LAUNCHED INTO by Brooke Ezzo | photos courtesy of Kirsten and Erik Turner
I
n 1984, a group of music-loving guys living in Hollywood got together and created a band. Over the next couple of years, they would have a few bandmates come and go, but it was the lineup in 1988 that we know as Warrant. That same year, the group signed with Columbia Records, now known as Sony Music, and they would go on to become one of the most popular and iconic glam, “hair metal” bands America has ever heard.
Harvest resident and Warrant guitarist Erik Turner fell in love with music and rockn-roll when he was about 13-years-old. One day, he picked up an electric guitar and never turned back. Along the way, he teamed up with Jani Lane, Jerry Dixon, Steven Sweet, and Joey Allen, combined their love of classic hard rock bands, and formed their own sound. Influences including Cheap Trick and Thin Lizzy helped shape the bands’ rock and roll. Incredible songwriter and lead singer Jani Lane contributed to the band rising to the top with his catchy lyrics and melodic tunes. “Sometimes, he would bring in a song that was almost done, or he would just have pieces of it, and we’d sit in a room in rehearsal hall and arrange it together,” Erik said. “There was a good period of seven to eight years where he was a song writing machine.”
Songs like Heaven, Down Boys, and Sometimes She Cries launched the band into stardom. But, it wasn’t until their second album and title track Cherry Pie that they became a household name. Over the past 30 years, Warrant has sold over 10 million albums around the world, and Cherry Pie has taken on a life of its own, being featured in movies, TV shows, and commercials.
Carolina, New York, Nebraska, California, every state honestly, and coming home
on a Sunday. I sleep in on Monday, have a couple of days at home, go grocery shopping, then leave and do it all over again.”
Erik added, “We perform at a lot of state
fairs, festivals, casinos, charity events, and fundraisers. Thankfully, we’ve been really busy.”
Erik and wife, Kirsten, have been Harvest
residents since early 2019. Their son Noah attends the University of
“THERE WAS A
In September 2020, Cherry Pie celebrated its 30th anniversary. Tour dates were put on hold as the pandemic swept through the globe, but the band can proudly say they are back on the road performing 16 songs each show all over the country.
GOOD PERIOD OF SEVEN TO EIGHT YEARS
WHERE HE WAS A SONG WRITING MACHINE.”
Luckily for us, Warrant will be rockin’ at Strokers in Dallas Saturday, October 2nd in a live, free concert for those who would like to travel back to the early 90s and jam out to songs so good, makes a grown man cry.
“We call it Weekend Warriors,” Erik said. “It used to be getting on a bus and never coming home for a year, but now it’s getting on a plane, flying out and doing 30 | ARGYLE LIVING | AUGUST 2021
a show on a Friday or Saturday in North
North Texas. They love
Texas (who doesn’t!) and have always felt right at home here. When not
on the road, the Turner
family enjoys taking the
RV to new locations and camping by lakes.
“I’ve been coming to
Texas as a professional musician since 1988,
and I just always loved the people,” Erik said.
“And, it’s true, everyone
that comes to Texas from other states are all so
impressed with how friendly everyone is.
Even though our son is grown up, Harvest has a real sense of community and we love to see it.”
Sadly, in 2011 Jani Lane passed away —
leaving an opening in the band. Longtime friend of Warrant, musician Robert Mason fit perfectly into the lead singer position.
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