Under contract with MCA for about 3 and a half years, Dyna-Might never had a hit, but Simon considers his show business career a success. "We were successful in the fact that we were never out of work -- except for those times when we took a vacation -- we always had work."
Working with "big names" in show business was just part of job, said Simon. They were, for the most part, ordinary folks. "The ones who are the biggest stars are really, really nice people. It's the stars for the moment though that sometimes are difficult. " He remembers Sonny and Cher as very easy to work with. Ditto for actors Omar Sharif and James Mason.
Marriage and family responsibilities finally convinced Simon to look for another career. Eventually he started working in insurance sales and later in sales management. That career lasted 16 years.
After passage of Proposition 103 in California, he said he faced the unpleasant task of firing all his employees.
West Heart came together to record the theme song for Kansas Special Olympics, "I Can Do Anything." Recently they played the song for Kansas City Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremonies at the Folly Theatre. Response to that song was so good they decided to collaborate on a single.
The other members of West Heart have solid solid performance backgrounds too.
Gary Kuzmich, a rhythm guitarist known as "Kuz," began his career in 1964 playing in a rock and roll band with current country star Hank Ketchum. He is a singer, songwriter and co-founder of the Boulevard Group, Inc., an entertainment and sports consulting firm in Overland Park.
Tom Commerford, is also a co-founder of the Boulevard Group, plays the keyboard, sings lead or back-up and is a songwriter, arranger and producer. He is the co-writer of the song "Lady Liberty," which was one of the songs chosen for the rededication of the Statue of Liberty: "I Can Do Anything," theme song for the Kansas Special Olympics: and West Heart's new release.
Lead singer Lupe Munoz sang with several local bands until 1983 when he started performing solo as "Lupe." He was the featured performer at the Harris House for 4 and a half years.
Brian Griffith, lead and rhythm guitar, has been playing for over 14 years and studied at the Guitar Institute of Technology in Los Angeles. He has performed with several bands throughout the Midwest before joining West Heart.
Playing drums and singing back-up is Bryan Vignery or "Rock." Rock has been playing drums since he was 5 years old and been a member of a band since he was 15.
Simon, who plays a fretless electric bass guitar, has kept his hand in the music business as a songwriter, arranger and producer and is always looking for new projects.
Maturity, said Simon, is West Heart's strength with three band members over 40. His advice to aspiring musicians might be that making music isn't the only thing to the business. Musi is music," he said, "and once the production is done, the music is over. Then it's about sales and promotion.'
With experience in sales and fund raising, Simon can handle that part too.
Lee's Summit Journal - Monday December 27. 1993 - By Judy Hackemeyer, the Journal Staff