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Michael Ballew I Love Texas (CD)

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1-CD with 12-page booklet, 22 tracks. Playing time approx. 66 mns. Michael is one of the new...more

Michael Ballew: I Love Texas (CD)

1-CD with 12-page booklet, 22 tracks. Playing time approx. 66 mns.

Michael is one of the new acts on Bear Family. A native Texan, he writes exceptionally fine cameos of life and love, and sings in a rough-hewn voice. On this collection, he salutes his home state. The songs include The Greatest Texas Song, Dark Side Of The Dancefloor, Seminole County Jail, Rodeo Cool, andBlue Water.

Michael Ballew grew up in a trailer house, traveling from one small West Texas town to another. His father worked the oil fields, so it's not as unusual as it might seem. However, after about 25 years and 25 towns, his mom wanted a steady home for her two sons. They taped all the doors shut for the very last time and headed as far north as you can go and "still be in Texas, "to Perryton - where his dad started a waterwell drilling company.

At the age of 10, Ballew got his first real home and his first real guitar. Coming from a musical family, it wasn't long 'till the vastness of the Great Plains and a vivid imagina-tion molded the beginnings of a true Texas troubadour. Between the ages of 17 and 21 he played at all the Honky Tonks within reasonable driving distance of Perryton. Looking for new

places to play, he headed for that 60s music scene that was happen-ing in California and gave up all work that didn't pertain to music - forever. In Los Angeles he had no trouble getting full time work as a singer, songwriter, musician. In 1967 he signed his first 'major label' record-ing contract with White Whale Records and later went on to record for Columbia, Warner Brothers, Pentagram and EMI America.

After making it into the Hot 100 charts a few times with rock and roll groups, and opening shows for top acts such as Loggins & Mes-sina, Country Joe and the Fish, Steppenwolf, and Eric Burdon and the Animals, he yearned to go home to Texas and get back to his roots in country music.
Several Austin artists were al-ready recording Ballew's songs, so Austin seemed like the best bget -
and it was. The Austin music scene opened its arms wide to Michael Ballew, and it has remained his home base since 1976.

Playing throughout Texas, he has performed with Willie Nelson, As-leep At The Wheel, John Conlee, B.W. Stevenson, Doc Watson and Alan Jackson. He spent some time in Nashville writing with Mac Davis, David Wills, and LeRoy Parnell and has had his material recorded and performed by many top country and western artists. His songs have been heard on TV in the Dolly Parton Christmas Special and on movie soundtracks includ-ing 'Bill And Ted's Excellent Adventure.'

With some Top 40 success of his own, Ballew is what he always wanted to be - a full time musician, writing, recording and performing his own brand of country music - in his home state of Texas, where the grass is always greener ....
Jürgen Koop

Article properties:Michael Ballew: I Love Texas (CD)

Ballew, Michael - I Love Texas (CD) CD 1
01The Music Is SweetMichael Ballew
02The Greatest Texas SongMichael Ballew
03Glenda PearlMichael Ballew
04Ain't No FutureMichael Ballew
05I Love TexasMichael Ballew
06Blue WaterMichael Ballew
07Country MusicMichael Ballew
08Rodeo CoolMichael Ballew
09Hot SpotMichael Ballew
10Lovin' MeMichael Ballew
11Cheatin'Michael Ballew
12Take It SlowMichael Ballew
13My FamilyMichael Ballew
14Your Daddy Don't Live In HeavenMichael Ballew
15Pretending FoolMichael Ballew
16Seminole County JailMichael Ballew
17Crazy DreamsMichael Ballew
18Dark Side Of The DancefloorMichael Ballew
19As Precious As You AreMichael Ballew
20Women Love, LoveMichael Ballew
21Out ThereMichael Ballew
22Hazelwood AvenueMichael Ballew
MICHAEL BALLEW   Daddy Don't Live In Heaven  In 1980 I took a trip to Los Angeles... more
"Michael Ballew"

MICHAEL BALLEW  

Daddy Don't Live In Heaven 

In 1980 I took a trip to Los Angeles to show several of my songs to a friend of mine, John English. At the time John was working for Val Garay who owned a state of the art studio, Record One in Sherman Oaks, and was at the peak of his career after producing and winning awards from the latest Kim Carnes 'Betty Davis Eyes' albumJohn liked the song Bob Moulds and I wrote Daddy Don't Live In Heavenso much, he suggested we cut it along with several other songs I wrote to see if he could find a record deal for me. The sessions came out great and every major label we went to wanted to sign me on the power of this one song. We settled on Liberty Records, the newly revived label of the past, that was now under the EMI America umbrella.

Liberty was so sure they had a hit and potential star on their hands, they gave us a handsome budget to complete an album. Although six of my original compositions are on this album, the top dogs at the label thought it best for John to take a trip to Nashville to collect the remainder of the material. They wanted the emphasis on dance music instead of lyrical content so we proceeded with what we felt was the most danceable, commercial songs he could find.

Just about the time Liberty released Daddy Kenny Rogers sued Liberty Records and won 13 million dollars in back royalties. We fought with them tooth and nail, but it became clear they just didn't have enough money or resources left to properly promote all the singles they were releasing. Of course they were concentrating on their established artists, but even without adequate promotion, Daddy Don't Live In Heaven advanced onto the charts. Liberty then quickly released a tune John and I wrote Pretending Fool and with no promotion at all, climbed faster and further on the charts than the first single.

Of interest is the fact that when John English was shopping for songs in Nashville, the publisher for Lionel Richie gave the song Oh No to him and told us we could record it because he didn't think Lionel was going to release it. Oh No was scheduled to be my third single. It later went on to be a huge pop hit for Lionel. Such is life!


Despite the warm reception my records received from disc jockeys and fans, Liberty released me from my contract along with almost all the Liberty roster at the time, about 25 total artists – so the album was never issued and started gathering dust in the tape graveyard.

I was never sure what I thought of the Nashville songs, or my vocal approach to this album. I was singing my heart out trying to drive the band along thinking "I'll get to sing these again for real after the band gets their parts", but John and Val thought the first takes were great, so all the vocals are the originals. Now, as I listen to the album after all these years, I like it. As a matter of fact, it sound somewhat '90s line dance. Very high energy!

So boys and girls – put on your dancing shoes!

The musicians backing me up on these songs basically consist of the then Kim Carnes Band. They had absolutely no concept of country music, but they could sure rock the hell out of it. A good rock band playing country music. Sound familiar!

I hope, you enjoy it. We sure had fun making it and I'm glad after all these years it has been digitally revived and found a new home with Bear Family Records. - MICHAEL BALLEW

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Tracklist
Ballew, Michael - I Love Texas (CD) CD 1
01 The Music Is Sweet
02 The Greatest Texas Song
03 Glenda Pearl
04 Ain't No Future
05 I Love Texas
06 Blue Water
07 Country Music
08 Rodeo Cool
09 Hot Spot
10 Lovin' Me
11 Cheatin'
12 Take It Slow
13 My Family
14 Your Daddy Don't Live In Heaven
15 Pretending Fool
16 Seminole County Jail
17 Crazy Dreams
18 Dark Side Of The Dancefloor
19 As Precious As You Are
20 Women Love, Love
21 Out There
22 Hazelwood Avenue