Standing on the stage at the Cavern Club in Liverpool, England listening to a standing ovation, The Sixth Generation drummer David Walenga could not help but think of his Niles roots as he listened to the applause after a performance in 2013.

“Here we are. Just this little group out of Niles,” Walenga said. “We have always told everybody that we are out of Niles. We are proud of that.”

It was those roots combined with a love of music and their Berrien County fans that brought The Sixth Generation bandmates back to their hometown for a final concert at the Berrien County Youth Fair.

The band will take to the stage at 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 19 on the Mall Stage at the Berrien County Youth Fair grounds.

“It is going to be a jam-packed hour and half show,” said Dave Walenga, vocalist and drummer for The Sixth Generation.

To commemorate years of music making and many hits, the band will be re-inducted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. They were first inducted in 2011.

“This is one of the greatest honors that we have received,” Walenga said. “Other than the support and love of our fans, that would be number one. Number two is being recognized by the state.”

The Sixth Generation got its start after forming in 1966. The original bandmates included Fred Bachman, lead singer and guitar player; John Dale, lead guitar player; Ron Hamrick, keyboard, vocals and song writer; Paul Davies, “the general” bass guitar and vocals; Fred Hulce, keyboard and vocals and Walenga, a drummer. All sang vocals and were students at either Niles High School or Buchanan High School.

Influenced by the Beatles, the Buckinghams and other British invasion bands, the high schoolers played covers of their favorite tunes, which would eventually inspire many of their originals. Those wishing to catch a performance could usually hear them play at The Skyliner, in Dowagiac, The White Rabbit, in Niles or the American Legion in Buchanan, to name just a few.

Back then, the band enjoyed playing but never expected to achieve notable fame.

“We are just a bunch of hometown boys that love to make music,” Walenga said.

In their early years, the band released a single on a GMA record called “This is the Time,” which became a regional hit, according to the Michigan Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

After high school, the bandmates’ lives scattered in different directions due to careers, college and the army.

It was a snowy evening in Buchanan in the 1970s, when Walenga recalled their final performance together at the American Legion. As they packed up the van and headed off to the gig, though nobody said anything, the musicians knew it was likely the final time they would play together.

But they were wrong.

Throughout their time apart, some of the bandmates would continue to play their instruments or pursue their own music. In the 1970s, Hamrick had the opportunity to tour with the Eagles and would play keyboard for the band, including a performance in Madison Square Gardens.

In 2010, Walenga visited with Davies. The friends were sitting on the back porch talking when Davies’ daughter suggested that they get the band back together. The two friends pondered why they hadn’t thought of the idea earlier.

“When we quit in the 1970s, it was unfinished business,” Walenga said. “We had more music to make.”

After 40 years of being apart, the band gathered at a spot in Mishawaka to rehearse, recalled Davies, when word got out that the band had returned and was back together.

“At least 30 people showed up out of nowhere,” Davies said. “I had no idea how they found out about it. We actually had to put on a show, after not playing for 40 years. We got away with it I guess.”

That experience, said Hamrick, helped to solidify the band’s passion to play music together again. While the two of the bandmates have since retired, including Fred Bachman and John Dale. The band has continued to play, despite living in different cities, Walenga in Baltimore, Maryland; Davies, in Niles and Hamrick in Burke, Virginia and Fred Hulce, of Grand Rapids.

Since re-uniting, the musicians have created several hits, including a “Living in a Small Town” which reached number two on the Billboard Hot Singles Sales chart Aug. 1, 2015. The song was just below The Rolling Stones version of “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.”

“Living in a Small Town” was inspired by Niles and the then teens’ time spent cruising the streets and hanging out in the drive in.

The band would continue on to have many other claims to fame, including the chance to play at the Cavern Club in Liverpool, England on July 7, 2013. The club is known for the place where the Beatles once cut their musical chops playing.

“It was really amazing to be on that stage,” Hamrick said. “Adele had played there the night before … and there we were.”

The experience was further solidified when Hamrick said he went to borrow one of the club’s microphones.

“The stage manager said, ‘oh, you can’t use that it belongs to Ringo [Starr],” Hamrick said with a chuckle.

Despite having earned fans from all over the world, the band is glad to be back home. And while this is the last scheduled performance, Walenga remains hopeful for at least one more performance down the line.

“You never want to say never,” Walenga said.