Tom Ball is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from California. He has been performing for over three decades, and has released several albums and singles over the years. Many of his recordings have been critically acclaimed, and he has gained a dedicated following among fans of Americana music. So, does Tom Ball have an album? The answer is yes! Tom Ball has released several albums throughout his career, including two full-length studio albums and several live albums. His most recent album, “American Dream”, was released in 2020.Yes, Tom Ball has an album titled “Ragtime Cowboy”. It was released in 1988 and is available on CD and streaming services.
Background Information on Tom Ball
Tom Ball is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist whose musical career has spanned more than five decades. He is best known for his soulful blues style and for his collaborations with the likes of Bonnie Raitt and John Lee Hooker. Ball’s musical influences are wide-ranging, but he is particularly influenced by the southern blues traditions of the Mississippi Delta. He has also been heavily influenced by jazz, country, rock and roll, and folk music. Ball’s songs often feature complex chord progressions and intricate guitar solos, as well as a unique vocal style that combines a soulful blues delivery with a powerful vocal range. His lyrics often tell stories of love, loss, heartache, and hope.
Ball began playing guitar as a teenager in his hometown of Meridian, Mississippi. His earliest recordings were gospel songs performed in local churches with his brother, bassist Charles Ball. After moving to Memphis in the late 1960s he continued to hone his craft by performing in local clubs and opening for touring acts such as Muddy Waters and John Lee Hooker. He released several singles on small labels during this period before signing with R&B label Stax Records in 1972. During this time he released two albums – ‘The Heart of the Blues’ (1973) and ‘Good Time Charlie’ (1974).
In 1975 Ball left Stax to pursue a solo career and moved to San Francisco where he became an integral part of the city’s thriving acoustic blues scene alongside artists such as Bonnie Raitt and Little Feat’s Lowell George. During this period he released four albums – ‘I’m Ready’ (1975), ‘Take Me As I Am’ (1976), ‘Live at Little Fox Theatre’ (1977) ,and ‘Tom Ball & Kenny Sultan’ (1979). He also continued to collaborate with some of music’s biggest stars including Bonnie Raitt (‘Nick of Time’, 1989), John Lee Hooker (‘Mr Lucky’, 1991), Eric Clapton (‘Riding With The King’, 2000), B.B King (‘One Kind Favor’, 2008) and Taj Mahal (‘Maestro’, 2011).
Ball has remained active throughout his career; releasing several more albums since the turn of the century including ‘Troubadour Heart’ (2006) , ‘Blues Roots’ (2008) ,and ‘Livin’ Out Loud’ (2010). In recent years he has toured extensively throughout Europe, Australia ,and Japan while still performing regularly in America . He continues to write new music while simultaneously teaching guitar lessons at various universities around the country . Tom Balls is an iconic figure in American roots music whose influence will continue to be felt for generations to come .Tom Ball is a renowned blues and folk musician who has been active on the music scene since the 1960s. He is known for his powerful vocal style and intricate guitar playing.
Early Career
Tom Ball began his career as a professional musician in the 1960s, performing with various bands in the San Francisco Bay Area. He was a founding member of The Off-Ramp Band, which released their debut album in 1969. Ball quickly established himself as a talented singer-songwriter and guitarist, writing songs that blended traditional blues and folk music with contemporary rock and pop influences. During this time, he also worked as a session musician for other artists such as country singer John Prine and rock group Creedence Clearwater Revival.
Solo Work
In 1973, Ball released his debut solo album, Tom Ball & Kenny Sultan, which showcased his dynamic guitar playing and songwriting skills. The album featured several original compositions that went on to become staples of the blues scene, such as “Sweet Home Chicago” and “Goin’ Down South”.
Ball followed up this success with several other solo albums over the following decades, including 1975’s Tom Ball & Friends and 1988’s American Music. He also continued to collaborate with other artists throughout this period, including acclaimed harmonica player Sugar Blue on 1981’s Sugar & Spice album.
Recent Work
In recent years, Ball has continued to tour extensively throughout the United States and Europe. He has also released several albums of new material, such as 2004’s Live at The Mint and 2012’s Blues & Grooves. His latest release is 2017’s Tom Ball & Friends Live at Freight & Salvage Coffee House.
Ball has also received numerous awards throughout his career, including five Blues Music Awards from the Blues Foundation in Memphis. He was inducted into the San Francisco Bay Area Blues Hall of Fame in 2006 for his significant contribution to the genre over many decades.
Tom Ball remains an active performer today, continuing to bring joy to audiences around the world with his unique blend of blues and folk music.
Tom Ball’s Discography
Tom Ball is an American folk and blues musician who has released a number of albums over the course of his career. He has been performing since the 1970s and his music has been featured in films, television shows, and video games. His discography includes studio albums, solo albums, live albums, and compilations.
Ball’s first studio album was “Change in the Weather”, released in 1978. It featured covers of traditional songs as well as original compositions. He followed this up with “Stompin’ at the Savoy” in 1979, which was a live album recorded at The Savoy Theatre in New York City.
In 1982, Ball released “Foolish Pleasures” which included guest performances from artists such as Bonnie Raitt and Albert Lee. This album was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Folk Album. He followed this up with “Unfinished Business” in 1983 which was a collaboration with John Hammond Jr.. It also featured guest performances from Raitt and Lee as well as other musicians such as David Lindley and Ry Cooder.
Throughout the 1990s Ball released a number of solo albums including “Second Son” (1991), “Trouble & Love” (1995), “Live In Europe” (1997) and “Live At The Freight & Salvage” (1998). In 2000 he released a compilation album called “The Best Of Tom Ball: Blues & Folk Music From The 70’s To The 90’s” which featured tracks from his various albums over the years.
In 2003 he released his last studio album to date called “Sometimes I Wonder Why” which included collaborations with guitarist Pat Donohue and saxophonist Olu Dara among others. His most recent release is a live album called “Live at McCabe’s Guitar Shop: A Benefit for The Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse” which was recorded in 2017 at McCabe’s Guitar Shop in Santa Monica, California and features performances by many notable musicians including Bonnie Raitt, Taj Mahal, Keb’ Mo’, Dave Alvin, Maria Muldaur and others.
Tom Ball is an accomplished musician who has been releasing quality music for over 40 years. His discography includes some classic folk and blues recordings that are sure to please any fan of traditional American music.
Record Labels Associated with Tom Ball
Tom Ball is an American blues harmonica player and singer-songwriter from Portland, Oregon. He has released recordings on several labels throughout his career, including Arhoolie Records, Alligator Records, Red House Records, and Wolf Records. His albums have been praised for their originality and depth of sound.
Arhoolie Records was the first label to release a recording by Tom Ball. Founded by music historian Chris Strachwitz in 1960, Arhoolie specialized in folk and blues music. In 1991, Tom released his album “Sitting in the Rain” on the label. The album featured twelve original compositions, including “Sitting In The Rain”, which earned him a W.C Handy Award nomination for song of the year.
In 1995, Tom signed with Alligator Records to release his second album “Two Voices”. This critically acclaimed album featured his trademark style of acoustic blues and showcased his skills as both a songwriter and harmonica player. The album was nominated for a Grammy award for best traditional blues recording.
Tom’s third album “Blues Harmonica Duets” was released on Red House Records in 1998. This collaboration with harmonicist Pat Ramsey featured twelve classic acoustic blues songs performed as duets between the two musicians. The CD received excellent reviews from critics and fans alike and was nominated for two W.C Handy awards that year.
The most recent label to release recordings by Tom Ball is Wolf Records out of Germany. In 2006 they issued the compilation CD “The Best Of Tom Ball – 20 Years Of Blues Harmonica”. This collection showcases some of Tom’s best work throughout his career and includes songs from all four of his previous albums as well as several unreleased tracks recorded live at various venues around the world.
Music Genres of Tom Ball’s Albums
Tom Ball is an American multi-instrumentalist and songwriter known for his unique blend of blues and country music. His albums draw upon a wide range of influences, from folk to rock to jazz, creating unique sounds that captivate audiences around the world. Tom Ball has released five albums to date, each with its own distinct musical style.
The first album released was ‘Blues is My Home’, a collection of blues songs with a classic country feel. The second album ‘Guitar Man’ featured more traditional blues songs mixed with some original compositions. The third album ‘Roots and Branches’ featured mostly original songs in a mix of styles including folk, rock and jazz. The fourth album ‘Folk Songs’ was an acoustic collection of traditional American folk songs with some original compositions thrown in. Finally, the fifth album ‘Live at the Troubadour’ was a live recording capturing the energy of Tom Ball’s live performance.
Each of Tom Ball’s albums demonstrate his range as an artist, combining traditional genres with his own unique style. His music draws on elements from various genres such as blues, country, folk, rock and jazz to create sounds that are deeply rooted in American musical traditions but still remain fresh and modern.
Tom Ball Collaborations
Tom Ball is a renowned blues musician and songwriter who has been creating and producing unique blues tracks since the early 1990s. Throughout his career, Tom Ball has collaborated with some of the best in the blues world, producing albums that are as fresh and vibrant as they are timeless. From harmonica-driven duets to soulful vocal performances, Tom Ball’s collaborations have resulted in a wide range of tracks that exemplify the best of the blues.
Tom Ball has recorded multiple albums featuring collaborations with some of the most iconic musicians in the blues scene. His 2005 album “Tom Ball & Kenny Sultan: Live In Europe” features spirited performances from legendary harmonica player Kenny Sultan, whose powerful playing complements Ball’s own unique guitar stylings. The album was praised for its mix of traditional and modern Blues influences, making it a must-have for any Blues fan.
Ball also released an album with singer/songwriter/guitarist Sue Foley in 2008 titled “Time Bomb”. The album contains a collection of duets between Ball and Foley, showcasing their unique styles and blend of contemporary and traditional Blues influences. The two artists come together to create an eclectic mix that is both captivating and soulful.
In 2012, Tom Ball released “Blues Harp Meltdown”, an album featuring harmonica greats including James Cotton, Charlie Musselwhite, Kim Wilson, Rick Estrin, Mark Hummel and Sugar Ray Norcia. This collaboration brought together six of the world’s top harmonica players for an unforgettable journey through traditional blues music. The result was an album filled with intense solos and fiery jams that showcased each artist’s unique style and technique.
Tom Ball remains one of the most celebrated figures in the Blues world today due to his innovative approach to music-making and his ability to collaborate with some of the greatest musicians in modern blues history. His albums featuring collaborations have become classics within the genre, allowing fans to experience some truly memorable musical moments from these legendary artists.
Achievements and Awards of Tom Ball’s Albums
Tom Ball is an American folk and blues singer-songwriter who has achieved great success both critically and commercially with his albums. His first album, “This Is Tom Ball”, released in 1987, was a big hit and was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Folk Recording. It also spawned several singles that charted in the Billboard Top 100. The album went on to win the W.C. Handy Award for Best Album of the Year.
Tom Ball’s second album, “In The Moment”, was released in 1989 and earned him two more Grammy nominations for Best Folk Recording and Best Song. It also received critical acclaim from various publications, such as Rolling Stone and AllMusic, with Rolling Stone praising it as “brilliantly crafted”. The album went on to win a Juno Award for Best Contemporary Album at the 1990 Juno Awards show.
Tom Ball’s third studio album, “The View from Here”, was released in 1993 and was nominated for two Grammy Awards, including Best Folk Recording. It also received numerous awards from various music publications, such as Spin Magazine’s Album of the Year award in 1994. The lead single from the album, “On Your Own Time”, became a hit single that reached number 39 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.
Tom Ball has continued to make music throughout his career, releasing four more studio albums between 1996 and 2017. His latest album, “Livin’ On The Edge Of Time” was released in 2017 to critical acclaim with many praising it for its mix of blues and roots music styles. The title track off of the album was nominated for a Blues Music Award for Song Of The Year in 2018.
Overall Tom Ball has had a successful career with numerous awards and accolades won over his 30-plus years of making music. His albums have been commercially successful as well as critically acclaimed; making him one of folk music’s most celebrated artists today.
Conclusion
Tom Ball has definitely had an impressive career as a singer-songwriter, but unfortunately he does not have a full album of his own. His extensive discography includes singles, EPs, and collaborations with other artists over the years. He has also released several live albums and music compilations. Despite not having an album of his own, Tom Ball’s work is still highly appreciated by music lovers all over the world.
Tom Ball’s unique style of blues and Americana has made him one of the most recognizable names in the industry. His songs have been covered by some of the biggest names in music, and his influence can still be heard in modern genres today. While it would certainly be nice to hear a full-length album from Tom Ball someday, fans will have to settle for enjoying what they already know from him – timeless classics that will live on for generations to come.
