I recently got a chance to interview Harry Wayne Casey the frontman and founder of the legendary group KC and The Sunshine Band. Read why he feels the group hasn’t gotten the credit it deserves and what he has been up to recently.
Where did you get the nickname KC?
I gave it to myself. My last name is Casey, so I called my band KC and The Sunshine Band.
What was it like growing up in Miami during that era?
Miami was a very transient town. It pretty much shut down during the summer and every November the snow birds would come down.
How did you get into recording music?
I was working in a record store. The place we would place our orders on Monday and Thursday and pick them up on Tuesday and Friday. The place we would pick up the records I found out they had a recording studio in the back part of the building, so I started hanging out there.
You’ve talked about during the height of your success feeling lonely, what do you think about fame that is lonely?
Certain parts are very lonely. Your very isolated at times. You can’t be part of the crowd. Your taken through back entrances. Their were times when I would be looking through my hotel window and see people in front of the hotel and want to be down there with them because it wasn’t realistic. I was creating the fun but didn’t feel like I was part of the fun.
KC and the Sunshine Band was one of the first groups to have four number one records since the Beatles. Do you feel you have gotten the credit you deserve?
I don’t think we’ve gotten a lot of credit. They overlook us for some reason, I don’t know why. We definitely were very responsible for changing the sound of music but somehow we always get ignored.
What do you want KC and the Sunshine Bands legacy to be?
I know my legacy. I bought happiness to people, that’s what I set out to do. I wanted the world to dance.
What’s next for KC and the Sunshine Band?
We are touring and have some new music coming out. We have our fourth dance single being released this year so I’m looking forward to that. I just finished writing a song with Bigg and Rich, so I’m just doing songwriting and spending more time in Nashville.
Ryan Glover is a contributing writer for www.audiofuzz.com Follow him on Twitter @ActorRGlover, “Like” him on Facebook and add him to your Google network