Kc & The Sunshine Band

KC and the Sunshine Band was formed in 1973 in Hialeah, Florida, by Harry Wayne Casey, known as KC. Casey initially worked as a record store employee and part-timer at TK Records. The band’s original name was KC & The Sunshine Junkanoo Band, drawing on studio musicians from TK and a local Junkanoo band. The musical collaboration between Casey and bassist Richard Finch began when Finch was engineering records for TK. Guitarist Jerome Smith and drummer Robert Johnson, both TK studio musicians, soon joined them. Their early singles, “Blow Your Whistle” (September 1973) and “Sound Your Funky Horn” (February 1974), achieved success on the U.S. R&B chart and internationally, prompting TK Records to request further material.

A significant milestone in the band’s early career involved the creation of “Rock Your Baby” for George McCrae while working on demos for KC & the Sunshine Band. Written by Casey and featuring Smith on guitar, this song became a number-one hit in 51 countries in mid-1974. KC and the Sunshine Band’s own single “Queen of Clubs,” with uncredited vocals by McCrae, was a UK hit, reaching number 7, leading to a tour in 1975. The release of their self-titled second album in 1975 marked their first major U.S. hit with “Get Down Tonight,” which topped the R&B chart in April and the Billboard Hot 100 in August. “That’s the Way (I Like It)” also reached number one in November 1975. Their 1976 album “Part 3” produced two more number-one singles: “I’m Your Boogie Man” and “(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty.” These accomplishments led to multiple Grammy Award nominations during the mid-1970s, solidifying their position in the music industry.

The band’s success continued with “Keep It Comin’ Love” (1977), which peaked at number two in the US. Their final chart-topping hit of the decade was “Please Don’t Go,” which reached number one in January 1980, becoming the first number-one song of the 1980s. Following the decline of disco’s popularity and the rise of new wave music, the group transitioned styles and labels, moving to Epic Records in 1980 after TK Records declared bankruptcy. Harry Wayne Casey also achieved solo success by dueting with Teri DeSario on “Yes, I’m Ready,” which peaked at number 2 in March 1980, showcasing a departure from his disco roots with an adult contemporary sound. The partnership between Finch and Casey concluded in 1981. After a period of quiet, a resurgence of interest in disco in 1991 led Casey to reform the band, incorporating new members and original members like percussionist Fermin Goytisolo and vocalist Beverly Champion-Foster, and they subsequently resumed touring.