Ron Teamer and Smokin' Guns

Ron Teamer and Smokin’ Guns are the winner of the 2004 Kansas City Blues Society’s Blues Challenge, and will represent Kansas City in the Blues Foundation’s International Blues Challenge in February, 2005 in Memphis, Tennessee.

Ron Team and Smokin’ Guns is a four piece band based out of Kansas City, Kansas, and prides itself in being a “True Blues” band.

Ron Teamer has been playing professionally since the 1960s. Ron is the lead vocalist, rhythm and lead guitarist, and wrote most of the songs the group performs. Ron’s songs are filled with original stories that bring a ton of emotion to the party, and his vocals are filled with the soul of a musician with 4 decades of experience.

Bob Stephens started his musical journey playing trumpet in grade school. He picked up the guitar in 1968, and plays bass and drums from time to time. Bob is the lead guitarist, and sings lead and background vocals on some of the groups tunes. Bob says “It’s all about the love of music”, and looks forward to many more years of playing the Blues.

Herb Naster has been playing drums since childhood, and has traveled all across the globe. He took a break for a few years, but has been playing everything from country to the Blues steadily since 1989. Herb also builds custom drum kits under the Kansas City Drum Company name. Herb says “Ron Teamer and Smokin’ Guns are raw and authentic, and we love it that way.”

Lil’ Joe Sherrick fell in love with the Blues in 1960, when Joe and his wife Judy Ann became part of the Kansas City Blues scene, playing in area clubs and dance halls. Judy Ann insisted that Joe, then a drummer, would be a great bass player and bought him his first bass. Joe went on to become a member of Kansas City Musician’s Local 34-627, landing gigs playing everything from Dixieland Jazz to dinner music. He left Kansas City for a while, playing on the Los Angeles Strip. Moving back to Kansas City, Joe played with several area Blues bands before joining Ron Teamer and Smokin’ Guns.

In all, these fine musicians make up one of Kansas City’s most authentic Blues bands. Their sound is reminiscent of the Kansas City Blues scene of the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, before “guitar slingers” started trying to pack every note they could into every song they played. Their lyrics of their songs move you, and their sound reminds you of the best time you ever had in a juke joint.