RANDY TANNER – DRUMS & VOCALS
Randy Tanner, founding member and drummer for Rastus, discovered the drums at the age of three when his older brother Carlton Tanner left his high school marching band drum set unattended at home. Later, when Carlton began playing in local rock and blues bands, Randy had to look no further than his family’s living room on Fort Worth’s East side to be exposed to an impressive parade of music influences, the most important of which was his brother Carlton. When local legends-to-be such as Johnny Nitzinger and Bugs Henderson would stop by and jam with Carlton, young Randy would always listen and bug the guys to let him sit in. As a result, Randy was offered gigs with big-name groups before he was old enough for his dad to allow it. His first real gig was with guitarist Dickey Ferguson, in the band Ferguson, playing an outdoor concert with Canned Heat, The Chambers Brothers, and Santana. High n Dry, a national touring show band was his next project, followed by Slick with guitarist Buddy Whittington. In the early 1970’s Randy formed a new band featuring Rick Webb on guitar and Harry Ehmann on bass – and later adding guitarist Tuffy Burkhart. When band members each submitted a name for their new group, Randy’s suggestion won by unanimous decision and Rastus was born. After taking a few years off from playing so he could focus on family, Randy joined Flashback, and then auditioned for – and played with AC/DC’s original singer in Dave Evans and the Badasses. When Evans left, they shortened the name to Texas Badasses. After a series of personnel changes Randy felt the time was right to revive Rastus. He reunited with original Rastus bassist, Harry Ehmann, and continued to seek out the top talent in the area, resulting in one of the most dynamic and versatile, MUST-SEE “Classic Rock” bands working today.
Randy Tanner, founding member and drummer for Rastus, discovered the drums at the age of three when his older brother Carlton Tanner left his high school marching band drum set unattended at home. Later, when Carlton began playing in local rock and blues bands, Randy had to look no further than his family’s living room on Fort Worth’s East side to be exposed to an impressive parade of music influences, the most important of which was his brother Carlton. When local legends-to-be such as Johnny Nitzinger and Bugs Henderson would stop by and jam with Carlton, young Randy would always listen and bug the guys to let him sit in. As a result, Randy was offered gigs with big-name groups before he was old enough for his dad to allow it. His first real gig was with guitarist Dickey Ferguson, in the band Ferguson, playing an outdoor concert with Canned Heat, The Chambers Brothers, and Santana. High n Dry, a national touring show band was his next project, followed by Slick with guitarist Buddy Whittington. In the early 1970’s Randy formed a new band featuring Rick Webb on guitar and Harry Ehmann on bass – and later adding guitarist Tuffy Burkhart. When band members each submitted a name for their new group, Randy’s suggestion won by unanimous decision and Rastus was born. After taking a few years off from playing so he could focus on family, Randy joined Flashback, and then auditioned for – and played with AC/DC’s original singer in Dave Evans and the Badasses. When Evans left, they shortened the name to Texas Badasses. After a series of personnel changes Randy felt the time was right to revive Rastus. He reunited with original Rastus bassist, Harry Ehmann, and continued to seek out the top talent in the area, resulting in one of the most dynamic and versatile, MUST-SEE “Classic Rock” bands working today.
MARK BALLEW – LEAD VOCALS
Mark Ballew, front-man and lead singer for Rastus, is known for being one of the top rock vocalists from the North Texas music scene. The Fort Worth native rocker is still delivering powerhouse vocals as spot-on and fierce today as they were when he was performing with some of North Texas’ most popular unsigned bands back when “Classic Rock” was still known as “rock & roll.” Sweet Smoke was his first significant band, followed by a stint in Austin with Texas Blend, and then he moved back to Fort Worth to front The Seely Aston Band. In 1979, Mark formed RIO – a super group of local talent made up of well-known Fort Worth area musicians, including guitarist Buddy Whittington. RIO toured the club circuit, including Spencer’s Corner – a popular rock venue in Fort Worth’s TCU area - where RIO became an immediate fan-favorite. Upon the breakup of RIO, Mark soon found himself touring with national acts such as Badfinger and Humble Pie. While with Humble Pie, Mark developed a close friendship with their lead singer, the legendary Steve Marriott – known for some of the most powerful and driving rock vocals of the era, as well as being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for his work with The Small Faces. Marriott provided much of the inspiration and spark that continues to drive Mark to this day. Mark Ballew is known for being a seasoned professional, whose unique vocal range allows Rastus the ability to perform songs that few other club bands can pull off live. Anyone who’s been around the Texas Music Scene and knows their stuff will tell you that when it comes to rock and roll singers, Mark Ballew is the REAL DEAL!
Mark Ballew, front-man and lead singer for Rastus, is known for being one of the top rock vocalists from the North Texas music scene. The Fort Worth native rocker is still delivering powerhouse vocals as spot-on and fierce today as they were when he was performing with some of North Texas’ most popular unsigned bands back when “Classic Rock” was still known as “rock & roll.” Sweet Smoke was his first significant band, followed by a stint in Austin with Texas Blend, and then he moved back to Fort Worth to front The Seely Aston Band. In 1979, Mark formed RIO – a super group of local talent made up of well-known Fort Worth area musicians, including guitarist Buddy Whittington. RIO toured the club circuit, including Spencer’s Corner – a popular rock venue in Fort Worth’s TCU area - where RIO became an immediate fan-favorite. Upon the breakup of RIO, Mark soon found himself touring with national acts such as Badfinger and Humble Pie. While with Humble Pie, Mark developed a close friendship with their lead singer, the legendary Steve Marriott – known for some of the most powerful and driving rock vocals of the era, as well as being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for his work with The Small Faces. Marriott provided much of the inspiration and spark that continues to drive Mark to this day. Mark Ballew is known for being a seasoned professional, whose unique vocal range allows Rastus the ability to perform songs that few other club bands can pull off live. Anyone who’s been around the Texas Music Scene and knows their stuff will tell you that when it comes to rock and roll singers, Mark Ballew is the REAL DEAL!
JOHN MICHAEL SORIA – GUITAR & VOCALS
John Michael Soria – the hard driven guitarist known as The Guitarslinger to his friends – paid his dues at the notorious Cellar Clubs in Dallas, Fort Worth, and Houston, alongside the likes of ZZ Top, Johnny and Edgar Winter, and Stevie Ray Vaughn. After The Cellar passed into history, JMS co-founded Shotgun, one of the Southwest’s hottest rock bands during the 1970’s and early 1980’s. Shotgun opened for Van Halen, ZZ Top, Peter Frampton, and many other top headliner bands during their reign, releasing the album Rock ForYour Life under the name Vizion in 1980, which received airplay on rock stations throughout the South and Southwest. Following the retirement of Vizion in the mid 1980’s, JMS moved to L.A. to take his musical career to the next level. There, he performed on two CDs with Euclid Drive, appeared in a music video with the band Heat, and played on a song that he co-wrote for the soundtrack of the movie Blast. Also while in L.A., JMS performed at the famous Roxy Theater, The Whiskey, and Country Club. Upon returning to his native Dallas in 2005, JMS formed StoneAge and continued to enhance his legacy as a guitar “shredder,” performing at venues across North Texas and releasing SA in 2011 with StoneAge. In 2014 JMS and Houston-based ShroomAngel Records released Dallasian Rock, a commemorative album/CD of previously unreleased recordingby the now-legendary Shotgun, featuring vocal prodigy – the late Billy Metcalf, and a young JMS on guitar. 2014 was also the year that JMS took over as the guitarist for Rastus, the premier rock band of the Metroplex.
John Michael Soria – the hard driven guitarist known as The Guitarslinger to his friends – paid his dues at the notorious Cellar Clubs in Dallas, Fort Worth, and Houston, alongside the likes of ZZ Top, Johnny and Edgar Winter, and Stevie Ray Vaughn. After The Cellar passed into history, JMS co-founded Shotgun, one of the Southwest’s hottest rock bands during the 1970’s and early 1980’s. Shotgun opened for Van Halen, ZZ Top, Peter Frampton, and many other top headliner bands during their reign, releasing the album Rock ForYour Life under the name Vizion in 1980, which received airplay on rock stations throughout the South and Southwest. Following the retirement of Vizion in the mid 1980’s, JMS moved to L.A. to take his musical career to the next level. There, he performed on two CDs with Euclid Drive, appeared in a music video with the band Heat, and played on a song that he co-wrote for the soundtrack of the movie Blast. Also while in L.A., JMS performed at the famous Roxy Theater, The Whiskey, and Country Club. Upon returning to his native Dallas in 2005, JMS formed StoneAge and continued to enhance his legacy as a guitar “shredder,” performing at venues across North Texas and releasing SA in 2011 with StoneAge. In 2014 JMS and Houston-based ShroomAngel Records released Dallasian Rock, a commemorative album/CD of previously unreleased recordingby the now-legendary Shotgun, featuring vocal prodigy – the late Billy Metcalf, and a young JMS on guitar. 2014 was also the year that JMS took over as the guitarist for Rastus, the premier rock band of the Metroplex.
HARRY EHMANN – BASS & VOCALS
Harry Ehmann spent most of his youth as an Air Force brat – moving from base to base – and finally settling in Sherman, Texas after his father died. Influenced by the British music invasion, Harry picked up his first guitar at the age of fifteen. At seventeen, an established musician friend advised Harry to “play bass and you’ll always have a gig.” Heeding the advice, Harry bought a Gibson EB-2 and a Fender Bassman amp with $200 he’d borrowed, but soon swapped with a friend for a 1964 Fender Jazz Bass later dubbed “Ol’ Betsy,” which Harry still plays to this day. By 1973, Harry was playing in a house band at a club across the state line in Colbert, Oklahoma where he was introduced to many talented musicians in the area known as “River Rats” for their proximity to the Red River. After stints with three other bands, Harry migrated to the Mid-Cities in late 1974 where he played with a cover band, and then with an all-original power trio. In the summer of ’76 Harry became one of the founding members of Rastus, along with drummer Randy Tanner, in the Poly area of Fort Worth. After playing with Rastus for three years, Harry left the band to go to work for Southwest Airlines. Roughly thirty-two years later, when Randy Tanner decided to reform Rastus, Harry was onboard and looking forward to playing the hard rock of the ‘70’s along with newer material from the intervening years.
Harry Ehmann spent most of his youth as an Air Force brat – moving from base to base – and finally settling in Sherman, Texas after his father died. Influenced by the British music invasion, Harry picked up his first guitar at the age of fifteen. At seventeen, an established musician friend advised Harry to “play bass and you’ll always have a gig.” Heeding the advice, Harry bought a Gibson EB-2 and a Fender Bassman amp with $200 he’d borrowed, but soon swapped with a friend for a 1964 Fender Jazz Bass later dubbed “Ol’ Betsy,” which Harry still plays to this day. By 1973, Harry was playing in a house band at a club across the state line in Colbert, Oklahoma where he was introduced to many talented musicians in the area known as “River Rats” for their proximity to the Red River. After stints with three other bands, Harry migrated to the Mid-Cities in late 1974 where he played with a cover band, and then with an all-original power trio. In the summer of ’76 Harry became one of the founding members of Rastus, along with drummer Randy Tanner, in the Poly area of Fort Worth. After playing with Rastus for three years, Harry left the band to go to work for Southwest Airlines. Roughly thirty-two years later, when Randy Tanner decided to reform Rastus, Harry was onboard and looking forward to playing the hard rock of the ‘70’s along with newer material from the intervening years.
RANDY REITZ – KEYBOARDS AND VOCALS
Dallas native – Randy Reitz – began playing classical piano and organ music at the age of five-years-old, the result of being the son of a piano / organ teacher. By the age of eleven he’d formed his first rock combo, and by sixteen was playing Dallas night clubs on weekends. After turning only seventeen, Randy was recruited to play keyboards for Impact, a touring band that played some of the best rock clubs in the southwest, as well as the major clubs in their hometown area of Dallas-Fort Worth including The Agora Ballroom, Mother Blues, Savvy’s, and Cardi’s, just to name a few. While with Impact, Randy found himself opening for such major recording artists as The Steve Miller Band, Joan Jett, Pat Benatar, The Knack, and many more. In the 90’s, Randy went back to school and worked as an electronics engineer in the control systems industry, got his pilot’s license, and in 2003 he starting his own business. In October of 2014, Randy stepped back into the rock and roll arena by becoming the keyboard player for premiere classic rock band, Rastus.
Dallas native – Randy Reitz – began playing classical piano and organ music at the age of five-years-old, the result of being the son of a piano / organ teacher. By the age of eleven he’d formed his first rock combo, and by sixteen was playing Dallas night clubs on weekends. After turning only seventeen, Randy was recruited to play keyboards for Impact, a touring band that played some of the best rock clubs in the southwest, as well as the major clubs in their hometown area of Dallas-Fort Worth including The Agora Ballroom, Mother Blues, Savvy’s, and Cardi’s, just to name a few. While with Impact, Randy found himself opening for such major recording artists as The Steve Miller Band, Joan Jett, Pat Benatar, The Knack, and many more. In the 90’s, Randy went back to school and worked as an electronics engineer in the control systems industry, got his pilot’s license, and in 2003 he starting his own business. In October of 2014, Randy stepped back into the rock and roll arena by becoming the keyboard player for premiere classic rock band, Rastus.