Peter Rivera, former drummer/vocalist for Rare Earth, got together with Sugarloaf's keyboardist/vocalist Jerry Corbetta and Iron Butterfly guitarist/vocalist Mike Pinera in 1992.
"Jerry and Mike were in a traveling group called 30 Years of Rock," Rivera said during a phone interview from his home in Spokane, Wash. "It was a big cavalcade of artists, and they got tired and pulled out.
The two called Rivera to see if he would be interested in forming another group.
"We sat down and talked about putting an all-star band together," Rivera said. "Everybody's (former) bands had hit records. And we wanted to see how it worked out."
The group was dubbed the Classic Rock All Stars and played a couple of shows in early 1992.
"Pretty soon agents called and said they could book us at various events," Rivera said. "Then it was 1993, and we realized we had made a living for that year. So we decided to keep going. Now it's 18 years later."
The Classic Rock All Stars play the hits from their respective bands.
"Mike had 'In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida' with Iron Butterfly, and he was with Alice Cooper for three or four albums and also had his own big single called 'Ride Captain Ride,' " Rivera said. "Jerry had Sugarloaf hits with 'Green-Eyed Lady' and 'Don't Call Us,' and he spent time with Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons."
Rivera's only band was Rare Earth, which he left in 1983.
"My kids were born, and I didn't want to be on the road," he said. "For the next nine years I stayed home and raised my kids and went broke."
In all seriousness, he said he wanted to raise his kids.
"I just didn't want to miss the Little League and all that," he said. "I made that decision and knew it was going to hurt financially. Fortunately, I had a piece of nest egg that would help. So it was really good to work with the All Stars because it's paid our bills and we're able to keep our homes."
When not touring with the All Stars, Rivera is still creating music.
"I do a lot of commercials and other songs," he said.
One new song is called "Look What We've Done," and the video can be found on his website — www.peterrivera.com.
"It's all about the downside of Detroit and how things have been hurting with all the factories closing," he said. "It's one of those social kinds of things."
Social involvement isn't new to the All Stars. They play at a lot of charity fundraisers.
"We're there to entertain and give the people some fun and rally behind their causes."
The Utah concert is designed to raise support for the Wolf Creek Foundation, which holds retreats for Hill Air Force Base military and wounded U.S. soldiers who are being treated through the Landstuhl Hospital Care Project.
Concert-goers are encouraged to donate pre-paid, 120-minute phone cards and plain, black-jersey shorts of all sizes. The cards and shorts will be given to the sick and wounded soldiers. And those donating will get $10 off on the carload admission price.
"That's a cool thing," Rivera said. "It's nice to see people doing stuff for them."
If you go...
What: Classic Rock All Stars: Mike Pinera of Iron Butterfly, Peter Rivera of Rare Earth, Jerry Corbetta of Sugarloaf
Where: Wolf Creek Ski Resort, 3567 E. Nordic Valley Way, Liberty
When: Saturday, Aug. 21, 8 p.m.
Cost: $20 per carload
e-mail: scott@desnews.com