David Ball (musician, 1953)

David ball

David Ball (born July 9, 1953 in Rock Hill , South Carolina ) is an American country singer and songwriter.

Life

Beginnings

David Ball grew up as the son of a Baptist priest and a professional musician in Rock Hill, the southern suburb of Charlotte, North Carolina . As a boy he played the ukulele , but switched to the guitar at the age of twelve . After high school, he moved to Nashville with his childhood friends Walter Hyatt and Champ Hood and formed a band called Uncle Walt's Band with the two of them . With little success, they tried their luck in Austin, Texas .

There they worked as musicians and performed well-known folk and country classics, while David also wrote his own pieces. He played bass guitar, worked as a vocalist and sang in the background choirs of professional performers. The Texas country metropolis Austin, where many stars of the independent country scene record their records, offered young people good opportunities to work on their careers.

David's band played with up-and-coming singer Lyle Lovett in busy dance halls and released three successful independent albums before breaking up in 1983. From then on, David Ball pursued his own career.

Career

During the 1980s, he made his way as a singer in Nashville and, after his first deal with RCA in 1994, he received the long-awaited record deal with the Warner label. The album Thinkin 'Problem was full of honky tonk songs, mostly written by himself, and was a real best seller.

The album went platinum and produced three hit singles, two of which made it into the top 10. In 1995 he was nominated for the "Male Vocalist of the Year".

After a slight career break he brought out the also traditionally held album Starlite Lounge with Warner, in 1999 he released it again with Warner Play , which was awarded the "Music City Shine", but like its predecessor did not attract large circles.

In 2001 he made his big comeback with the album Amigo, which was released by Dual Tone . The hit Riding With Private Malone conquered number 2 on the country singles chart. In 2004 Wildcatter Records released the album Freewheeler , in 2007 he released Heartaches by The Number (Shanachie Records).

David Ball is considered a neo-traditionalist who presents Texan country music in a modern guise.

Discography

Albums

year	title	Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes)		Remarks
		US	Country
1994	Thinkin 'problem	US53 platinum (55 weeks)US	Country6 (70 weeks) Country
1996	Starlite Lounge	-	Country44 (4 weeks) Country
1999	Play	-	Country60 (4 weeks) Country
2001	Amigo	US120 (15 weeks) US	Country11 (35 weeks) Country

More albums

• 1989: David Ball (only released in 1994)
• 2004: Freewheeler
• 2007: Heartaches by the Number
• 2010: Sparkle City
• 2011: The Greatest Christmas (David Ball & The Pioneer Playboys)

Compilations

• 2000: great hits

Singles

year	Title album	Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes)		Remarks
		US	Country
1988	Steppin 'out David Ball	-	Country46 (10 weeks) Country
	You Go, You're Gone David Ball	-	Country55 (7 weeks) Country
1989	Gift of Love David Ball	-	Country64 (4 weeks) Country
1994	Thinkin 'problem Thinkin' problem	US40 (12 weeks) US	Country2 (20 weeks) Country
	When the Thought of You Catches Up with Me Thinkin 'Problem	-	Country7 (20 weeks) Country
1995	Look What Followed Me Home Thinkin 'Problem	-	Country11 (20 weeks) Country
	What Do You Want with His Love Thinkin 'Problem	-	Country48 (10 weeks) Country
	Honky Tonk Healin ' Thinkin' Problem	-	Country50 (9 weeks) Country
1996	Circle of Friends Starlite Lounge	-	Country49 (9 weeks) Country
	Hangin 'In and Hangin' On Starlite Lounge	-	Country67 (3 weeks) Country
1999	Watching My Baby Not Coming Back Play	-	Country47 (10 weeks) Country
	I Want to With You Play	-	Country67 (1 week) Country
2001	Riding with Private Malone Amigo	US36 (20 weeks) US	Country2 (22 weeks) Country
2004	Louisiana Melody Freewheeler	-	Country60 (1 week) Country

More singles

• 1996: I'll Never Make It Through This Fall
• 2002: She Always Talked About Mexico
• 2002: Whenever You Come Back to Me
• 2005: Happy with the One I've Got
• 2005: Too Much Blood in My Alcohol Level
• 2010: Hot Water Pipe

Web links

• Literature by and about David Ball in the catalog of the German National Library
• Homepage of David Ball

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1. ↑ ^{a b} Chart sources: US
2. ↑ Music Sales Awards: US

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