Run to You - The Most Authentic Bryan Adams Tribute Band in the Nation from DALLAS, TX

Bart wasn’t your typical high schooler -- student by day, and at 14 he was regularly playing clubs at night as a Lead singer/Lead Guitarist/Songwriter with his mom by his side as his band's manager.  By the time Bart reached his senior year he and his band were working with producer Tim Minor (Steve Perry/Paula Abdul), showcasing for Sony Records, won Z-Rock’s National Battle of the Bands for Texas, had their song on Q102 - Texas Best Rock, and had opened for several National Recording Artists such as Atlantic Recording Artist Stuttering John from the Howard Stern Show, Epic Recording Artists Arcade (featuring Stephen Pearcy from RATT and Fred Coury from Cinderella), Arista Recording Artists Every Mother’s Nightmare, Grand Slamm/IRS Recording Artists Lillian Axe, SONY Recording Artists Dirty Looks, and more as the next few years followed.

Fast-forward to the end of the 90’s and Bart and his band would enter their piano and guitar driven track, "Something (Afterglow)", into the VH-1 Rock Across America Best Unsigned Band/Artist competition in the U.S.  Little did they know that their song would take home the Grand Prize - an all-expensed paid trip playing the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame opening for rock and roll legend John Fogerty.  This would ultimately lead to a management deal and an entertainment lawyer.  This competition would later inspire the popular VH-1 series Bands on the Run. Bart and his band would go on to work with Grammy nominated engineer/producer Chris Bell (Destiny's Child, Fuel, Polyphonic Spree, Erykah Badu, Don Henley, Kenny Wayne Sheppard) before they unfortunately fell apart.

As the years passed, Bart would go on to work with some of N'Sync's production team in Orlando, Florida, on pop country demos -  a direction that came from hearing his VH-1 winning song.  Later, Bart would team up with producer Alex Gerst (Ellie Goulding/Epic Records/BMI Record/Warner Bros./Atlantic Records) for some songs that gained some traction. Some of these songs would end up landing him invites to play several festivals including SXSW;  Breaking records at Garageband.com with his band's song "Bird's-Eye View", Securing top spots in songwriting contests; Being offered two recording deals and a tour with MTV2 bands. However, Bart came to realization that perhaps the music industry was not for him due to some of the infamous pitfalls when it came to the business side of things and retired the dream.

After a decade of not writing, playing, or performing (Bart sold almost all of his gear), he decided to dip his toes back in the water and have fun performing music again without the pressures of chasing record deals and started to pursue the coverband world by landing co-guitar duties in the popular Dallas 90's band called Lithium.  As the band naturally dissolved, Bart soon turned to the tribute music scene.  Bart focused on forming a tribute to his favorite band – Duran Duran, where he would portray their long-time guitarist role of “Dom Brown" in the Wild Boys: The Duran Duran Experience.  Bart’s hard work helped him work alongside some of Duran’s actual team, as well as forming a special friendship with Dom Brown himself.  Bart's journey back into music was published by Yamaha Music for their website: What Guitar Means to Me: One Musician’s Journey” and was invited to Winter Namm in California by several companies.  With the Wild Boys eventually taking on a different direction, Bart and some of the other members decided to focus on other projects.  With Bart it was his next dream: to become his favorite solo artist -- Bryan Adams. 

And here we are today.  Becoming Bryan has been a dream for Bart.  He's in too deep and loves annoying his bandmates and anyone else who'll listen with all things Bryan.  Getting to meet the real Bryan Adams in the summer of 2023, as well as Bryan's guitarist Keith Scott and his longtime bassist Solomon Walker, was a dream come true.

*NEWS UPDATE: In addition to Run to You, Bart will now be the back-up/sub touring guitarist for George Michael Reborn when he is needed.  George Michael Reborn features the amazing number one George Michael look-a-like and sound-a-like George Michael -- Robert Bartko.  Bart couldn't be more thrilled with this amazing opportunity!

Bart is an artist with Fender Guitars, Godin Acoustic Guitars (Canada), Pig Hog Cables, Reunion Blues Gig Bags, SIT Strings, In Tune Guitar Picks, WB Gear, Lock-It Guitar Straps,  and Chromacast Music. 

From his days as a kid listening to all the greatest classic rock bands, Gary knew he wanted to pursue music. After taking guitar lessons in school during 7th grade as well as from Steve Miller’s original teacher, the journey began. In the early 80’s, before he could legally get into the many of the local live music venues, Gary and his band mates were playing some of the iconic rock venues like Cardi's, Austin Rocks, and The Ritz. He played locally for several years until he married his wife Lisa (34 years ago). Looking at starting a family and building a career, Gary stepped away from music for many years while living in Austin and Houston. Upon returning to DFW in 2013, he was invited to join several projects and fell back into his love of music and playing live. Currently Gary is a member of two local tribute projects; Reflective Soul- Collective Soul Tribute, and Run To You - The Ultimate Bryan Adams Experience. In both bands, Gary prides himself on replicating not only the music of the artist being tribute’d but the look, and specific gear as well. The goal to provide the most authentic experience to the audience.

Tim Slack grew up in Central Illinois where at the age of nine he began three years of piano lessons followed by three years of saxophone. This would set the foundation for his musical career.
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Tim first picked up a guitar after a good friend showed him how to play a power chord. He immediately took that knowledge and rocked out some Scorpions’ “Rock You Like a Hurricane.” Heavily influenced by the hard rock/heavy metal music of the early 80’s, Tim desired to learn an instrument that would allow him to play the stuff he so loved. Tim bought his first bass guitar at the age of 15 in order to join some buddies and their garage band.
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As a junior in high school, Tim joined an original band by the name of Foxx. That gave him his first taste of playing live. He loved the adrenaline of playing live and was hooked. Unfortunately, Tim had to retire from this band when he moved away for college.

After one year as a music major at Western Illinois University, Tim moved to Hollywood, California as a student of the Musician’s Institute, desiring to become a studio musician. After a short time in California, Tim transferred to another highly regarded music school, the University of North Texas.
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Early on in his teaching career, Tim met Bart Van Bemmel. In March of 2016, Bart asked Tim to join Lithium The 90's Experience, a 90's rock cover band. This was Tim’s introduction to rockin’ the DFW music scene. Tim  would go on to play bass for Matchbook 20 - ourselves or something like Matchbox Twenty and an original rock band, Sixth Floor Conspiracy.

The relationship between Tim and Bart stood the test of time and in the summer of 2021, they were reunited to form Run To You - the Ultimate Tribute to Bryan Adams. Tim always wanted to be in an 80’s tribute as this was the music that shaped his life. And who better to do it with than his good friend and Lithium bandmate, Bart…also one of the biggest Bryan Adams fans around!

Born and raised in Philadelphia, PA, Keith began his musical journey at an early age when he began tinkering on the family piano. Seeing his interest in the piano, his parents provided him with classical piano lessons for the next 12 years. During his middle and high school years, Keith learned and played trumpet in concert, jazz, and marching bands. Keith's interests changed paths after high school and college as he became interested in aviation. His passion for music never ended, and to pass the time, Keith taught himself guitar, as it was more portable than a piano. His aviation career would take him all over the country, eventually landing him in the Dallas area. The Dallas music scene sparked a new interest in him, never having been exposed to so many live bands before. To overcome his fear of stage fright, he joined a School of Rock band, coincidentally named Stage Fright. This opened up new doors and through networking, landed several other cover band gigs. Due to his multi-instrument abilities, he was asked to be a founding member of Reflecive Soul - A Collective Soul Tribute band (where he also plays with Run to You's Gary Grant). Keith also played with a Band Named Goo -- a tribute to the Goo Goo Dolls, where through a show he would meet Bart.  This relationship would eventually be asked to join Run to You. When not working his real job, practicing, or performing, Keith can be found photographing other bands.

Jay Ferguson is the newest member of RUN TO YOU.  He's hard hitting and ferocious in style -- very similar to the one and only Pat Steward from Bryan Adams.  Jay's reputation on the Dallas tribute scene is known for not only his drumming prowess, but also his insane attention to the details.  Jay is also a member of Reflective Soul (a tribute to Collective Soul) with fellow Run to You members Gary Grant and Keith Hoffman. 

When we can have her -- Kim Lusk is known as our "Tina Turner" for It's Only Love.  Kim is known as the "Goddess of Thunder" on the Dallas tribute scene because she plays a mean bass guitar.  If Kim isn't on our stage, then I guess it means you're stuck with our "Keith Scott" -- Mr. Gary Grant.