- David Ball (country singer)
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For other people of the same name, see David Ball (disambiguation).
David Ball 
David Ball - 2004Background information Born July 9, 1953 Origin Spartanburg, South Carolina, United States Genres Country Occupations Singer-songwriter Instruments Vocals, rhythm guitar Years active 1988-present Labels RCA Nashville
Warner Bros. Nashville
Dualtone
Wildcatter
ShanachieAssociated acts Uncle Walt's Band Website Official website David Ball (born July 9, 1953 in Rock Hill, South Carolina[1]) is an American country music artist. Active since 1988, he has recorded a total of seven studio albums on several different labels, including his platinum certified debut Thinkin' Problem. Fourteen of Ball's singles have entered the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts. His highest-peaking chart entries are 1994's "Thinkin' Problem" and 2001's "Riding With Private Malone", both of which peaked at #2.
Contents
Biography
David Ball was born into a large musical family headed by his father, a Baptist preacher, and his mother, Bessie Ball, a pianist. Later, he moved with his family to Spartanburg, South Carolina where his father was heading Fernwood Baptist church. David lived in a ranch-style brick-wood house at 104 Emory Road. He eventually learned to play guitar after persuading his parents to buy him one. Having written his first song in seventh grade, he played it in a school talent show with a band he had formed, the Strangers. Afterwards, he played upright bass in various local youth groups and also the school orchestra. Together with friends, he took part in various bluegrass and country festivals in the Carolinas.
By the time Ball had left high school, he had a gig playing bass in Uncle Walt's Band, a trio headed by Walter Hyatt, who relocated to Austin, Texas, in the mid-1970s, in an attempt to make a mainstream breakthrough.
Ball subsequently focused on a solo career, moving to Nashville, Tennessee, where he was signed to a publishing contract. Three singles for RCA Records in the late 1980s failed to provide a solo breakthrough, however, and a projected album was shelved. The experience did at least serve to introduce him to producer Blake Chancey, son of legendary country producer Ron Chancey. In the spring of 1993, Chancey called Warner Bros. Records director Doug Grau on Ball's behalf.
A new recording contract followed. Thinkin' Problem, his debut album, was released on Warner Bros. Its title track served as the lead-off single, reaching #2 on the Billboard country music charts and #40 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album, which received a platinum certification in the U.S., also produced the singles "When the Thought of You Catches Up with Me", "Look What Followed Me Home", "What Do You Want with His Love", and "Honky Tonk Healin'", although these latter two singles failed to make Top 40 on the country charts.
Ball recorded two more albums for the label – Starlite Lounge and Play – without much chart success. However, he had a smash hit with "Riding with Private Malone", from the 2001 album Amigo on the Dualtone label. This album failed to produce any other hits, however, and Ball exited Dualtone in 2002. Freewheeler followed in 2004, and Heartaches by the Number in 2007.
Discography
Studio albums
Title Album details Peak chart positions Certifications
(sales thresholds)US Country
[2]US
[3]CAN Country
[4]CAN
[5]Thinkin' Problem - Release date: June 14, 1994
- Label: Warner Bros. Nashville
6 53 3 55 David Ball[A] - Release date: November 22, 1994
- Label: RCA Nashville
— — — — Starlite Lounge - Release date: June 25, 1996
- Label: Warner Bros. Nashville
44 — — — Play - Release date: July 31, 1999
- Label: Warner Bros. Nashville
60 — 21 — Amigo - Release date: October 2, 2001
- Label: Dualtone Records
11 120 * — Freewheeler - Release date: November 16, 2004
- Label: Wildcatter
— — * — Heartaches by the Number - Release date: March 27, 2007
- Label: Shanachie Records
— — * — Sparkle City - Release date: April 20, 2010
- Label: Red Dirt/E1
— — * — "—" denotes releases that did not chart
* denotes unknown peak positions- Notes
- A ^ David Ball was recorded in 1989 and remained unreleased until 1994.
Compilation albums
Title Album details Super Hits - Release date: July 18, 2000
- Label: Warner Bros. Nashville
Singles
Year Single Peak chart positions Album US Country
[6]US
[7]CAN Country
[8]1988 "Steppin' Out'" 46 — — David Ball "You Go, You're Gone" 55 — 68 1989 "Gift of Love" 64 — 80 1994 "Thinkin' Problem" 2 40 1 Thinkin' Problem "When the Thought of You Catches Up with Me" 7 107 6 1995 "Look What Followed Me Home" 11 — 14 "What Do You Want with His Love" 48 — 56 "Honky Tonk Healin'" 50 — 50 1996 "Circle of Friends" 49 — 42 Starlite Lounge "Hangin' In and Hangin' On" 67 — — 1999 "Watching My Baby Not Coming Back" 47 — 76 Play "I Want to with You" 67 — — 2001 "Riding with Private Malone" 2 36 * Amigo 2002 "She Always Talked About Mexico" — — * "Whenever You Come Back to Me" — — * 2004 "Louisiana Melody" 60 — * Freewheeler 2005 "Happy with the One I've Got" — — * "Too Much Blood in My Alcohol Level" — — * 2010 "Hot Water Pipe" — — * Sparkle City "—" denotes releases that did not chart
* denotes unknown peak positionsMusic videos
Year Video Director 1989 "Gift of Love" 1994 "Thinkin' Problem" O Pictures "When the Thought of You Catches Up with Me" chris rogers 1995 "Look What Followed Me Home" Martin Kahan "What Do You Want with His Love" Michael Salomon "Honky Tonk Healin'" David Ball 1996 "Circle of Friends" Steven T. Miller "Hangin' In and Hangin' On" Suzanne Gordon 1999 "Watching My Baby Not Coming Back" 2001 "Riding with Private Malone" Steve Schepman 2005 "Too Much Blood in My Alcohol Level" David Kiern 2010 "Hot Water Pipe" References
- ^ Loftus, Johnny. "David Ball biography". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p1515/biography. Retrieved 2008-01-07.
- ^ "David Ball Album & Song Chart History - Country Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. http://www.billboard.com/artist/david-ball/discography/albums/2260#/artist/david-ball/chart-history/2260?f=320&g=Albums. Retrieved December 11, 2010.
- ^ "David Ball Album & Song Chart History - Billboard 200". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. http://www.billboard.com/artist/david-ball/discography/albums/2260#/artist/david-ball/chart-history/2260?f=305&g=Albums. Retrieved December 11, 2010.
- ^ Peak chart positions for albums charting on the Canadian Country Albums/CDs Chart:
- ^ Peak chart positions for albums charting on the Canadian Top Albums/CDs Chart:
- ^ "David Ball Album & Song Chart History - Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. http://www.billboard.com/artist/david-ball/discography/albums/2260#/artist/david-ball/chart-history/2260?f=357&g=Singles. Retrieved December 11, 2010.
- ^ "David Ball Album & Song Chart History - Hot 100". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. http://www.billboard.com/artist/david-ball/discography/albums/2260#/artist/david-ball/chart-history/2260?f=379&g=Singles. Retrieved December 11, 2010.
- ^ "Results - RPM - Library and Archives Canada - Country Singles". RPM. http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-110.01-e.php?PHPSESSID=i2lehvupucp60hj1dhflntcmq7&q1=david+ball&q2=Country+Singles&interval=20. Retrieved December 11, 2010.
External links
Compilation albums Super HitsTop 20 singles "Thinkin' Problem" · "When the Thought of You Catches Up with Me" · "Look What Followed Me Home" · "Riding with Private Malone"Related articles Categories:- 1953 births
- American male singers
- American country singers
- American country singer-songwriters
- Dualtone Records artists
- Living people
- Musicians from South Carolina
- Warner Bros. Records artists
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