Ronnie Hawthorne
Ronnie became interested in playing music at a very young age, starting with experimenting on his mama’s pots and pans. His older brother, Elijah, was a lead guitarist in a band, which inspired Ronnie to take up drums in middle school. He purchased his first set of drums from a local pawn shop, then with some friends, created a band named Youngblood, with his brother, Nathaniel, as the manager. They played for high school sock-hop’s, as well as Soul Night for the local skating rink, then on to all sorts of different venues and night clubs throughout SC, NC and GA. Around 2005, Ronnie founded Infinity Remix Band. They currently are a six-member band specializing in Soul, Funk, R&B, and Top 40. Music will always be Ronnie’s passion, giving all thanks to God for blessing him with the gift of being able to play drums.
Michael McBee
Michael McBee, a retired physician, has been lead guitar player for the Infinity Remix Band since 2018. He became interested in playing at the age of eight after seeing his cousin, “Buster”, playing guitar. Michael’s first band consisted of Cousin Melvin and his one snare drum and Michael with a Red Baron electric guitar and amp, rocking some “Dock of the Bay” together. Some of his favorite musical influences include : Al McKay, George Benson, B.B. King, Eddie Hazel from Funkadelic, Earth, Wind and Fire, and of course the Isley Brothers. Favorite singers are Aretha Franklin, Jeffery Osborne, and Will Downing.
Tom Blackwell
Coming from a musical family with three sisters who all played piano, a father who was a singer and song leader as well as the choir director at church, it was natural for Tom to be exposed to music and develop a love for it. Tom started with trombone in the school band in north Florida and played in both the marching band and concert band from 6th grade through the 12th grade, leading the marching band as drum major his senior year. While in high school, a friend of Tom’s needed a bass player for his band, so Tom bought his first electric bass, joined the band and played with them at the local teen town community center. Tom studied Music Education in college in South Florida, continuing with the bass and trombone, on upright bass in the orchestra, and on trombone in jazz ensembles. After earning a BA in Music Education, Tom taught both middle school and high school music and Orchestra.
An opportunity to tour the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico for a year was too good to pass up, so after the tour, Tom landed in Nashville, Tennessee to further pursue music, mainly on the bass. During his 25 years in Nashville, Tom toured with artists and music groups all over the USA, Canada, and the Mediterranean. Tom has also recorded with and helped lead Praise and Worship church music teams in church services.
Tom loves living in the Upstate of South Carolina with his wife Becky, and his two grown sons and continues to help lead his church congregation on praise and worship teams. He will always love his Lord Jesus, his wife, his children, his friends, and our nation, but he still loves grooving with the drummer as well as all things bass-related.
Ronald “Ron-E” Price
Ronald Price, better known as Ron-E, said “playing keyboards was a fluke.” Ron started out in music as a sax player in his high school band. He was playing sax in a band when one day the keyboard player didn’t show up for rehearsal. Ron said, “I know that song on keys,” and after that he was hooked. Ron got some books and taught himself how to play. Building his reputation as a keyboardist in Chicago, he landed his first professional gig in 1983 playing for the legendary Dells. Ron also played with Koko Taylor, Little Milton, Eddie Kendrick and Cherrelle.
In 1985, Ron-E auditioned and landed the second keyboard position for The Chi-Lites. Ron found his home there with them for ten years, eventually becoming Musical Director of the great legendary R&B group of the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s. In 1996, Ron moved to Las Vegas, playing with all the local night club acts, again building his reputation as a top keyboardist.
Ron-E currently lives in Upstate South Carolina, where he plans to make even more music and expand his experiences.
LESLIE MCBEE
Leslie, a registered nurse and realtor, as well as Michael McBee’s sister, has been singing for as long as she can remember. She can’t say she taught herself to sing because she knows God gave her that gift. But she does remember harmonizing with every song she heard when she was a young girl. In her early twenties, Leslie sang with the local jazz band, Night Breeze and has been active with her church choir, and with Divine Vision, for many years. She has been compared with the great Anita Baker, with sultry vocals and smooth moves. Other musical influences include Her, Jill Scott and Aretha Franklin. Leslie considers herself really very shy and a little socially awkward, but when she sings, she becomes the person she is inside- the person she feels! She can express her soul, she’s alive and the world seems just right! So, don’t mind her when she acts a little crazy. . . just join her!
Sakethia Makins
Sakethia Makins, a.k.a. KiKi, is a Greenville, South Carolina native. KiKi, also called “Little Bit” by the band members, started writing music at age fifteen, turning poems into song lyrics. Music has always been her passion, soothing her soul, singing from age eight with the church choir at Shady Grove Baptist Church. KiKi has been influenced by Mary J. Blige, Alicia Keys, India Arie, and Jill Scott. Before IRB, Kiki was front singer with other local R & B bands. KiKi has been part of Infinity Remix Band since 2016 and is forever grateful for the opportunity to share her talent.