The Sunrays


The Sunrays were an American band from Pacific Palisades, California. The group was led by singer/songwriter/drummer Rick Henn, who was a friend of The Beach Boys member Carl Wilson. Other members of the band were guitarists Eddy Medora and Byron Case, keyboard player Marty DiGiovanni, and bassist Vince Hozier.

Career

Their first job as the Renegades was at the Seaside Session at Palisades Park in Pacific Palisades. In 1961 they teamed up with Larry Tremaine, and became Larry Tremaine and the Renegades, a rock and roll cover band, consisting of: Larry Tremaine, Steve O'Riley, Marty DiGiovanni, Rick Henn, Eddy Medora, and Vince Hozier. Tremaine booked them every week at radio dances, UCLA, clubs, celebrity parties, and corporate events.
They appeared at Crescendo Interlude on the Sunset Strip with Joey Dee and the Starliters, the Teen Age Fair at Pacific Ocean Park, the after party for the 1963 Academy Awards, The Bob Eubanks TV Dance Party, and every Friday night as the house dance party band at the San Bernardino, California Civic Auditorium.
In 1963, Tremaine went into the radio stations KBLA and KRLA, and later television, and became the host of the syndicated nationwide Casino Royale Dance Party.
In 1964, Murry Wilson, the father of Brian, Carl, and Dennis Wilson of The Beach Boys, started managing them and changed their name to The Sunrays. Eddy Medora switched from the saxophone to rhythm guitar. Steve O'Riley, who played lead guitar and sang, left the band when "I Live for the Sun" began to break, saying "I don't wanna be in the group anymore, I think I can make it on my own." O'Riley was replaced by Byron Case.
Their hits included "I Live for the Sun" , "Andrea" , and "Still" .
They toured the United States and opened for the Beach Boys in the U.S. and Canada.

Discography

Singles