Reunion

The musical trio known as Reunion have been singing together since 1983. Members of the group include Jim Pike. Jim was the organizer, a founding member, and the lead singer of the famed Lettermen in 1960 with Bobby Engemann and Tony Butala.

The other members of Reunion are Jim’s younger brother, Gary Pike, who joined the Lettermen in 1967, replacing Bobby Engemann who retired from the group. Gary performed vocals on many of the Lettermen’s hit songs. He retired from the Lettermen in 1975. The third member of the trio is Ric de Azevedo, a member of ABC’s first family of song, The King Family. In 1983, Jim and Bobby invited Ric to join them in creating Reunion. In 1997 Gary joined Reunion replacing Bobby Engemann once again. The group sings the popular songs of the 60s-80s with the members of the group singing their greatest hits. To its credit, the trio has received nine gold records and five Grammy nominations.

Jim and Gary have both been inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of fame and have many gold records and awards to their credit. Jim’s solo “Love” was chosen to be on a United Nations Album that went gold and was placed in a time capsule on the moon. As “The Lettermen,” Jim and Gary had an unprecedented forty consecutive hit albums on Billboard Magazine’s national charts.

Jim Pike was born on 6 November 1936 in St. Louis, Missouri, and was raised in Idaho Falls, Twin Falls and Salmon, Idaho. He left the Lettermen in 1975 after losing his voice, leaving him to speak only in whispers for years that followed. His doctors told him that he would never be able to sing again. In 1982, he was called to serve as a counselor in the bishopric of the LDS ward that he was attending. The bishop at that time happened to be Ric’s brother, Lex de Azevedo. Jim was anxious about speaking at the pulpit because of his voice. However, his stake president promised him that if he would serve the Lord, he would be blessed and understood. When he rose to speak to the congregation for the first time as the new counselor, his voice opened and he spoke in rich normal tones that were understood by all. It was that experience that encouraged him to start singing again. He and his wife, Sue, have one daughter who is autistic but can sing beautifully.

Gary Pike was born on 31 July 1944 in Twin Falls, Idaho, and raised in Idaho Falls and Salmon, Idaho. He and his wife, Sharon, who was later diagnosed with Leukemia, had three children. Gary prayed faithfully and intently for his wife’s life, but she passed away on 5 July 2004. Some of his unbelieving friends taunted him with questions like, “What do you think of God now?” He responded that he accepted Heavenly Father’s decision to take her home, realizing that she was needed on the other side. He also bore testimony that for those who believe in God, the sting of death is only temporary, as we will see our loved ones again. Jim’s wife, Sue, later introduced Gary to Becky, and they were married in 2005.

Ric de Azevedo was born on 10 May 1947 in Studio City, California. He was a member of the famed “King Family” television program in the 1960s and 70s. He and his wife Anna have two children. Ric is the brother of composer Lex de Azevedo, and sees himself as the comic relief of Reunion. For most of his teen years, Ric had very little interest in religious matters. However, when Lex asked him to be in the cast of his stage production of Saturday’s Warrior, he became close friends with other members of the cast who helped him to understand the importance of including the Gospel in his life. That is where he met Anna, and they were later married in 1975.

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