Charles Atchison
Charles was born in Birmingham Alabama during the summer of love. He fronted his first Rockabilly band "Slow Motion" right out of high school and has been rocking all over the place ever since.
He is currently an active member of two bands. He plays lead guitar and shares vocal duties with "The Lucky Us Band" an acclaimed classic rock cover band formed in 2012, and he is also the lead guitarist and vocalist for the Atomic Rockers.
Charles channels his purest musical instincts into the Atomic Rockers, a passion project built on sweat, swing, and unapologetic rock and roll.
Rockabilly is at the heart of every note he plays. It is his true essence. With the Atomic Rockers, the mission is simple: deliver authentic, raw, unfiltered, electrifying rock and roll with crazy high energy performances that leave nothing on the stage and nothing held back.
Outside of performing, Charles is a writer, producer, actor, former software developer and inventor, holding several U.S. patents. He is also a folk artist and builder of handmade instruments and functional art. In 2014 he wrote "The Folk Art Instrument Builder’s Reference" a widely used guide for creators and DIY builders, and in 2025 he developed a three string guitar playing method and companion book.
More about Charles, his work, and his projects can be found at:
Rusty Shirk
Born and raised in Kansas City, Rusty came of age right as rock & roll was changing the world. He vividly remembers watching Elvis Presley and Buddy Holly on The Ed Sullivan Show, moments that lit the fuse for a lifelong love of music.
His first band, The Unknowns, formed in the mid 1960s, and from there Rusty was fully immersed in the era. He witnessed history firsthand, seeing The Beatles live in 1964 and Jimi Hendrix in concert in 1968. Later in the ’60s, he played with a band called Cinnamon Trolley before being drafted into the U.S. Army.
Rusty served in Vietnam as part of an artillery unit. After returning home, he picked up right where he left off, playing in bands continuously ever since. Over the decades, he’s brought his steady groove and deep musical roots to countless projects, including his now five year run with the Lucky Us band.
A true multi-instrumentalist, Rusty plays bass, guitar, and organ. His experience, feel, and first hand connection to the golden era of rock & roll make him a cornerstone of the Atomic Rockers sound.
Chris Bates
Chris Bates is the thunderous heartbeat behind the drums in the Atomic Rockers, bringing raw energy, impeccable groove, and a lifelong passion for energizing crowds.
His love affair with music kicked off as a kid, playing every type of style including honor jazz band, orchestra, marching band and playing good ol' rock and roll. He was inspired by the music from the 60’s and 70’s from bands like Led Zeppelin and fell in love with the up tempo drums of Rockabilly classics and revival artists like the Stray Cats and the Blasters.
By middle school, he formed his first rock band called Child Prodigy that specialized in the new wave 80’s tracks of the day. He soon started teaching drums and spent his high school years playing in Matrix and other original hard rock bands with a punk rock edge.
Over the years, Chris has electrified audiences with his hard hitting power and deep, driving bass drum grooves that lock in the pocket and never let go. He’s toured across California and lit up iconic Hollywood venues with a string of bands including The In Between which had a song featured on television’s “The Beast” and in 2009 won a national battle of the bands for carmaker Scion. In 2018 he released the debut album for outlaw southern rock band Truckstop Rodeo which featured a music video for title track “Outlaw”.
Now, he’s channeling that same fire into Atomic Rockers, blending vintage twang and slap-back attitude with fresh, high-octane drmming. Whether he’s anchoring the rhythm section or firing off explosive fills, Chris brings the kind of authentic, foot-stomping energy that true Rockabilly fans crave.