by Jimmy “Hambone”
Six months ago, if you had told me Bob Walkenhorst, writer and lead singer of The Rainmakers would be calling me on my cell 
phone, I’d have accused you of being over-served. But danged if it didn’t happen just the other day.
I got an email telling me that Bob and his friend Jeff Porter will be playing an acoustic show at the First Ward Tavern, on Saturday March 29th, beginning at 9pm. They were nice enough to include Bob’s personal cell phone number, in case I wanted to interview him. Is my job cool or what?
So before I called, I thought it prudent to get a little online update. I always dug the band when they were getting radio play around here in the 80s. I even spent some hard earned dollars to buy a couple of their albums. (Ok, it was cassette tapes). But I lost touch with them in the 90s and was excited for the opportunity to catch up.
Bob Walkenhorst was a student at NWMSU in
Then a few years later I heard a song on KY102 called “Big Fat Blonde”, by Steve, Bob and Rich. I knew that distinctive, (damn, how do I describe Bob’s voice?) tone anywhere. Not long after that, they signed the big deal and emerged as the Rainmakers, and had some top twenty hits among their half a million albums sold through 1990.
They were quite the hot number for a while here in the states, but for some reason, maybe even more popular in
I learned from the official Rainmaker’s website, that basically the guys got tired of life on the road, went home and raised families. I wondered about life after the tour bus. I had my list of notes and questions, and nervously made the call.
“Hi, this is Bob, leave a message.” Beep.
I left a short one, trying not to step on my tongue. Then I hung up and waited for a call back. Would he call back? I could just see him in line at Starbucks listening to messages and writing numbers on junk-mail envelopes. Call who? At the Regular What???
But he did call. That was an excellent moment. I was talking to a buddy of mine, and when I recognized the number, I had the pleasure of getting to say, “Do you mind if I call you back? I’ve got Bob Walkenhorst of the Rainmakers calling on the other line. Guy just won’t leave me alone”.
It really was the man himself, calling on his way to work. That actually answered one of my questions, which was going to be, “What was your last straight job?” He explained that after the band more or less reached the end of their path together (amicable break-up, still friends), he settled down and did the family thing himself, and raised a couple of daughters. His straight job, if you will, is in video editing, and he currently lives and works in
He describes his current musical performances as the most fun of his career. He talked about how after the ego stuff is over its more about moving people with music, himself included. He considers it an honor to participate in the sacred art of music, and playing in venues like the First Ward, allows him the opportunity to get in touch with his early years and achieve the same kind of pure enjoyment.
The show will feature Bob and his partner Jeff Porter, on guitar and piano, and will include acoustic versions of Rainmakers classics, as well as a healthy dose of new material. So here it is, you knew it was coming…. “Let my people go go” to the First Ward on Saturday 3-29 to catch Porter and Walkenhorst. Sorry, that was easy and cheap, but, as you know, that’s the kind of guy I am. See you there.