Harry Potter may have invaded America from England, but Cayuga County's own Worlocks returned the favor.

The Worlocks was formed in Port Byron in the early 1960s and played original rock music, as well as covers of popular music of the time.

“We would play anything we liked, and anything that was really popular at the time,” said lead singer and organist Denny Ball. “I was a huge Stones fan, and (lead guitarist Billy Smith) loved the Beatles, so we played a lot of their stuff. Everything we got for the band we got so we could play better.”

Started by Ball and Smith, the band also included Pat Thomas on rhythm guitar and Jackie Donovan on drums. All four were between the ages of 14 to 18 when the band began.

“We would do a lot of things by ear,” remembered Ball. “I would come in and say, 'Hey Billy, let's do this song,' and he wouldn't want to because we hadn't played it before. So I would hum through it, and we would pick it up and just play it that night.”

They laid down a record in 1965, and while never gaining nationwide fame, remained locally popular as it played gigs like Port Byron High School's sock hop, the Albee Hotel or the Savannah Ski Lodge.

“Every time we performed, there was never an empty seat or an empty dance floor,” Ball said.

The band's bass guitarist, Joe Smith, also remembers the fun people had at their shows.

“That was the best part for me,” said Smith. “I loved watching people dance, and when I got the chance, I would dance too.”

The band faced some changes in 1967. Donovan left and was replaced by Bob France behind the kit.

Lead singer Denny Ball recalled, “Bob was a great drummer, but Jackie was amazing. He was one of the most underrated drummers in New York state, and one of the best. If he hadn't stopped playing, he would have been a professional drummer with a professional band,” Ball said. “He was a little guy. He was 5-foot-1, but man, he played like he was 6-foot-10.”

The Worlocks' future was cut short in 1969. Ball was drafted into the Navy, and the band split up after he left.

Unbeknownst to the members of the band, their music lived on across the Atlantic Ocean. Discogs.com lists their single “I Love You” as appearing on several compilations of obscure rock punk from the 1960s, released from Germany to Australia. The most striking revelation to the band members was that copies of their record have sold on eBay for more than $1,000.

Ball, who moved to California after the band split up, was recently back in the Finger Lakes area for a family reunion.

“I was just hanging out with Billy (Smith), and we were reminiscing. Someone started punching this stuff into the Internet and found the other records and the auction.” Ball expressed amazement, “I mean, our record was a good one, but I had no idea it would end up like this. It was like the movie ‘Eddie and the Cruisers,' where a band breaks up and gets real popular 30 years later.”

Joe Smith remembers finding out about the group's late success: “As soon as Denny found out, he called me. It took us a long time to get there, but we did. All of us had a good time, we never made much money, but we never really wanted to. It was all about having fun.”

The new success was bittersweet for Ball, however.

“The bad part is that we were never contacted. We didn't give any permission, and we never got any recognition or royalties,” he said. “All the members of the band are still alive, and the other guys all still live around Port Byron and Auburn, and here our record is selling in England for a lot of money.”

Though the Worlocks have been disbanded for about 40 years, the door may not be closed forever.

“We keep talking about having a reunion for some benefit or charity,” Ball said. “It may take a while, and it could be really expensive for me to come out from California, but I would love it. I can't wait.”