Thursday, December 19, 2013
By John Benson
Equal parts disbelief and satisfaction is what Ron “Sonny Boy Hopchick” Hrehovcik feels about the fact that his legendary veteran local group Sacksville Rhythm & Blues Band is still going strong more than three decades later.
“You just keep doing what you’re doing,” said Hrehovcik, who also owns Underdog Records in Hubbard. “I used to go see Muddy Waters and think this guy is older than my father, but he sits up there playing his blues stuff. We never really changed over the years.
“We knew we really didn’t have to keep up on anything. If we were playing blues, all you had to do is change the material from night to night. So there’s room for your Sonny Boy Williamsons and Muddy Waters songs in there.”
Originally a quartet, today the Sacksville Rhythm & Blues Band includes Hrehovcik (guitar), Tony Armeni (trombone), Darryl Balestra (guitar), Mike Klanica (drums), John Plaskett (bass) and Joe Rongone (sax).
Though blues is the glue that holds the act together, Hrehovcik said initially the act decided to add Rhythm & Blues to the name in order to keep blues purists from freaking out over the occasional rock and funk cover.
Early studio albums for the sextet include “Let’s Have a Drink, Let’s Have a Toast” and “Playtime,” as well as numerous live recordings released on cassette.
“When we put out things, it was to see if something sticks,” said Hrehovcik, who played with ’70s group The Todd before forming Sacksville Rhythm & Blues Band. “When we sent our first release to the guy from Alligator Records, he described us as ‘intentionally too loose.’ We didn’t take it as a negative. We wrote a little song, ‘Intentionally Too Loose.’
“We used to say our song ‘Sleazy Love’ was our big hit. We still get radio play now and then. When we put out the albums, we’d be like No. 1 on some college station in Alberta, Canada.”
Part of the group’s legacy includes high-profile opening gigs for the likes of Bob Dylan, NRBQ, Southside Johnny and Michael Stanley. Naturally, opening for Dylan is a high- water mark. That took place in the early ’90s at Stambaugh Auditorium. No, the group didn’t meet the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee.
Today, Sacksville Rhythm & Blues Band has slowed down with age. Most of its members are in their 50s, with Hrehovcik a young 62.
“I’m not surprised we’re still playing,” said Hrehovcik, who also is a member of The Guilty Pleasures. “We’re still trudging along. I guess I thought at some point the band would be over because people wouldn’t want to hear us anymore. But we’re still playing.
That’s all we were trying to achieve, to go out and have a good time.”
The Sacksville Rhythm & Blues Band, which doesn’t use a set list, is booked for a Saturday show at Cedars.
“We’ll play whatever pops into our heads,” Hrehovcik said. “Sometimes we’re all on the same page and it’s like magic.”
In looking for the drive or spirit of the Sacksville Rhythm & Blues Band, Hrehovcik doesn’t really offer an answer. However, in discussing why the outfit likes to play obscure tunes to its audience, the group’s purpose or calling is clear.
Hrehovcik said, “Our thought was if you could get someone to hear something for the first time, then you probably did them a favor.”
With that in mind, it’s been a successful career — with more of it to come — for the legendary Youngstown band.