NILES —  Members from Niles’ Sixth Generation band recently collaborated with other musicians to create a single that was released internationally earlier this month. The song “Old Dogs, New Tricks” pays homage to musicians Dave Walenga and Paul Davies’ unrelenting rock and roll spirit.

The song was released in the U.S. and England and is available for purchase on Amazon. Walenga, formerly of Niles, but currently from Baltimore, visited Niles for his 50th Niles High School class reunion and described the song from an interview at Brew Ha Ha.

“It’s a bluesy, funky, toe-tapping, put a smile on your face song,” Walenga said.

The song opens with the words: “Living in the ‘60s some 50 years ago, at the Spin It Record Shop listening to the Beatles and the Stones.”

As in past Sixth Generation songs, that particular line alludes to life growing up in Niles, when youth visited the Spin It Record Shop to get the newest music and where Walenga had his first job cleaning floors. At the end of the day he would get to spin any record he wanted.

While the shop is long gone, it was one of many things about Niles that inspired his love for music.

Walenga started writing “Old Dogs, New Tricks” last year and hopes that it shows that music ability can transcend age.

“Here I am at my age and I take a look at my dad and grandpa especially and they would have never, ever done anything like this,” Walenga said. “They were retired. They were 68 [and] it was time to sit back and put on a cardigan sweater. [But] I still got music in me.”

When people hear “Old Dogs, New Tricks,” Davies, of Niles, said he hopes it makes them feel a bit of nostalgia.

“A trip down memory lane,” he said.

Because the song has only recently been released, Walenga and Davies have not gotten much local feedback. However, they said fan anticipation for the song was high.

Walenga and Davies recorded the song with George Bilenki, a co-writer and guitarist, and Paul Lojewski, who played the harmonica track that gives the song its blues inspired feel.

“It takes a while to get a song that is close to perfect in my ears and this was as close to perfect as can be,” Walenga said.

The Sixth Generation got their start playing in 1966. They shared their music and inspired fandom playing at local Niles venues and clubs. They went on to achieve many notable accomplishments in the years that they played music together. Last summer, the band played their final show together at the Berrien County Youth Fair, where they were re-inducted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The band has also completed tours across Europe.

In Niles, Walenga said he attributes the band’s popularity to their passion for music.

“We were serious about what we did but never took ourselves serious,” Walenga said. “We got on stage and people always had a great time. We gave them more than what we bargained for.”

For those who listen to the single, Walenga said he hopes it leaves them with a smile.

“If people smile when they listen, if they are tapping their toes, if it motivates them to turn and go ‘I like that. That was a happy song.’ That’s all you can ask as a songwriter.”