Behind the Music
Wind-up Monkeys are a Dallas-Ft Worth cover band whose intent is to play the best music ever recorded. The really cool songs!
Wind-Up Monkeys were initially formed to provide entertainment for a United Way Campaign in 2006. In a few short weeks we pulled together a set list from some of the greatest rock, blues and R&B artist and the show was on! Music from the Beatles, Doobie Brothers, Grand Funk Railroad, Otis Redding, Thin Lizzy, Aerosmith, Free, Bad Company, Eagles and more.
2007 brought the opportunity to play again for the United Way. This time we grew the band to encompass a 4 piece horn section and a keyboard player. The goal was to play a few more R&B hits from the 60's and 70's and broaden our audience. This ambitious goal could not have been possible with out a great rhythm section. A complimentary piece to Mike's incredible bass playing would be needed. Enter drummer Bill Rankin! From the very first practice it was magic! Founding members, Steve Duron/lead singer, Jeff Richard/guitar & Mike Hammock/ Bass Guitar liked the possibilities of keeping the band together and we kept rehearsing with sites on continuing to play on.
Once the pieces were set we felt like we could pursue further interest and keep the band together. The constant in the band is our friendship and the love we share for really cool music.
Who we are:
Bill Rankin/ Drums
Began playing drums at age 14.
Played in various high school/college drumlines and jazz bands, including the UNT competition Drumline. Have played drums, as either a full-time member or fill-in, with a variety of bands in styles ranging from country-western to progressive metal, including:
Wind-Up Monkeys, Twenty3Fifty9, Michael Harris Tranz-Fusion, Johnny Rodriguez, Cygnus X-3 - Rush Tribute, Biaxident, D'Nile, Mack and Dyan, Loose Change Band, The Geezers, The Recovery
Also play guitar, keyboards and mandolin in a pinch.
Mike Hammock - Bass/ Acoustic/ Vocals
Piano lessons age 10. Trumpet in school band at 12. Guitar at 13. Bass Guitar at 15. First recording session and album age 16 with a contemporary Christian music group “Liberty”. I toured with them for two summers in high school. While attending Baylor University I backed another contemporary Christian singing group “The Power & Light” for four years. Also played bass a few times during All University Sing events. Did a short stint in a DixieLand Jazz ensemble on the old riverboat Brazos Queen that would do party cruises on the Brazos River. That boat was moved to Lake Ray Hubbard and still does dinner cruises to this day. After graduation I played with a number of country and rock bands in East Texas including party band Biff Bobney and the Biffettes and country music favorites Amber, George Self, and others. In 1989 I became a regular member of the Johnny Rodriguez band and continue to this day. The last 25 years with Johnny has given me the opportunity to perform at The Grand Ole Opry, TV appearances on The Nashville Network Church Street Station, and places around the world including Japan, Korea, Guam, Hawaii, Poland, Switzerland, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and most of the 50 states. That has also given me the opportunity to meet and perform with or alongside artists such as George Strait, George Jones, Willie Nelson, and many others (my wife's personal favorite was getting her picture made with Vince Gill at the Opry). While continuing to work with Johnny Rodriguez today, I also play at church and perform with local favorites and dear friends in a few groups including The Geezers, The Red Oak Opry Band, The Restless Kind, and The Windup Monkeys. As far as equipment, I’m not too picky but typically use Fender, G&L and Ampeg.
Doug Pitt - Keyboard
Jeff Richard - Lead Guitar/Backing Vocals
I played various instruments at an early age (although could not do them justice now), including the piano, and trombone.
Started playing the guitar when I was 13 on an old classical guitar that had survived a house fire. It had just the bottom 3 strings. I got my first electric guitar when I was 15 (a cheap Sekova), and then my first real electric guitar almost a year later (an Les Paul copy). I played Les Paul’s throughout my High School years in a band called “Cut Above”, but eventually opted for a Fender Stratocaster after High School. The Strat was cemented as my personal favorite in the early 80’s when I saw a local unknown play in a club. His name was Stevie Ray Vaughan.
For over a decade my music was reserved for just me and the couch as I would sit and practice while watching TV. Then in 1993, after prodding from an old high school friend, I joined a studio band called “Tuesday Only”. We were strictly a recording band that wrote and played originals, and had our recordings played on the local radio station - Q102’s “Texas tapes”. That lasted about 3 years.
It was back to the couch until about 2006 when I was asked to play in a band for my company, TXU Energy, and the annual United Way events. I fell in love with the Fender Telecaster, and the Tele has been a part of the arsenal even since. After several years and various versions of the TXU Energy “Untied Way” band, and the great musicianship of my three bandmates which I am grateful to have the opportunity to play with, the final version became Wind Up Monkeys and the rest is history. We decided to take the show on the road.
Both my Stratocaster and Telecaster have been personalized with various custom parts to match my style of play and probably unrecognizable to a collector. My Amp is Fender Hot Rod Deluxe and has also been personalized.
Steve Duron / Lead Vocals
I was born into a musician’s family so I have been around band life all my life. My first instrument was probably drums as my dad was a drummer. At an early age I started to learn piano and started playing Tenor and Baritone Sax in Junior High. In High School singing became a big deal for me. My junior year I tried out for ensemble performing a capella the Beatles version of Till There Was You. I made it because the song was from the Music Man and the choir director was clearly a big fan!
I continued to sing mostly at church, weddings, the Piano Bar where my dad played with a jazz trio. The cool thing is the musicians my dad played with all played with people like the Tommy Dorsey, Duke Ellington or people like that.
Around the age of 20 I bought my first guitar. I have been collecting instruments ever since. 5 Taylor’s, Fender Jazz Bass, Fender Mandolin and Piano. Over the years at church I was a part of the choir and a soloist. I took leads in every seasonal cantata. Also during this time I was a lead singer for a band of which I can’t remember the name an participated in a battle of the bands which we won. That didn’t last. Briefly sang with Cover Red a Christian Rock band that did all originals. It was a great experience. In 2006 I volunteered to piece together a band that would perform for the United Way Kickoff at TXU. This became the Jukebox Heroes alongside of Mike and Jeff. In 2007 it was the Emerald City Soul Shakers which introduced Bill. This was the forming of what is now the Wind Up Monkeys.
Contact: 817-713-7348 or steve.duron@att.net