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PHOTOS COURTESY OF KEN POWERS IN THEIR OWN WORDS:
MEET THE STONE HILL BAND
fer to help out with anything he needed. The word was put out, and
before long, Sun City musicians were – quite literally – knocking at By Rae Gill and the members of the Stone Hill Band
Ken’s door.
The Stone Hill Band was formed in the summer of
“One day Rae Gill just knocked on my door,” recalls Ken. “She brought 2014 through a shared love of music, and a desire to
a guitar, and we just jammed for three hours.” A multilingual vocalist share this love with Sun City neighbors. The band
whose Gary-based group, Raven, had opened for the likes of Billy Eck- is named for the Stone Hill neighborhood (Neighbor-
stine, The Spaniels and The Dells, Rae’s was not the only captivating hood 57), where the majority of the band’s members
voice to join the group. Fellow Neighborhood 57 resident Bill Reeves, live.
a cantor at St. Helen Catholic Church, provided a passion for rock ‘n’ Ken Powers, Keyboard, Band Leader
roll while Larry Wasson lent a country-western flavor to the band.
In high school, Ken’s rock group, “The Corvettes,”
When the band’s original drummer Fred Kandel bowed out due to played throughout California’s Central Valley. Ken
other commitments, the band met Chuck Rauch, a former Chicagoan has sung with barbershop quartets, 100 man choirs
with an array of musical tastes. Retirement had allowed Chuck to and everything in-between. A member of the Sun
resume the instrument he had loved in his youth, and he was ready City Texas Computer Club, Ken is currently tak-
to make some noise. Stone Hill Band’s newest member, guitarist Tom ing bridge lessons and enjoys working out in the
Kassawara, rounded out the ensemble. fitness center.
Larry Wasson, Vocalist
Though members of the band come from a wide range of backgrounds,
Ken asserts that their eclectic talents are an asset. “We may be a Previously the singer for a country western band
band of misfits, but together we just make sense.” in Atwater, California, Larry now provides church
choirs with that wonderful bass “bottom” so appre-
It doesn’t hurt that all members are trained musicians capable of ciated in ballads and love songs. Larry spends his
reading music, and that most have performed professionally. “It’s al- spare time volunteering as an usher for Georgetown’s
lowed us to quickly gel together and develop our own sound,” says Ken, Palace Theater.
who adds that the group hopes to debut original work later this year. Rae Gill, Vocalist
“We just love to play,” laughs Ken, who takes on the tone of a proud Rae hails from Gary, Indiana, where she was a
parent when talking about the band. “We love to play, and we love to member of the R&B band “Raven.” Over the course
entertain. Seeing our friends and neighbors out on the floor, dancing of 30 years, the band opened for numerous musical
and having fun – that’s where it counts. That’s the goal.” legends, including The Ohio Players, The Dells and
Dee Clark. Rae is active in the WGA 9-Hole Club,
*** Solos, the Foreign Language Club, the Computer
Club and Zoomers.
Back at the Sun City Texas Homecoming, the dancefloor is packed. Bill Reeves, Vocalist
Residents twist and shout, shaking their heads with abandon. Couples
sashay across the floor, some with choreographed twirls, others just Bill has spent more than 30 years performing in nu-
happy to be holding onto one another. As the ballroom slowly dims, merous church choirs and ensembles, and previously
the stage burns even brighter. Spotlights? Perhaps. Or maybe neigh- sang for a musical group of SCUBA divers known
bors spent their day dancing, illuminated by the glow of the Stone as the “Bubble Tones.” Bill is currently a member of
Hill Band. the cantor group for Saturday evening mass at St.
Helen Catholic Church.
ONLINE: SCTEXAS.ORG Tom Kassawara, Guitar
Growing up in New York City, Tom played in a band
called “New York Central.” After signing with RCA
Records in 1973, the group toured the East Coast,
opening for acts such as Roy Buchanan and Black
Oak Arkansas. He plays all kinds of music, but Tom
is still a rock ‘n’ roller at heart.
Chuck Rauch, Drummer
A recent addition to the Stone Hill Band, Chuck has
been drumming since he was 10 years old. Though
his playing took a hiatus while Chuck raised his fam-
ily and pursued his career, retirement has allowed
him to pick up his sticks once more. He loves to see
the joy his audiences get from his art.
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