Bluestone Union

Bluestone Union is now back and rocking, as a 5-man band, specializing in 1960's thru 1990's well known, guitar driven, rock covers by such classic bands as: The Beatles; The Rolling Stones; The Who; The Kinks; The Moody Blues; The Byrds; Thin Lizzy; Tom Petty; Bob Dylan and more!

Originally, a union of two bands: The 1971 version of Bluestone Union was three Mentor, Ohio members of The Celebration: Mike Kwitowski - lead vocalist; Kirt Campbell - keyboards, bass guitar and lead vocals and Bill Callaghan - rhythm guitar and vocals, joining up with Bluestone Union members: Ron Sukalac, Mentor, Ohio - lead guitar and vocals, Wally Gunn, South Euclid, Ohio - drums and vocals and Gary Braden, Cleveland Heights, Ohio - bass guitar, keyboards and vocals.

After many rehearsals in Mentor, Ohio, and handful of live gigs at The Union Jack, at Noble and Mayfield Rds., in South Euclid. Gary Braden secured a booking and Bluestone Union got a big break! They opened for The Raspberries, on 11/25/71, Thanksgiving night, at The Chesterland Hullabaloo teen club. This holiday evening performance resulted with a record breaking attendance of over 900 teens! The Raspberries went on to tour and record four albums for Capitol Records and Bluestone Union was invited back to play the club.

Chesterland Hullabaloo owner/manager, Don Parsons saw something in this young band and invited them to rehearse on stage, at his teen club the next Sunday afternoon. His intent was to showcase the band. He invited local band and club entrepreneur, Otto Neuber, to fine tune the band and to see if he was interesting in booking and/or managing Bluestone Union. Otto agreed and started booking the band all over North East Ohio. Later, the band entered a working relationship with Jim Quinn, a guitarist and business leader with United Artist recording rock group, Damnation of Adam Blessing. Jim became their manager and booking agent, in 1973. Jim booked this college-age band into every style of rock venue available then. Concerts, teen clubs, bars, parties, college, high school, CYO dances and events, locally and regionally.

Every "name" rock club in the North East Ohio area, featured Bluestone Union!!!!!

This line up stayed together until 1974 and played many live venues throughout the region for thousands of rock music fans. Highlights being two well attended concerts at Mentor High School Auditorium, opening for National recording artists, Brownsville Station and Cleveland's Michael Stanley. Bluestone Union continued to support the Raspberries and International recording star, Chubby Checker at a sold out, Utopia night club concert, in 1973. Jane Scott, the legendary Cleveland Plain Dealer, newspaper entertainment journalist and reporter, spotlighted Bluestone Union, in a full page story, on November 16, 1973!

2013 marks 42 years since it's inception. Bluestone Union has reformed, keeping it in the family, with Mike O'Neill of The Celebration, replacing Bill Callaghan, as second guitarist. Bill is now living in Atlanta, Georgia and working with the Center of Disease Control. Kirt Campbell is back to playing bass from keyboards. Original bass guitarist/keyboard player/song writer, Gary Braden, is now the keyboard player and leader of Soul'd Out! A working RnB band, out of Akron, Ohio. Ron Arnett, original sound man with his son, Mike, have rejoined and original roadie and driver, Ken Gibson has also returned to help the band.

Bluestone Union will professionally, rock your club or event with classic dance songs! Your customers will love it!!!