Bob Walkenhorst: Artist Profile

Bob Walkenhorst: Artist Profile

Born: June 1, 1953 Where: Norborne, Missouri Known As: roots-rock singer/songwriter and musician from the Rainmakers Significant Bands/Collaborations: Steve, Bob & Rich (1983-85) The Rainmakers (1986-1997) With Steve Porter (2009) With daughter Una Walkenhorst (2018)

Awards (Rainmakers): Quotable: “The Rainmakers are the Georgia Satellites with Doctorates in Theology” – Jonathan Rundman, Showcase Music Magazine

The Albums: Hover over an album for the name and year of release. Click to see its DMDB page. Compilations: Live Albums: Key Tracks: Let My People Go-Go (Rainmakers, 1986) Downstream (Rainmakers, 1986) Big Fat Blonde (Rainmakers, 1986) Snake Dance (Rainmakers, 1987) Small Circles (Rainmakers, 1987) The Wages of Sin (Rainmakers, 1987) Spend It on Love (Rainmakers, 1989) Another Guitar (Rainmakers, 1994) Different Rub (Rainmakers, 1997) Primitivo Garcia (2003) Life Can Turn (2003) Silver Lake (with Jeff Porter, 2009) Given Time (Rainmakers, 2011) Go Down Swinging (Rainmakers, 2011) Like Dogs (Rainmakers, 2011) 13th Spirit (Rainmakers, 2014) For Tomorrow (with Una Walkenhorst, 2018) Fly Over (with Una Walkenhorst, 2018)

Overview: “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 to form a unique brand of Missouri rock n’ roll.” AZ “Even at the height of their popularity in the late ‘80s, The Rainmakers never got the respect they deserved. Their rootsy rock not only included keen musicianship but also some of the most memorable lyrics of the era. While Michael Stipe was mumbling through his too-much-integrity phase, this Kansas City-based foursome were having a blast with singer Bob Walkenhorst’s story-telling tunes, which were equal parts humor and social commentary.” EH These “prototypical Midwestern roots-rockers…ironically achieved their greatest commercial success overseas, despite generally good reviews in their homeland. Chief songwriter Bob Walkenhorst’s playful wit and topical lyrics set the Rainmakers apart from their Heartland bar band peers, though musically they drew from the expected roots rock influences (Chuck Berry, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Bruce Springsteen, etc.).” SH Steve, Bob, & Rich (1983-1986): The band was “originally formed in 1983 as the 3 piece bar band Steve, Bob, & Rich;” AZ “the lineup consisted of guitarist/vocalist Steve Phillips, guitarist/vocalist Bob Walkenhorst, and bassist Rich Ruth.” SH “These Kansas City rockers became an instant favorite throughout the Midwest. Soon fans stood in line to see this trio they described as ‘energetic,’ ‘intense,’ but most importantly ‘fun.’” AZ “This group recorded an independently released album (titled Balls).” SH “Within months…, Steve, Bob, & Rich had signed a multi-album contract with Polygram,” AZ “upon which point they added drummer Pat Tomek and changed their name to the less specific Rainmakers.” SH America’s Next Great Band (1986-1990): “Their self-titled official debut was released in 1986.” SH “Heralded as ‘America’s Great Next Band’ by Newsday, The Rainmakers were drenched in critical acclaim. Feature articles in Newsweek, Rolling Stone, CMJ, USA Today and others poured in singing the praises of this hard working band breathing new life into the rock format.” AZ Stephen King even “twice quoted lyrics from Rainmakers songs in his best seller The Tommyknockers, and again in his 1991 novel Gerald’s Game.” AZ “Critics particularly enjoyed the unique writing style of lead vocalst 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.’” AZ 1987’s “follow-up Tornado didn’t attract as much critical attention in the U.S., but the Rainmakers’ European audience continued to grow.” SH “Let My People Go-Go gave the Rainmakers their first Top-20 single on the British charts.” AZ “By the time of 1989’s The Good News and the Bad News, the band was concentrating mostly on that area.” SH “As 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, The Tube, and 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.” AZ Hiatus and Return (1990-1998): “In 1990, after 4 albums, 5 videos, 500,000+ records sold, and countless concert dates,” AZ “the Rainmakers disbanded, ostensibly for good. However, Scandinavian interest in their music held strong, and Polygram’s Norwegian division requested a new Rainmakers album in 1994. The band obliged and recorded Flirting with the Universe on their own in Steve Phillips’ basement. The album was a smash in Norway, achieving that country’s equivalent of gold sales within two months, and the band was encouraged enough to stage a full-fledged reunion.” SH “Overwhelmed by the response to Flirting...,” AZ the band “signed with the independent Kansas label V&R,” SH and “returned to the studio to record, Skin. As with previous releases, Walkenhorst proved that no subject matter was too controversial choosing to take aim at pornography and its societal impact.” AZ “Ruth left the band during the recording sessions, with accounts divided as to whether it was due to the lyrical content or the fact that he had moved from Kansas City to Nashville; regardless, he was replaced by Michael Bliss. The resulting album, Skin, was released…[in 1997] to mostly good reviews.” SH Bob As a Solo Artist (2003-2010): Bob Walkenhorst released his solo debut The Beginner in 2003, maintaining the same lyric and vocal style that made The Rainmakers one of the most distinct band of the ‘80s and ‘90s, even if most of the world wasn’t paying attention. In 2009, he paired with fellow Kansas City musician Jeff Porter for the release of No Abandon. The Reunion (2011-2015): With the 25th anniversary of the Rainmakers debut album coming in 2011, Walkenhorst thought the timing would be perfect for a Rainmakers’ reunion. Steve Phillips was busy with his band The Elders, but bassist Rich Ruth and drummer Pat Tomek both came on board. Walkenhorst’s duo partner from No Abandon rounded out the quartet for the band’s first studio album in 14 years – 25 On. A series of reunion concerts followed and they followed up with the Monster Movie and Cover Band albums in 2014 and 2015. Back to Solo Work (2015-2021): After Cover Band, the Rainmakers did shows sporadically and Bob recorded the album For Tomorrow (2018) with his daughter Una. The title cut was voted the #1 song of the year by Kansas City’s 90.9 The Bridge radio station. Bob was back with his official second solo album, A Thousand Words, in 2021. Resources and Related Links: DMDB Encyclopedia entry for Bob Walkenhorst DMDB Encyclopedia entry for the Rainmakers BobWalkenhorst.com (official site) Rainmakers.com (official site) AZ Amazon.com (nearly the same content as what appears on Rainmakers.com – FAQs EH Erin Hawkins (6/12/1997). Eye Weekly SH Steve Huey, All Music Guide JR Jonathan Rundman (Dec. 1997). Showcase Music Magazine First posted 3/17/2011; last updated 6/5/2021.

The Rainmakers' debut album charted

The Rainmakers The Rainmakers

Released: August 1986 Charted: September 13, 1986 Peak: 85 US, -- UK, -- CN, -- AU, 14 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Genre: rock

Tracks: Click on a song title for more details. Rockin’ at the T-Dance [3:20] Downstream [3:31] (1986, --) Let My People Go-Go [3:38] Doomsville [4:29] Big Fat Blonde [2:56] Long Gone Long [4:08] The One That Got Away [2:53] Government Cheese [2:54] Drinkin’ on the Job [3:46] Nobody Knows [3:32] Information [4:49] Total Running Time: 39:48 The Players: Bob Walkenhorst (vocals, guitar) Rich Ruth (bass, vocals) Steve Phillips (guitar, vocals, lead vocal on “Nobody Knows”) Pat Tomek (drums)

Rating: 4.144 out of 5.00 (average of 15 ratings) Quotable: “The guitar power of [Chuck] Berry with the social wit of [Mark] Twain into a unique brand of Missouri rock n’ roll.” – Rainmakers.com Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Album The Kansas City, Missouri-based group originally formed in 1983 as a trio comprised of guitarist Steve Phillips, singer/guitarist Bob Walkenhorst, and bassist Rich Ruth. They initially went by the wildly original name of Steve, Bob, and Rich. They gained a following throughout the Midwest and released the album Balls. When they added drummer Pat Tomek, they rechristened themselves the Rainmakers and were signed to Polygram Records. The group was described as part Jason & the Scorchers, part Georgia Satellites, and part Bob Dylan’s Highway 61 Revisited. EW The album was well received critically, proclaimed “the most auspicious debut album of the year” by Newsweek magazine. W-B The band made a fan of horror writer Stephen King, who quoted the band’s lyrics in his novels The Tommyknockers and Gerald’s Game. However, their greatest success came overseas. W-B Walkenhorst said the band were finishing a European tour and reception hadn’t been great. By the last show on December 20, 1986, in Oslo, Norway, the band were just ready to get it over with and go home. To their surprise, they arrived to a sold-out venue with fans singing along to every song. They were reviewed in the country’s music magazine and radio had embraced them. TF The album “sets the bar high with cutting social commentary and memorable tunes.” AM That can be attributed to songs that are “honest. Sung by Walkenhorst in a voice that has ‘a lot of Jaggerisms,’ as well as echoes of ex-Wall of Voodoo vocalist Standard Ridgeway, the B-52’s Fred Schneider, and the Cramps’ Lux Interior, they are full of real-life references and emotions.” LR “Walkenhorst’s lyrics are preoccupied with morality, although he avoids a moralizing tone.” PK Two of the band members’ fathers are preachers, which may explain some of the Biblical imagery throughout the album. Walkenhorst says, “I guess I’m still wrestling with religion, trying to sort things out.” PK My Personal Take I, for one, think the Rainmakers were fantastic at their job. They never achieved big-time success, essentially being the lifelong artists who still have to maintain a waiter job on the side. However, they turned out witty, fun songs which were often superior to the more successful work of their contemporaries. They pointed a poignant finger at the problems of the world, even if the world wasn’t listening. Notes A 2010 reissue added an acoustic version of “Long Gone Long,” a live version of “Doomsville,” and non-album cuts “Carpenter’s Son” and “Rockabilly Standard.” The Songs Here’s a breakdown of each of the individual songs.

Rockin’ at the T-Dance The Rainmakers

Writer(s): Bob Walkenhorst Released: The Rainmakers (1986) Peak: 20 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 0.19 streaming About the Song: On Rockin’ at the T-Dance, Walkenhorst references two tragedies – an incident from 1967 in which three Apollo astronauts died during training and the early ‘80s collapse of Kansas City’s Hyatt walkways, killing people during an afternoon tea dance. He turns the song into a statement about “pride in workmanship.” LR He calls it an “angry song” and says, “you have to be responsible for your job.” LR

Downstream The Rainmakers

Writer(s): Bob Walkenhorst (see lyrics here) Released: 5/11/1987 (single), The Rainmakers (1986) B-sides: “Carpenter’s Son,” “Drinkin’ on the Job” Peak: 1 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 0.16 video, 0.23 streaming

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Song: “Downstream” celebrated the band’s Missouri roots with references to rock-and-roll architect Chuck Berry, President Harry Truman, and writer Mark Twain. The homage to Berry is especially appropriate considering how much the band draws their roots-rock sound from artists such as him, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and Bruce Springsteen. Walkenhorst said, “I admire Springsteen a lot…he hasn’t contradicted himself; he’s not acting like a god.” PK He also said, “when I was first getting started, there was nothing more uncool than Creedence…but it has lasted.” JK He explained that when he first teamed with Steve Phillips, they were both CCR “fanatics – it was the best band that ever existed: hard, powerful vocals yet simple song structures.” LR It’s also fitting that “Downstream” references Mark Twain. The history page on the Rainmakers’ website describes the band as combining “the guitar power of Berry with the social wit of Twain into a unique brand of Missouri rock n’ roll.” RM It’s also been said that their “though-provoking rock and roll…recalls the lyrics of T-Bone Burnett…and the early Rolling Stones.” PK “Cross a more literate John Mellencamp with Webb Wilder and you have this…band sized up.” AM

Let My People Go-Go The Rainmakers

Writer(s): Bob Walkenhorst (see lyrics here) Released: 1986 (single), Balls (1984), The Rainmakers (1986) B-Side: “Nobody Knows” Charted: 3/7/1987 Peak: 18 UK, 1 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 0.18 video, 0.78 streaming

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Song: “Let My People Go-Go” was released as the lead single from The Rainmakers and, while it didn’t achieve any chart success stateside, it reached the top 20 in the UK. It was the most successful song of the band’s career. EW The music was “hard-hitting Mid-American rock ‘n’ roll, built around a Chuck Berry riff, bolstered by the Memphis Horns, and featuring a Dylanesque snarl by Bob Walkenhorst,” WP the group’s lead singer and chief songwriter. The song was loosely based on “Go Down Moses,” an American Negro spiritual anthem. WK-B Moses climbs the mountain to question God who reveals “that the secret of life is, in the words of that great prophet Little Richard, ‘A womp bop a lu bop a lop bam boom!’” WP The listener is also treated to Jesus Christ quoting the Coasters’ “Charlie Brown” line “Why’s everybody always pickin’ on me?” Walkenhorst said he got letters from ministers and born-agains thanking him for “putting religion back into music again.” WP On the flip side, he said he’s had “roughnecks come up to me in bars and say, ‘Yeah, I hate religion too.’” WP Some attacked him as “anti-religious and a blasphemer.” EW He explained that religion, rock ‘n’ roll and having a cynical attitude were all a part of being in the Midwest. “I don’t come down on either side of the issue. I think Moses and God come out well…and I think Little Richard and the Coasters do, too. Both sides deserved to be celebrated...I’m not a religious guy, but when you’re playing rock ‘n’ roll, you’re trying to touch something spiritual within yourself and communicate it to someone else. Guys like Elvis and Bruce don’t just move your feet – they move your heart.” WP

Doomsville The Rainmakers

Writer(s): Bob Walkenhorst Released: The Rainmakers (1986) Peak: 16 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 0.04 streaming

Big Fat Blonde The Rainmakers

Writer(s): Bob Walkenhorst Released: Balls (1984), The Rainmakers (1986) Peak: 2 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 0.15 streaming

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Song: “Let My People Go-Go,” “Nobody Knows,” “Information,” and “the unapologetic Big Fat Blonde,” AM originated on the 1984 album Balls by Steve, Bob & Rich (later the Rainmakers). The latter was, as Walkenhorst said, “so rude, so sexist that I don’t think anyone could take me seriously.” LR In the song he references a line from a J.D. Salinger story in which “Franny and Zooey ask why people paint, why they write, why they do anything creative…and the answer is, you do it for the fat lady, for an audience, to get recognized.” LR Walkenhorst acknowledges that the song “will follow me around like a cloud all of my life.” LR

Long Gone Long The Rainmakers

Writer(s): Bob Walkenhorst Released: The Rainmakers (1986) Peak: 26 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 0.12 streaming About the Song: Nostalgia surfaces on “the gentle reminiscence, Long Gone Long” LR which Walkenhorst says “has a lot of the funny episodes that happened in the town where I gew up…It’s not as sentimental as John Cougar or Bryan Adams would have made it, but each incident means something, although the person doesn’t know exactly what at the time it happens.” LR

The One That Got Away The Rainmakers

Writer(s): Bob Walkenhorst Released: The Rainmakers (1986) Peak: 29 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 0.10 streaming

Government Cheese The Rainmakers

Writer(s): Bob Walkenhorst Released: The Rainmakers (1986) Peak: 6 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 0.12 streaming About the Song: Some, including the liberal New Republic magazine, decided the Rainmakers were a conservative band. Walkenhorst, however, said he though of himself as “an emotional anarchist and more left wing.” PK The song Government Cheese generated controversy for its condemnation of welfare via lines like “Give a man free food and he’ll figure out a way/To steal more than he can eat ‘cause he doesn’t have to pay.” It got the band booed at the label showcase performance in New York PK but Walkenhorst denied the song was political. “It’s about human weakness: When people take something for free, it’s a whirlpool that sucks you under.” PK He’s also said the welfare system “causes some people to regress. If you take it away entirely, it’s gonna hurt some people, but you may hurt more by keeping it. It’s a real tough question and the song is a very one-sided answer, just to get people to think about it.” LR

Drinkin’ on the Job The Rainmakers

Writer(s): Bob Walkenhorst Released: 5/11/1987 (B-side of “Downstream”), The Rainmakers (1986) Peak: 9 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 0.07 streaming About the Song: How many bands can offer up “the classic line, ‘The generation that would change the world is still looking for its car keys,’” AM such as on Drinkin’ on the Job? It was named lyric line of the year by Music Connection. RM The “pun-filled” LR is a good example of Walkenhorst’s “talent for choosing unusual and sometimes controversial subjects…[in] an eye-opening perspective of life, sprinkled with sarcastic humor.” RM In this case, as he says, the song is “about substance abuse, fun that isn’t fun, like the jokes in the song.” LR

Nobody Knows The Rainmakers

Writer(s): Steve Phillips Released: 1986 (B-side of “Let My People Go-Go”), Balls (1984), The Rainmakers (1986) Peak: 2 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 0.05 streaming

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Song: “Nobody Knows,” which the Rainmakers first introduced as Steve, Bob & Rich on the 1984 Balls album, is the only cut here which isn’t sung by Bob Walkenhorst. Instead, guitarist Steve Phillips, who also wrote the song, steps up to take lead on what could be considered the only ballad on the album.

Information The Rainmakers

Writer(s): Alan Clutter Released: Balls (1984), The Rainmakers (1986) Peak: 12 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 0.06 streaming About the Song: This is the sole song on the album written by someone outside the Rainmakers.

Resources/References: AM All Music Guide review of The Rainmakersby Mark Allan EW Elsewhere.co.nz (7/4/2011). “The Rainmakers: Let My People Go Go (1986)” by Graham Reid TF Timothy Finn (7/1/2019). In Kansas City “Behind the Music: Bob Walkenhorst” SH Steve Huey, AllMusic.com band bio PK Peter Kobel (12/2/1987). Chicago Tribune “Politics or No, the Rainmakers Call It Rock” RM Rainmakers.com (history) LR Len Righi (9/13/1986). The Morning Call “The Rainmarkers (sic) Pray It’s Not Too Late” WP Washington Post (3/25/1987). “Rocking from the Heartland” by Geoffrey Himes W-A Wikipedia: The Rainmakers (album) W-B Wikipedia: The Rainmakers (band) Related DMDB Pages: First posted 3/24/2008; last updated 4/18/2026.

   

The Rainmakers “Downstream” released as single

Downstream The Rainmakers

Writer(s): Bob Walkenhorst (see lyrics here) Album Released: August 1986 Album Charted: September 13, 1986 Single Released: May 11, 1987 Peak: 1 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 0.16 video, 0.11 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: In 1983, singer/songwriter, guitarist and drummer Bob Walkenhorst formed a three-piece bar band with guitarist/singer Steve Phillips and bassist Rich Ruth. The trio, known as Steve, Bob and Rich, formed in Kansas City and became popular in the Midwest, evolving into the Rainmakers after the addition of Pat Tomek on drums. That group never gained widespread national attention, although they remained a regional favorite and surprisingly gained an audience in Norway. The Rainmakers released their self-titled debut in 1986. The album included newly recorded versions of “Let My People Go Go,” “Nobody Knows,” “Big Fat Blonde,” and “Information,” all songs originally recorded for the 1984 Steve, Bob and Rich album Balls. Among the new material the most notable was the song “Downstream.” The song celebrated the band’s Missouri roots with references to rock-and-roll architect Chuck Berry, President Harry Truman, and writer Mark Twain. The homage to Berry is especially appropriate considering how much the band draws their roots-rock sound from artists such as him, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and Bruce Springsteen. He also explained that when he first teamed with Steve Phillips, they were both CCR “fanatics – it was the best band that ever existed: hard, powerful vocals yet simple song structures.” LR Walkenhorst also said, “I admire Springsteen a lot…he hasn’t contradicted himself; he’s not acting like a god.” PK Its also fitting that “Downstream” references Mark Twain. The history page on the Rainmakers’ website describes the band as combining “the guitar power of Berry with the social wit of Twain into a unique brand of Missouri rock n’ roll.” RM It’s also been said that their “though-provoking rock and roll…recalls the lyrics of T-Bone Burnett…and the early Rolling Stones.” PK “Cross a more literate John Mellencamp with Webb Wilder and you have this…band sized up.” AMG Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for The Rainmakers AMG All Music Guide review of The Rainmakers LR Len Righi (9/13/1986). The Morning Call “The Rainmarkers (sic) Pray It’s Not Too Late” PK Peter Kobel (12/2/1987). Chicago Tribune “Politics or No, the Rainmakers Call It Rock” RM Rainmakers.com (history) Related Links: First posted 7/12/2022; last updated 12/29/2022.