What is Harry Wayne Casey's Net Worth?
Harry Wayne Casey is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and producer with a net worth of $10 million. Born in Opa-Locka, Florida, he founded KC and the Sunshine Band in 1973. The band debuted as KC and the Sunshine Junkanoo Band but changed its name and added members the following year. They gained notice in the UK for their unique mix of funk, disco, and R&B before breaking through in the United States in 1975. KC and the Sunshine Band created hits like "Get Down Tonight," "That's the Way (I Like It)," "(Shake Shake Shake) Shake Your Booty," "I'm Your Boogie Man," "Keep It Comin' Love," and "Please Don't Go." After a solo career attempt and surviving a severe accident, Casey took a hiatus but returned to perform and tour regularly with the band by the mid-90s, continuing to perform worldwide.
Early Life
Harry Wayne Casey was born on January 31, 1951, in Opa-locka, Florida. Influenced by church organ music, he took piano lessons and held backyard concerts for friends and family. As a teenager, he joined the band Five Doors Down and grew up in Hialeah, graduating from Hialeah High School in 1969. Casey attended Miami-Dade Junior College and worked various part-time jobs, including at a drugstore and a record store.
KC and The Sunshine Band
While working at the record store, Casey befriended employees of TK Records and Tone Distributors, leading to a job in the warehouse. Meeting bassist Richard Finch, they experimented in the studio, heavily influenced by Motown and pop bands. Their first professional recording as KC and the Sunshine Band was "Blow Your Whistle" in 1973, followed by "Sound Your Funky Horn" in 1974—in both tracks doing well on U.S. R&B charts. They also wrote "Rock Your Baby" for George McCrae, which topped R&B and pop charts.
The band gained popularity in Europe with the 1974 hit "Queen of Clubs" and toured Europe before releasing their self-titled album in 1975. That year, they garnered U.S. fame with "Get Down Tonight" and "That's the Way (I Like It)." Their success continued with more hits and the Grammy-winning album "The Sound of Sunshine" in 1975. "Boogie Shoes," featured in the "Saturday Night Fever" soundtrack, and albums like "Who Do You Love" and "Do You Wanna Go Party" followed in 1977 and 1979, respectively.
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As disco declined in the 1980s, the band included ballads like "Please Don't Go," hitting the top pop chart in 1980. With TK Records' bankruptcy in 1980, the band signed with Epic Records but saw less success and eventually broke up.
Casey released a few pop albums before a severe car accident in 1982 left him injured and requiring a year of recovery. He returned with the 1983 UK hit "Give It Up," which his U.S. label refused to release. Casey formed the independent label MECA to regain rights and release "Give It Up," which became a U.S. top 20 hit. Since the 1990s, he has continued touring with KC and the Sunshine Band.
Personal Life
Harry Wayne Casey resides in Miami Lakes, Florida. He keeps his personal life private, has never been publicly known to be married, and does not share personal stories on social media or discuss having children.
