About Us
Do you miss the days when rock was awesome and cool? The 80's, where listening to the radio and watching MTV were actually uplifting and fun has been gone too long! We want to bring the 80's rock music back to life. The energy the music held is alive and well when we take the stage. We believe if the band is having fun the crowd will as well. So, let the partybegin!
Ballistic, formed in 2016, is the band that makes you raise your lighters (or cell phones) in the air and remember the 'good ole days'. We play all the songs you know and love, THE HITS!! No costumes, No wigs, No backing tracks! We're four people who love to play the music they grew up with, ROCK!
Meet The Band
RAY WHITLOCK
Lead Vocals and Keyboards
Ray has released six cds spanning genres including Rock, Country and Christian Rock. 2010 saw the release of two remakes, "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" by Poison available on itunes and all major retailers as well as Whitesnake's "Deeper The Love" on FNA Records.
Ray has shared the stage with some of rock’s greatest including opening for MOLLY HATCHET, BAD COMPANY, .38 SPECIAL, DR. HOOK, KENTUCKY HEADHUNTERS, BLACK OAK ARKANSAS, DAVID ALLEN COE, LFO, WILLA FORD, and Wind-up recording artist AMERICAN PEARL.
As keyboardist for Capitol/EMI Recording artsist Troy Olsen, he toured 2011 and 2012. During this time they opened for Lady Antebellum, Toby Keith, Darius Rucker, Little Big Town, Thompson Square, Blake Shelton, Braid Paisley, Eric Church, David Nail, Alan Jackson, Gloriana, Clay Walker, and many others.
JAKE JOHNSON
Lead Vocals and Guitar
Jake has opened for artists such as Blue Oyster Cult, April Wine, Night Ranger, Kix, Slaughter, and Vince Neil. Jake has been a featured artist for Seymour Duncan and has been a repeat artist at the Sundance Film Festival. Jake is also a two time KISS KRUISE performer working alongside KISS, Steel Panther, Lita Ford, Extreme, Big Rock Show, The Biters, The Dives, Derek St Holmes, and others. On February 18th, 2017, The Jake Johnson Band opened for Bon Jovi at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. The show had a record attendance of 18,000+ people. On March 16th, 2018, Jake J and the Killjoys opened for Bon Jovi in Jake's hometown of Salt Lake City, Utah at Vivint Smart Home Arena.
Get ready for the next generation of volume!
ZACK BALLARD
Drums
Zach grew up in Murfreesboro Tennessee. His big influences included Tommy Lee, Tommy Aldridge , Eric Singer, Buddy Rich, Simmon Phillips, and John Bonham. From 2007 to 2011 Zach played for one of the longest running national AC/DC tribute bands, "Hells Bells".
He Really cut his teeth in this band which played for a very large audiences Night after night. When that situation came to a close, he bounced around quite a bit again in different bands till he found a home with female rocker Jasmine Cain in summer of 2011. Jasmine Cain has a very respected following in the motorcycle world with plenty of gigs to boot ,and This hard Rock situation proved to be a good fit for his style. Zach left the Jasmine Cain band in 2018 and will continue to play drums for a living until there is good reason not to, or his arms fall off.
Maria Callahan
Bass and Vocals
Piano was merely a “gateway drug” to bigger, and louder musical gear for Maria Callahan. As a child, Maria was obsessed with Hard Rock, Progressive Rock, and Heavy Metal, after purchasing her first album, Ace of Spades, with a found $10 bill.
With her brother, and neighborhood kid band, Maria spent summers opening fairs and festivals for artists like Santana and Bachman-Turner Overdrive. Then came the legally questionable activities, when her Rock Guitarist brother started sneaking her into bars at the age of 14 to sing Super-Sonic “stunt” vocals, and an exhausting list of Rush songs.
Maria has an extensive discography of credited studio performances on voice and various instruments in the Pacific NW, as well as having been chief songwriter, guitarist, and vocalist for the critically-acclaimed power-pop/Alt band Doris Daze (Portland, Oregon).
With her brother, and neighborhood kid band, Maria spent summers opening fairs and festivals for artists like Santana and Bachman-Turner Overdrive. Then came the legally questionable activities, when her Rock Guitarist brother started sneaking her into bars at the age of 14 to sing Super-Sonic “stunt” vocals, and an exhausting list of Rush songs.
Maria has an extensive discography of credited studio performances on voice and various instruments in the Pacific NW, as well as having been chief songwriter, guitarist, and vocalist for the critically-acclaimed power-pop/Alt band Doris Daze (Portland, Oregon).
In the middle of all of this genre-hopping, Maria started working in Artist Develop as a vocalist, utility player, and songwriter. Via her work with emerging artists, she was introduced to Nashville. Through this work experience, she has opened shows for several well-known Country music acts, earning her the unique distinction of having opened for GG Allin, Nirvana, AND Blake Shelton, all in one lifetime.