 It all began with the ukulele that his father had given to him as a young boy. “I picked up the instrument and just learned how to play,” states Santa Clarita resident, Rudy Struyck.Born in 1943, in Makassar, Indonesia, Rudy is the oldest of eight brothers and sisters. He and his family moved to Holland before immigrating to the United States. It was in Holland, where Rudy started developing a love for music. After moving to the U.S., Rudy continued his love for music and joined a band in the mid 1960’s…The Dimensions Five. “There were five of us, and I played lead guitar, and sometimes bass every now and then” states Rudy. The band split after two of its members were drafted to the army. The breakup of The Dimensions Five led to an opportunity for Rudy to play in Thee Entertainers Revue Inc., which consisted of Ron Kakebeen as lead singer and guitarist, Rene Kakebeen on drums, Freddy Kakebeen on saxophone, Jeff Middleton on saxophone, Teddy Middleton on trombone and bass, George “Tiny“ Bustamente on trumpet and bass, Mario Manzano on trumpet and Dino Kakebeen on bari and congas. Rudy joined this group of talented individuals as their lead guitarist and together they rehearsed hours on end. The group performed everywhere…from proms to USO tours and more. “We put on one heck of a show,” states Rudy. The group played with heart and soul and specialized in music from James Brown, Temptations, and The Magnificent Men, to name a few. “We loved to perform, especially for the troops. We were their entertainment, their escape, amidst a time of war.” Thee Entertainers travelled from gig to gig performing their hearts out for their fans. Off stage, they were friends, and their families would get together for trips to the lake, mountains or the desert. “Rudy was an integral part of the rhythm section of our soul band,” states bandmate Ron Kakebeen. “He contributed a great fun attitude on and off stage, on picnics and road trips and rehearsals… He might be small, but he has giant respect and love from me and the rest of the band members.” In 1969, Ron received his notice to be drafted into the army. He and Thee Entertainers took the stage as a group one last time at The Jean London Show based at Camp Pendleton. The Jean London Show ran from 1966 to 1972, and over 750,000 servicemen attended. The show was the longest-running one of its kind in the history of the armed forces. While some of the members of the band joined the army, others continued with their full time jobs, married and started families of their own. Two of the bandmembers, Jeff and Geoffrey Middleton have since passed, but are remembered fondly for their contribution to the group. Rudy continued working as a full time machinist, eventually starting his own machining company. He and his wife Joan moved to the Santa Clarita Valley in the late 1980’s and have two children and four grandchildren. “I still love to play the guitar, and have been blessed to pass my love for music onto my kids and grandkids.” Nearly four decades later, the band reunited to play for crowds once again. Thee Entertainers and Thee Esquires, another group who had performed alongside the band in the 60’s, came together for one night. The musicians brought their fans back in time by singing hits from an era many loved. “It was a great experience to reconnect some 44 years later. We brought our music to life once again, and seeing our friends and family all under one roof was unforgettable.” And unforgettable it was. As I sat back and watched my father perform with the band I had only seen in photos and heard about in stories, I couldn’t help but get up and dance, smile and be proud to be his number one fan…and his daughter.
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