Harry Wayne Casey.
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY KC AND THE SUNSHINE BAND
Ahead of his New Year’s Eve concert at Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa Rancho Mirage, Harry Wayne Casey — also known as KC — from KC and The Sunshine Band connected with Palm Springs Life to reminisce on his musical career. Before selling more than 100 million records, winning a boatload of awards, and dancing his way across the Billboard charts, the young artist worked at Tone Record Distributors in his native Florida.
The owner of the record store, Henry Stone, also owned a recording studio called TK Records. He gave KC his big break. “Henry was like a father to me, in a lot of ways,” KC shares. “He kind of took me right under his arms. We had a very special connection.”
Since the age of 5, KC knew he wanted to pursue a career in music. He grew up in a “very musical family.” His family and his relatives had pianos in their homes, and they gathered often to sing and play.
He hung out at Stone’s recording studio regularly, and in 1973, at age 22, his mentor invited him to record — a moment that changed KC’s life completely. The same year, he founded KC and The Sunshine Band, a nod to the Sunshine State.
KC and The Sunshine Band.
The group’s first single, “Blow Your Whistle,” made the top 15 on the R&B chart. Then in 1975, the band’s second album, KC and The Sunshine Band, went triple platinum — you’d know it from memorable hits including “That’s the Way (I Like It)” and “Get Down Tonight.”
KC’s musical inspiration mainly comes from Motown Records. “I was inspired by a lot of different artists like James Brown and Motown Records,” he shares.
Growing up in the ’60s, he says, it was hard to miss Motown — that’s what was playing on the radio. He points to a drastic shift in the industry since he first set out to make music. “It’s all about the money now, not the artistry.” If an artist doesn’t have a hit song, their label will drop them, he continues. Back in the day, they would give an artist a five-year contract and stick with them until the five years were up.
Still, KC enjoys listening to today’s chart toppers and especially loves when new artists sample his music. “Some of my songs have been sampled in some really big hit records,” he says. “There have been a lot; I don’t know if there’s a favorite.”
One new artist KC has been listening to recently and just saw in concert is Steven Sanchez. “I like whoever is the flavor of the moment,” he says with a laugh.
In 1985, KC announced his retirement from music — but that didn’t last long. He was invited to perform on a TV show in the ’90s. After the performance, KC remembered what he was missing, and he decided to bring the band back together. Looking back on his career as a whole, he says, he is satisfied with everything he has done.
Since 2012, KC has been working on a three-CD set of 56 songs. Originally positioned for release in 2019, the project was put on pause. KC’s glad he didn’t release it, because he’s had time to remix the songs one final time. The set will include a mix of new songs, covers, and some old favorites.
“I’ve redone a couple of my songs, completely different than the original versions,” he shares. “So, I’m excited about it. They really sound great.”As of this writing, there is no release date for the album.
He’s also excited to perform at Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa Rancho Mirage for New Year’s Eve because he loves visiting the Coachella Valley. He looks forward to the food and the atmosphere, and he says the people are nice. He even enjoys the dry desert heat.
“I have great friends there,” KC says. “I love the area. And I’ve always enjoyed Agua Caliente.”
On Dec. 31, KC and The Sunshine Band will get the New Year’s Eve party started at Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa Rancho Mirage. Then Zowie Bowie will keep it going into the wee hours of the night. The shows are separately ticketed, but KC and The Sunshine Band tickets include free entry to the Zowie Bowie show. Sparkly disco attire is encouraged.