into the unknown waters of Novel writing. The result is Lilly! Look for this fun-filled, action-packed, emotionally compelling tale in a bookstore near you, very soon!
