MEET

Bill Ruchie

alias "Lars"
alias "Smoothie"

Bill studied the bass and played in the jazz band while a music major at college. He started playing professionally at 16 with the Fifties show band American Grease, winners of the 1975 St. Paul Winter Carnival Talent Contest. Bill went on to become a member of The Cleavettes, a popular Fifties and Sixties show band that played the 5 state ballroom circuit, for six years.

While with the band, Bill had the opportunity to share the stage with the likes of The Coasters, Jewel Akens, Tommy James, and Johnny Rivers, performing as their back-up bands. The Cleavettes also performed many dual shows with local notables as the Rockin' Hollywoods, The Whitesidewalls, and Johnny Holm.

Bill left the full-time circuit to pursue a technical career and raise a family, but still kept playing around the Twin Cities. He joined the variety band Party Town, where he first met Ray Whitney and Bill Spalding. After that band, Bill joined The Options, where he met Michael Menege. Three years ago, Bill joined Nightlife, and now all four are together in Nightlife, one of the most distinctly exciting and colorful bands to come out of the Twin Cities in a long time.