Blue Skies Forever Tour at The Levoy

Electric Light Orchestra—the prog rock band that many would credit with the movement itself—oozed U.K. Then again, they all did. Yes, the Moody Blues and Emerson, Lake & Palmer.

But this is about a concert by the Orchestra, once known as ELO Part II, comprised of a handful of members of ELO remaining after the group disbanded in the mid-1980s.

And then there’s Eric Troyer, not a former ELO member. Troyer plays keyboards and writes songs for the Orchestra, which performs its classically framed Beatlesque music on the Blue Skies Forever Tour at Levoy Theatre on Sunday, March 15.

If you speak to Troyer for a few minutes, you might not realize that he has a slight English accent.

“I spent a lot of time in the U.K., he says. Truth is, despite its history, the Orchestra has way more Americans than Brits.

ELO Part II was created from with the blessing of co-founder Jeff Lynne. He didn’t horde the name from his bandmates.

Lynne is back on the road with another ELO. Unlike so many other bands faced with similar prospects, the agreement with Lynne and ELO Part II—now known as the Orchestra—permits both to function independently.

“He has his own organization. We’re separate but he appreciates we’re selling his music. ELO has created some of most iconic music in rock and roll. There are no legal entanglements,” Troyer says.

The seven-member band plays more than 20 songs. “A full ELO show. We mix it up with some deep tracks. And some surprises.”

Despite personnel changes, the quality of the music, the melody and lyrics stay with audiences through the years, Troyer says.

“People grew up with them; they were the song track of their life,” he adds.

Troyer moved to New York after high school where he played keyboards in a number of bands. Over the years, he’s worked with Bonnie Tyler, John Lennon and Billy Joel and countless others outside the ELO orbit.

Mik Kaminski joined ELO in 1973. The classic lineup of ELO solidified in 1974 with the addition of bassist and singer Kelly Groucutt and orchestrator Lou Clark, who expanded the band’s distinctive orchestral rock sound with his inventive arrangements. The band sold more than 50 million copies worldwide.

Following the breakup of the original ELO lineup in 1986, then drummer Bev Bevan created ELO Part II in 1988 alongside English guitarist Pete Haycock, Troyer, and former ELO members Kaminski, Clark, Groucutt, and cellist Hugh McDowell.

The band later recruited English guitarist Phil Bates, who added his vocals with Groucutt and Troyer. Bates departed ELO Part II in 1998 and was replaced by American singer, songwriter, and guitarist Parthenon Huxley, according to a history from management.

In late 1999 Bev Bevan retired succeeded by American drummer Gordon Townsend. In 2000, the band began touring as the Orchestra, emerging as a true rock supergroup. The lineup released No Rewind with original songs by Kaminski, Troyer, Huxley, and Groucutt, as well as an unusual interpretation of “Twist and Shout.”

Other personnel changes brought in new members from 2009 through today.

“I really enjoy this band,” Troyer says. “It’s not a chore. We’re a family band of brothers and sisters. We make someone’s day brighter. Just goes to show you leave your ego at the door you can work as a team. Support each other and you can be in it for a long time.”