The Rainmakers

Originally hailing from the Midwest and embodying its roots-rock archetype, the Rainmakers ironically scored their biggest commercial breakthroughs abroad even while earning generally favorable notices back home. Bob Walkenhorst, the group’s principal songwriter, distinguished the band from other Heartland bar outfits through his playful wit and topical lyrics, although their sound drew on the familiar roots-rock wellsprings of Chuck Berry, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Bruce Springsteen, and similar artists. Formed in Kansas City, MO, in 1983 as the trio Steve, Bob, and Rich, the lineup featured guitarist/vocalist Steve Phillips, guitarist/vocalist Bob Walkenhorst, and bassist Rich Ruth. That configuration issued an independent album titled Balls, which secured a deal with Polygram; drummer Pat Tomek was subsequently added and the name changed to the Rainmakers. Their self-titled major-label debut appeared in 1986, spawning the British Top 20 hit “Let My People Go-Go” and generating considerable positive press on both sides of the Atlantic. An exhaustive touring regimen followed, during which horror author Stephen King emerged as an unlikely admirer and quoted the band’s lyrics in two of his novels. The 1988 successor Tornado received comparatively modest critical notice in the U.S., yet the Rainmakers’ European following expanded steadily; by the time of 1989’s The Good News and the Bad News the group focused primarily on that market, cutting the concert set Oslo-Wichita Live exclusively for its Scandinavian listeners. Weary of constant roadwork, the band dissolved in 1990, seemingly for good. Persistent Scandinavian demand prompted Polygram’s Norwegian division to commission a new Rainmakers album in 1994. The members reconvened to record Flirting With the Universe in Steve Phillips’ basement; the release quickly achieved gold-equivalent sales in Norway within two months, prompting a full reunion. They signed with the independent Kansas imprint V&R, where Walkenhorst composed a concept album examining pornography and its impact on human sexuality. During those sessions Rich Ruth departed—accounts differ on whether the departure stemmed from the lyrical themes or his relocation from Kansas City to Nashville—and Michael Bliss took his place. The resulting album, Skin, appeared in 1996 and earned mostly favorable reviews.