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The Rainmakers were a Kansas City, Missouri-based original rock band, fronted by Bob Walkenhorst, which had a small string of hits in the late 1980s and early 1990s in the US and Europe, especially Norway.
The Rainmakers were originally formed in 1983 as a three-piece bar band known as Steve, Bob and Rich, and, according to an Amazon.com editorial review, "quickly became popular throughout the midwest". They released one album, Balls, under this name. The addition of drummer Pat Tomek to the lineup allowed Walkenhorst, the original percussionist, to switch to guitar and take over the roll of frontman. The band changed their name to The Rainmakers when they were signed to Polygram. According to All Music Guide, while they continued to be popular in the US, the band achieved it's greatest commercial success overseas. They had a British top twenty hit with "Let My People Go-Go" from their self-titled 1986 debut album. The album itself receieved good reviews in the US, and the band made a fan of horror writer Stephen King, who later quoted the band's lyrics in his novels The Tommyknockers and Gerald's Game. The album reached #87 on the US Billboard charts, but their followup album, 1087's Tornado, peaked at #116.
The Rainmakers released two more studio albums, which were very successful in Europe, then broke up in 1990. However, Scandinavian interest in their music remained high, so they agreed to reform and release a new album, Flirting with the Universe, in 1994. The album achieved the equivalent of gold record status in Norway in only one month. One more album, Skin, followed in 1996 before the band broke up for good.
Members
- Bob Walkenhorst,
- Steve Phillips (later a member of The Elders),
- Rich Ruth, (later a member of Webb Wilder)
- Pat Tomek,
- Michael Bliss (replaced Rich Ruth in 1995).
Discography
- Main Article: The Rainmakers discography
The Rainmakers released six studio albums and one live album in total.
Audio sample
References
- Amazon.com page on Bob Walkenhorst
- ^ Allmusic Guide biography of The Rainmakers
- Allmusic Guide chart listings for The Rainmakers
External links
- The Rainmakers official site
- The Rainmakers Official Message Board
- Village Records
- The Rainmakers collection at the Internet Archive's live music archive
- The Rainmakers Archives
- The Rainmakers Remasters Project site
- The Rainmakers Remasters Yahoo Group
- Bob Walkenhorst official site
- Bob Walkenhorst Online Shop
- Pat Tomek's blog
- The Elders (Steve Phillips) official site
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