KC looks to bring a little Sunshine to Niagara Falls

KC & the Sunshine Band performs Saturday as part of the "Hard Rock Rocks" concert series

Preview by Joshua Maloni

As I'm waiting to connect with Harry Wayne Casey on the phone, I'm placed on hold.

"Keep It Comin' Love" starts playing.

A nice touch, sure, but also kind of amusing, because there was a time when some people thought disco music would be relegated to such places (not to mention elevators and your groovy uncle Mike's shagadelic pad).

But the truth is, "In 40 years, the sound is still here," Casey says.

The man known as KC (as in, The Sunshine Band,) says, "Today, in 2012, it's stronger than ever."

"It never went away," KC explains. "Critics and people - the critics, basically - have tried to convince me; they tried to convince Donna Summer; they tried to convince the whole world that disco sucks. That disco was dead, and all this stuff. It never went away!

"From the '70s it went into the '80s. They called it pop music. You couldn't have been more disco than Madonna. A lot of these electronic groups from Europe and stuff that came out - Flock of Seagulls, or Human Nature, or whoever (were disco)."

KC & the Sunshine Band performs Saturday as part of the Hard Rock Café, Niagara Falls USA, concert series "Hard Rock Rocks."

"It's high energy," KC says of his band's live show. "It's all the hits plus some. I like to keep the show pretty much familiar with everybody that's attending, so I try not to do obscure stuff that I would maybe like and the audience would have no clue what the song is. Everything is familiar. It's just a fun-filled evening of music."

Since he formed the Sunshine Band in 1973 in Miami, KC's had one objective: making people happy. That goal is evident in hit songs such as "That's The Way (I Like It)," "Get Down Tonight" and "(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty."

"It's important for all of us," he says. "There's enough negative around. I think if there's a chance to add some positive to your life that you should jump at it right away. We all need that. Life's not always going to be a bed of roses. But if you have a chance to pick a rose, do it.

"Enjoy life. Do the things that are positive that bring good energy into your body."

Performing live in front of fans furthers KC's mission.

"I just love what I do. I love performing," he says. "I love the emotion it creates in the audience. It's great to see people having a great time. It makes it all worthwhile."

"Hard Rock Rocks" takes place on Old Falls Street in downtown Niagara Falls USA. The free concert series begins each week at 6 p.m. VIP packages are available. For more information, visit http://www.hardrock.com/niagarafalls.