KC & The Sunshine Band Biography

Source: http://www.rickfinch.com

I am the publicist to Rick Finch's (co-founder of KC & The Sunshine Band) -the following is a more accurate and detailed accounting of the origins and history of the band (edits to the existing bio currently displayed on this web site......).

It is important to note (though not accurately portrayed on the KCSB web site): "KC & The Sunshine Band" is the name of a "GROUP" and ALL accountings should reflect the collaborative nature of that group's founding, and of the music 'co-written' by Harry Wayne Casey and my client, Rick Finch - it is factually inaccurate to portray that this was a solo effort on the part of Harry Wayne Casey and that HWC was the sole force and creator of "KC & The Sunshine Band" and its music.

We are actively working to ensure that these corrections are made and that my client's name is no longer removed or diminshed from his own historical and legendary history.

Thank you in advance for your kind consideration in making these changes.


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With sales of over 100 million records, nine Grammy nominations, three Grammy Awards and an American Music Award, "KC & The Sunshine Band" is renowned as one of the seminal forces in pop music. With a history spanning over 35 years, the group became famous for an original funk style that continues to delight old fans and attract new ones even now into the 21st Century.


Hits like GET DOWN TONIGHT, THAT'S THE WAY (I LIKE IT) and SHAKE YOUR BOOTY established KC & The Sunshine Band as movers and shakers in the music industry . Along with the Beatles and the Jackson Five, "KCSB" is the only other artist to have four number one singles in the span of one year: BOOGIE SHOES, GET DOWN TONIGHT, THAT'S THE WAY (I LIKE IT), and ROCK YOUR BABY.


Harry Wayne Casey started his journey in the music business in his late teens, working in the warehouse and as a relief receptionist at the TK Records/Tone Distributors complex in his hometown of Miami, Florida. Teenage prodigy Rick Finch (three years Casey's junior) was cutting high school classes and working in the small, upstairs recording studio of TK Records as a recording engineer, song arranger and session bassist. After an introduction by Clarence Reid in 1973, a friendship was born and together they formed "KC &The Sunshine Band" (using their two nicknames as the foundation for the band's name: H.W. Casey's easy-to-remember "KC" - and the ever-smiling Rick "Sunshine" Finch, a nickname given to him by the TK staff). Within a short time of their meeting, together they began penning songs for other TK artists, including Betty Wright ("Clean Up Woman") and George McCrae ("Rock Your Baby"). With KC as the frontman on keyboards, Finch on bass and drums and joined by TK session musicians Jerome Smith and Robert Johnson, KCSB's first single, BLOW YOUR WHISTLE, made the R&B Top 15. The band's second album, KC & THE SUNSHINE BAND (released in 1975) went triple platinum and contained the Number One hits GET DOWN TONIGHT and THAT'S THE WAY (I LIKE IT). KCSB's third album, PART 3 (released in 1976) also went triple platinum and spawned the Number One singles I'M YOUR BOOGIE MAN, SHAKE YOUR BOOTY and KEEP IT COMIN' LOVE.

In 1976, KC and Finch won songwriting Grammys for "Best R&B Song" for WHERE IS THE LOVE (recorded by Betty Wright). They also received Grammy Awards for "Album of the Year" as well as "Producers of the Year" in 1978 for their work on the SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER soundtrack. In 1975, KC & The Sunshine Band won the American Music Award for "Best R&B Artist."

In 1978, KCSB added yet another hit to their budding legacy with BOOGIE SHOES, which was included on the SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER soundtrack. The following year, KCSB had their final Number One hit as as group with PLEASE DON'T GO.

KC, as a solo artist, hit the Top Five with YES, I'M READY, a duet with high school friend Teri DeSario. In 1983, KC returned to the charts with GIVE IT UP (produced by former bandmate and songwriting partner, Rick Finch); a Number One hit in the U.K. and a Top Twenty smash in the United States.

In 2001, Harry Wayne Casey was singled out and honored with the Florida NARAS Governors Award, the highest honor given by a chapter of the Academy.

"KC & The Sunshine Band" songs have appeared in countless ads for companies like Sunlife, Payless Shoes, Caribbean Cruise Lines, General Motors, Burger King, Nestlé Toll House Cookies, K Mart and Old Navy. Their music has also been featured in numerous feature films, including Forrest Gump (Get Down Tonight), Boogie Nights (Boogie Shoes), Boys Don't Cry (Rock Your Baby), Rush Hour (Get Down Tonight) and Carlito's Way (Rock Your Baby, Shake Your Booty & That's the Way I Like It).

KC & The Sunshine Band's music is part of Americana and the fabric of popular music's foundation, with their catchy songs played at everything from National sporting events, to local college and high school venues, to wedding receptions, to being emulated by budding musicians on YouTube.

KC & The Sunshine Band has appeared on numerous television shows, including "The Today Show," "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," "Good Morning America," "American Bandstand's 50th Anniversary Party," VH1's "Behind the Music," and "Ally McBeal." KCSB has made more appearances on "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve" than any other artist in the program's history.

Music acts including White Zombie, Baha Men, and Beyonce have covered the band's music. Additionally, KCSB's grooves and bass lines have been sampled in 'everything R&B' by artists including R. Kelly, to Rap by Snoop Dogg and Trick Daddy, to Dance by Ultra Nate and many many more.

For decades, KC and The Sunshine Band has toured regularly in the U.S., Europe, Asia, South America, and Australia. In 1995, the second incarnation of KCSB recorded GET DOWN LIVE, a concert album that was gleaned from their performances in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Peru and Melbourne, Australia. THE BEST OF KC AND THE SUNSHINE BAND went gold in 1999. KC & The Sunshine Band celebrated its 25th Anniversary in 1999 with a commemorative double CD release titled THE 25th ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION, and in the Fall of 2001, KCSB released an album of all-new material entitled I'LL BE THERE FOR YOU. Proceeds from the title song, released as a single, were donated to the 9/11 relief effort.

On August 2nd, 2002, KC & The Sunshine Band received a star on the "Hollywood Walk of Fame." Dick Clark and music producer Michael Lloyd turned out to honor the band on this day. In May 2002, KC and the Sunshine Band appeared on ABC's "American Bandstand's 50th Anniversary" television special and was also featured in "ABC Disco Ball" in December 2002.

A medley of three KCSB songs, with new lyrics by Rick Finch, co-produced by Finch and Quincy Jones and performed by recording superstar Beyonce were the highlight of the "Austin Powers in Goldmember" film. A feature article on KCSB appeared in TV Guide in January 2002, and KCSB played a special free concert at the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics in February.

"THAT'S THE WAY I LIKE IT - THE HARRY WAYNE CASEY STORY", a semi-autobiographical book chronicling KC's life and career was published in the Fall of 2002. KC had a cameo in the feature film "The Inlaws" starring Michael Douglas. In May 2009, KC and dancers from the latest incarnation of KCSB were featured on "Disco Night" of American Idol.

Rick Finch continues to be an innovative force in the music world as a producer/arranger, producing up and coming Indie artists and their music out of his studio in Ohio, landing 2010 FIRST ROUND GRAMMY NOMINATIONS in two categories for his work on the album "OF THE WORLD" for the band Nevada.

Whether you hear KC & The Sunshine Band music on the radio, at a nightclub, at the movies, in a sports arena, or at one of the 200-plus concerts KCSB plays every year - one thing is certain: KC & The Sunshine Band is EVERYWHERE and a 'Boogielicious' good time is most certainly guaranteed!!!

Thanks to Loni Reeder, Publicist to Rick Finch for submitting the biography.

Please click here to submit the latest KC & The Sunshine Band biography





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• KC & The Sunshine Band Albums
• KC & The Sunshine Band Lyrics