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Artist
The Rainmakers
12+ albums
rock80sAlt-countrysinger-songwriternew wave
about
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 sub
