Stuck In Time
Band of Brothers
story by HEATHER STEINBERGER photos by SUSAN DELOACH
In a quiet neighborhood off Ribaut Road, laughter rolls in waves from a comfortable, shady porch. A group of gray-haired gentlemen are gathered here for a band rehearsal, but at the moment, they are taking a break.
The band is only two years old, but the musicians’ lively banter and good-natured ribbing hints at much older relationships. As it turns out, this is true.
Each member had a unique journey to arrive at this moment, but their paths crossed closely and often. They forged friendships in Beaufort’s vibrant 1960s and 70s music scene, and those bonds have endured.
Today, Greg Torrey Sr., Chris Torrey, Bill Lubekey, David North, and Wayne Grabenbauer Jr. are the Stuck In Time Band. And, for the first time, they are scheduled to play at the Beaufort Water Festival, headlining the Lowcountry Supper at Waterfront Park on Thursday, July 18.
Brothers Greg and Chris are two of nine children in the Torrey family, and creativity is in their blood. Their grandfather was a professional violinist and artist in Key West, Florida; their mother was an award-winning artist; and several siblings are accomplished artists and musicians themselves.
“My mom gave me a snare drum and cymbal, and I banged on it until I was sick of it,” Greg says with a laugh. “My brother, Mike, got the electric guitar and amp that I wanted. I was drawn to the guitar. I could pick it up just by listening to it.”
Their father’s service in the U.S. Marine Corps brought the family to Beaufort in 1971. As a high school student, Greg started to play guitar with some friends.
“I really caught the bug,” he recalls.
When the family moved again in 1978, Greg decided to stay in the Sea Islands. He graduated from the Technical College of the Lowcountry, pursued a career in construction, and started his own business in 1995.
Over the years, Greg played with several local bands as well as three church bands. After his retirement from Torrey Construction in 2018, he and several other musicians enjoyed weekly jam sessions and played for family functions.
“We have a big family, so we’d be playing for 40 or more people every time,” Greg says. “We were a professionally practicing band!”
His younger brother, Chris, left town with the family in 1978. As soon as he graduated from high school in Maryland, he immediately moved back to Beaufort.
“I loved the people, the weather, and how close it is to the water,” Chris explains. “I loved that it was a small town. I loved all the things you could do here. So I came back, and Greg took me under his wing.”
Chris worked with Greg in construction and with their brother, Andy, at an electrical company. He got married, worked at a moving and storage business with his father-in-law, and eventually joined the Burton Fire Department, where he served for 27 years.
“I love those guys so much and am grateful for the years I was able to spend working alongside them,” he says.
During Chris’s childhood, he watched his older siblings pick up instruments. He listened and dabbled a little, learning guitar along the way; he even tried the drums in high school, an experience that would prove valuable later.
“When my brother and his friends lost their drummer in 2020, they asked me to play with them,” Chris says. “This is my first band, and it’s crazy good! I have to pinch myself.”
David North also was part of those early jam sessions. The youngest of six children, he grew up on Lady’s Island in a musical family; his mother sang, and two uncles played guitar.
“I received my first guitar at 14 years old,” he says. “I also picked up other instruments — banjo, fiddle, flute, keyboard, harmonica, tambourine — but my passion is singing.”
In 1971, David moved to Marblehead, Massachusetts, where he played his first gig at age 18. He didn’t stay in the northeast for long, however, returning to Beaufort in 1974.
“I couldn’t stand the cold,” he says.
David formed the North Star Band with another Beaufort-based musician, Luis Gonzalez, in 1982. They became well-known, and when North Star disbanded, multiple new bands took off.
In 2020, David retired from taxi driving and spent more time jamming with Greg’s group. Then, in November 2022, destiny called: Greg’s wife, Sonnie, suggested that they play for the general public.
Stuck In Time was born. The band played a whopping 52 gigs that first year (and is on track to beat that number in 2024). The musicians’ energetic renditions of popular 1960s, 70s, and 80s tunes quickly made Stuck In Time a beloved local institution.
Bill Lubekey joined the band in 2022. Sonnie Torrey called to ask if he would be interested.
“He came to practice, and we meshed together right away,” Greg remembers. “I’ve known Bill most of my life. I saw him as a teenager, and even back then, I envied how he played guitar. I don’t think anyone else can do what he does.”
Also the child of a Marine, Bill grew up in Oceanside, California. He got his first guitar when he was 12 years old.
“The Beatles were my heroes,” he says with a smile.
The Lubekeys arrived in Beaufort in 1965, and as a high school student, Bill started playing with local bands like the Melody Makers. Then he hit the road.
“I was full-time on the road in my 20s and 30s, living in motels, eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches,” he says. “I traveled up and down the East Coast with stars in my eyes and the moon as my target, but I always considered Beaufort my home.”
Drawing inspiration from legends like Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan, Bill played rock and roll, and hard blues for more than 50 years in “more bands than I can remember.” When Sonnie called, he was ready for something new.
“I’d heard good things about Stuck In Time, and it proved to be a great fit,” Bill says. “Our first practice was phenomenal. There was great camaraderie.”
“We do cuss,” David interjects, grinning.
“We’re all emotional people,” Bill observes, returning the smile. “I knew these guys at a distance over the years. I saw David in high school, watched him progress as a musician, and admired him. Greg always had people at his house playing music, and Chris is like a little brother to me too.”
“Musicians have a tendency to draw together,” Greg remarks.
“We draw energy from each other,” Bill agrees. “I got such hospitality from these guys, and such a welcome from their wives. All the ladies are involved.”
“If they didn’t like it, we wouldn’t do it,” David says.
Recently, Stuck In Time welcomed another new member, Wayne Grabenbauer Jr. Like the Torreys and Lubekeys, the Grabenbauers were a USMC family.
“My parents left the wintery north and moved to Beaufort to raise their family,” says Wayne, who was born in Quantico, Virginia. The family originally hailed from Des Moines, Iowa, and “couldn’t wait to get out of there for warmer temperatures.”
Beaufort quickly became home. Gabby Grabenbauer, Wayne’s father, served 23 years with USMC and, upon retirement, served as president of the Beaufort Chamber of Commerce, Beaufort Rotary Club, and Knights of Columbus. He also was the owner and founder of Bygone Days Antique Cars.
Wayne attended local schools, from kindergarten out past the air base to Beaufort High. As a teen, he started hanging around other local musicians, including current bandmates.
“My older sister, Debbie, was Miss Beaufort, so they tolerated me back then,” he says with a chuckle.
“It was fascinating, how many talented musicians we had here,” he continues. “It was an impressive music scene. We had excellent bands and plenty of places to play. I’m thankful to have been part of it.”
After high school, Wayne joined the U.S. Coast Guard. His four years of service gave him opportunities to travel, but Beaufort still called him home.
“I remember getting off the plane in Hawaii when I was 18 years old, and I didn’t know a single person,” he remembers. “I had an overwhelming feeling of loneliness, and that was eye-opening. I told myself that once I got my feet back in Beaufort, I would never leave again.”
Wayne did return to Beaufort, where he built a career with a paper company called Union Camp Corporation. He married and raised his children here, and he maintained connections to friends and music.
“Many of us played in various local bands for different reasons and at different times, depending on work, marriages, and families,” he says. “I played in a number of bands that included Bill; he inspired many of us in the early days with his guitar talent and slide guitar work.
“We were a tightly knit group, those of us who went to school here in the 70s,” he adds. “We have all these shared memories, and musically, we are all one big family.”
That family feeling lies at the heart of Stuck In Time, and it resonates with audiences, who catch performances at local venues, like The Fillin’ Station, Seaside Bar & Grill, Shellring Ale Works, Tomfoolery, and Fripp Island Resort’s Sandbar.
The band also has played at the City of Beaufort’s Taste of Beaufort and First Friday events. At press time, they were busy preparing for their performance at the 68th Annual Beaufort Water Festival.
“This band fulfills my desire to be a musician and has given me great friendships,” Bill says. “The success we’ve enjoyed together in such a short time is remarkable, and being chosen to headline the Lowcountry Supper during the 2024 Water Festival is an honor. It makes me proud to be part of this.”
Conversation winds down, and the band moves inside for a rousing rendition of the 1961 Elvis Presley single “Little Sister.” Their chemistry is palpable, revealing that these men remain deeply bound by their shared love of music, friendship, and home.
“We never thought this adventure would take off like it has, but here we are,” Chris says.
“I am thankful for all my band brothers,” David adds, “and the opportunity to do what we all love.”
For information about the Beaufort Water Festival and a full schedule, visit www.bftwaterfestival.com. For details about upcoming Stuck In Time Band performances, and to join their online community, visit www.facebook.com/groups/690962898859164.
