The Rainmakers
The Rainmakers are a Kansas City, Missouri-based original rock band whose m… Read Full Bio ↴The Rainmakers are a Kansas City, Missouri-based original rock band whose members include:
Bob Walkenhorst,
Steve Phillips (later a member of The Elders),
Jeff Porter,
Rich Ruth,
Pat Tomek,
Michael Bliss (replaced Rich Ruth in 1995).
Missouri has long boasted of being the home of two of America's greatest artists, Mark Twain and Chuck Berry. However, it wasn't until The Rainmakers thundered into the national music spotlight in 1986, had anyone combined the guitar power of Berry with the social wit of Twain into a unique brand of Missouri rock n' roll.
Originally formed in 1983 as a 3-piece bar band known as Steve, Bob, & Rich, these Kansas City rockers became an instant favorite throughout the Midwest. Soon, fans were standing in line to see this trio they described as "energetic," "intense," but most importantly "fun." Within months of finishing their first independent release, Steve, Bob, and Rich had signed a multi-album contract with Polygram Records, added a fourth member, and had changed their name to The Rainmakers.
Heralded as "America's Great Next Band" by Newsweek Magazine, The Rainmakers were soon drenched in critical acclaim. Feature articles in Rolling Stone, CMJ, USA Today and others poured in singing the praises of this hard working Midwest band who provided new life to a traditional rock format.
Critics particularly enjoyed the unique writing style of Bob Walkenhorst, whose talent for choosing unusual and sometimes controversial subjects provided an eye-opening perspective of life, sprinkled with sarcastic humor. The Rainmakers received notoriety for their songs' lyrical content, including Music Connection's award for Lyric Line of the Year: "The generation that would change the world is still looking for its car keys," and in the unlikely source of author Stephen King, who twice quoted lyrics from Rainmakers songs in his best seller The Tommyknockers, and again in his 1991 novel Gerald's Game.
But success did not stop at the U.S. borders, as European countries supported the band increasingly with each new release. The song "Let My People Go-Go" gave the Rainmakers their first Top-20 single on the British charts in early 1987. Critics abroad sang the band's praises, with feature articles in New Musical Express, Kerrang!, Rock Power, etc. Frequently, The Rainmakers could be spotted on European television with live appearances on Top Of The Pops, and The Tube, and video play on MTV Europe.
European concert dates grew in number each year, with The Rainmakers often enjoying headline status on festival bills. Their reputation as an electrifying concert act eventually led to the recording of a live album at a sold-out show in Oslo, Norway for release solely in Scandinavian markets.
In 1990, after four albums, five videos, 500,000+ records sold, and concert dates too numerous to count, The Rainmakers put band business on hold to allow time for their personal lives and agendas. In 1994, the band returned to the studio to record a new album, entitled Flirting With The Universe - an album which achieved GOLD certification in Norway within 2 months of release.
Overwhelmed by the response to Flirting..., The Rainmakers reemerged from the studio in 1996 with Skin. With this effort, Bob Walkenhorst has again proved that no subject matter is too controversial by taking aim at pornography and its societal impact, via his unique perspectives - a Rainmakers trademark. A release, which in true Rainmaker form, is designed to provoke.
In 2011, the Rainmakers reformed and released another album, 25 ON, with bassist Rich Ruth returning to the group in place of Bliss, while long-time guitarist Steve Phillips was replaced by Jeff Porter. On March 5, the band was inducted into the Kansas Music Hall of Fame with a ceremony and concert at Liberty Hall in Lawrence, Kansas.
The Rainmakers are: Bob Walkenhorst (Vocals, Guitar); Jeff Porter (Lead Guitar, Vocals); Rich Ruth (Bass, Vocals); Pat Tomek (Drums)
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Bob Walkenhorst,
Steve Phillips (later a member of The Elders),
Jeff Porter,
Rich Ruth,
Pat Tomek,
Michael Bliss (replaced Rich Ruth in 1995).
Missouri has long boasted of being the home of two of America's greatest artists, Mark Twain and Chuck Berry. However, it wasn't until The Rainmakers thundered into the national music spotlight in 1986, had anyone combined the guitar power of Berry with the social wit of Twain into a unique brand of Missouri rock n' roll.
Originally formed in 1983 as a 3-piece bar band known as Steve, Bob, & Rich, these Kansas City rockers became an instant favorite throughout the Midwest. Soon, fans were standing in line to see this trio they described as "energetic," "intense," but most importantly "fun." Within months of finishing their first independent release, Steve, Bob, and Rich had signed a multi-album contract with Polygram Records, added a fourth member, and had changed their name to The Rainmakers.
Heralded as "America's Great Next Band" by Newsweek Magazine, The Rainmakers were soon drenched in critical acclaim. Feature articles in Rolling Stone, CMJ, USA Today and others poured in singing the praises of this hard working Midwest band who provided new life to a traditional rock format.
Critics particularly enjoyed the unique writing style of Bob Walkenhorst, whose talent for choosing unusual and sometimes controversial subjects provided an eye-opening perspective of life, sprinkled with sarcastic humor. The Rainmakers received notoriety for their songs' lyrical content, including Music Connection's award for Lyric Line of the Year: "The generation that would change the world is still looking for its car keys," and in the unlikely source of author Stephen King, who twice quoted lyrics from Rainmakers songs in his best seller The Tommyknockers, and again in his 1991 novel Gerald's Game.
But success did not stop at the U.S. borders, as European countries supported the band increasingly with each new release. The song "Let My People Go-Go" gave the Rainmakers their first Top-20 single on the British charts in early 1987. Critics abroad sang the band's praises, with feature articles in New Musical Express, Kerrang!, Rock Power, etc. Frequently, The Rainmakers could be spotted on European television with live appearances on Top Of The Pops, and The Tube, and video play on MTV Europe.
European concert dates grew in number each year, with The Rainmakers often enjoying headline status on festival bills. Their reputation as an electrifying concert act eventually led to the recording of a live album at a sold-out show in Oslo, Norway for release solely in Scandinavian markets.
In 1990, after four albums, five videos, 500,000+ records sold, and concert dates too numerous to count, The Rainmakers put band business on hold to allow time for their personal lives and agendas. In 1994, the band returned to the studio to record a new album, entitled Flirting With The Universe - an album which achieved GOLD certification in Norway within 2 months of release.
Overwhelmed by the response to Flirting..., The Rainmakers reemerged from the studio in 1996 with Skin. With this effort, Bob Walkenhorst has again proved that no subject matter is too controversial by taking aim at pornography and its societal impact, via his unique perspectives - a Rainmakers trademark. A release, which in true Rainmaker form, is designed to provoke.
In 2011, the Rainmakers reformed and released another album, 25 ON, with bassist Rich Ruth returning to the group in place of Bliss, while long-time guitarist Steve Phillips was replaced by Jeff Porter. On March 5, the band was inducted into the Kansas Music Hall of Fame with a ceremony and concert at Liberty Hall in Lawrence, Kansas.
The Rainmakers are: Bob Walkenhorst (Vocals, Guitar); Jeff Porter (Lead Guitar, Vocals); Rich Ruth (Bass, Vocals); Pat Tomek (Drums)
Website
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The Rainmakers Lyrics
Another Guitar I met her in a bar, naturally and naturally she wanted to…
Battle of the Roses I jumped ship Heard the sirens singing Swam like a sinner …
Big Fat Blonde (One One, two One, two, three, four) I want a big fat b…
Doomsville Well I'm going down to Doomsville baby And I'm taking you…
Downstream "Downstream" by The Rainmakers from _The_Rainmakers_ -------…
Drinkin Older than I used to be, younger than I'm gonna…
Drinkin' On The Job The farmer he got plowed The bricklayer got plastered The me…
Dry Dry Land A man is not measured by the size of his…
Fool's Gold I heard you telling your friends Aw, he's harmless enough …
Government Cheese Give a man a free house and he'll bust out…
Greatest Night Of My Life it was a one night stand with a rock 'n' roll…
Hoo Dee Hoo The girl said do you love me The boy said I…
Horn O Plenty There's a hungry little mother that lives in a shack Spitti…
I Talk With My Hands The sky started falling again last night I caught what I…
Information Do you know your daughter well and do you know…
Johnny Reb Hey Johnny Reb where are you going Don't you know this…
Knock on Wood The truth comes down Like a rock on my head Just when…
Lakeview Man Betty called the sheriff and said come quick Somebody broke …
Let My People Go-Go Moses went up to the mountain high To find out from…
Little Tiny World I was hanging around London doing tv I was singing my hear…
Long Gone Long Older than I used to be, younger than I'm gonna…
Miss Maganda Miss maganda simula noon pa mahal na kita Ang tanging proble…
Mystery Road I used to go ride down Mystery Road roll open my window t…
No Romance If you're looking for some answers Well you've come to the…
Nobody Knows Well I know how to drink my whiskey and wine Know…
One More Summer I got a Genie and a magic lamp I rub her…
Rainmaker The people wanted power and reputation galore So they becam…
Reckoning Day Well I was thinking about Abraham Lincoln And the enemies o…
Rockin' At The T-Dance Take a trip with me in 1967 With Grissom, White, and…
Rocking at the T-Dance Take a trip with me in 1967 With Grissom, White, and…
Shiny Shiny He keeps her shiny shiny He keeps her running like a…
Small Circles She reached out and touched my hand And made me dance…
Snakedance This is the lion?s den I hope you knew that before…
Spend It on Love You tell of man who took a hundred dollars Spent it…
Spite we're all growed up we're all gone wild we all been beat…
The Lakeview Man Betty called the sheriff and said come quick Somebody broke…
The One That Got Away Well ever since I've walked I've heard men talk about the…
The Other Side of the World We're climbing to the top of that mountain, boys Just becau…
The Wages of Sin I was praying last night when an angel broke the…
To The Hum (B. Walkenhorst) I want to grow old with her To have our…
Tornado Of Love Mom Mom the atomical bomb just went off Out behind the…
View From The Tower when we were youngsters me and little brother slip out the…
Wages of Sin "The Wages Of Sin" by The Rainmakers from Tornado…
We Walk the Levee In the '51 flood the river got mean The levee broke…
Width Of A Line Somewhere under this moon tonight My lover is holding my sh…
Wild Oats Baby attends church in her pretty white dress Squeezes the …
Wilder Side dreamin' in my sleep about the people that I meet everyone…
Window Takin' in the sights from my window seat From the Third…
You Remind Me Of Someone you remind me of someone I don't know who an old familiar…