Russ Ballard | |
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 Ballard performing at theDonau Arena inRegensburg, Germany, April 2024 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Russell Glyn Ballard (1945-10-31)31 October 1945 (age 80) Waltham Cross,Hertfordshire, England |
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| Years active | 1960–present |
| Labels | EMI |
| Website | russballardmusic |
Russell Glyn Ballard (born 31 October 1945) is an English rock singer, guitarist, songwriter and producer. Originally rising to prominence as the lead singer and guitarist of the bandArgent, Ballard became a prolific songwriter and producer by the late 1970s. His compositions "New York Groove", "You Can Do Magic", "Since You Been Gone", "I Surrender","Liar", "Winning", "I Know There's Something Going On", "Can't Shake Loose", "So You Win Again", "No More the Fool" and "God Gave Rock and Roll to You" became hits for other artists during the 1970s and 1980s. He also scored several minor hits under his own name in the early and mid-1980s.
Ballard was born inWaltham Cross,Hertfordshire in England.[1]
Ballard was initially a guitarist, joining Buster Meikle & The Day Breakers in 1961 together with his older brother Roy and their friend the drummerBob Henrit. After a stint withThe Roulettes, backingAdam Faith, he joinedUnit 4 + 2 in 1967, before becoming the lead singer and guitarist ofArgent (along with Henrit, who joined as drummer), writing theirhit "God Gave Rock and Roll to You",[1] which later was covered by bothPetra andKISS. Ballard is most well known as the vocalist on Argent's smash"Hold Your Head Up". In 1972, Ballard performed onColin Blunstone's albumEnnismore, which was produced byChris White. Ballard also wrote the hit single "I Don't Believe in Miracles", which featured on that album.
Ballard left Argent in 1974 and pursued a solo and songwriting career. He wrote such hits asThree Dog Night's "Liar"[1] (originally recorded by Argent),Hot Chocolate's 1977UK chart topper "So You Win Again",[1][2] andRainbow's 1979 hit "Since You Been Gone".Head East had also recorded the song in 1978 for its self-titled album, and before that it was included in Ballard's 1976 solo albumWinning. Ballard also wrote Rainbow's 1981 song "I Surrender", which charted at number 3 in the UK.
Ballard wrote and performed onRoger Daltrey's first two solo albums,Daltrey (1973) andRide a Rock Horse (1975). Daltrey recorded some other Russ Ballard originals for hisMcVicar soundtrack, and his albumsUnder a Raging Moon andCan't Wait to See the Movie. Ballard undertook a tour with Roger Daltrey in 1985, playing guitar and singing one of his own songs. British pop bandHellorecorded Ballard's "New York Groove" in 1975, reaching No. 7 in Germany and No. 9 in the UK.[3]"New York Groove" would also be recorded three years later byAce Frehley, who turned the tune into astateside hit.
Ballard also wrote the No. 17, 1981 hit forSantana, called "Winning", which appeared on their album entitledZebop! and had previously been released by Ballard himself on his second solo album. To promote theWinning album he toured Europe and the US in October and November 1976, working with the John Stanley Media Management Company and a four-piece band, performing at large theatre venues in Europe and medium-sized clubs such asThe Bottom Line in New York and theWhisky a Go Go in Los Angeles.
Ballard wrote and produced "You Can Do Magic" for the groupAmerica on its 1982 albumView from the Ground. The single climbed to No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 in October 1982, and helped resurrect the band's career. The following year, America brought in Ballard to produce their follow-up album,Your Move. One of its tracks, "The Border", which was co-written by Ballard withDewey Bunnell, reached No. 33 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Ballard wroteABBA singerAnni-Frid Lyngstad's 1982 solo hit: "I Know There's Something Going On" (which was produced byPhil Collins, and also featured Collins on drums). The track reached No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 5 in Germany. He also penned "Can't Shake Loose" for fellow ABBA former memberAgnetha Fältskog, which peaked at No. 29 in the same listings.
Ballard wrote "No More the Fool" recorded byElkie Brooks, which reached number five in the UK chart in 1987.[4] Returning to a harder rock vein, he wrote "I Did It For Love", which became the lastBillboard Hot 100 hit forNight Ranger, appearing on their 1988Man in Motion album. In 1991 the song he co-wrote withJohn Waite and Jonathan Cain, "So This Is Eden", appeared onBad English's album,Backlash.
Ballard in 2005, acting as atalent scout, "discovered"Lauren Harris.[5][6]
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As a solo artist, Ballard charted once on the USBillboard Hot 100chart, when "On the Rebound" reached No. 58 in 1980.[1] The song was featured on his solo album for Epic, entitledBarnet Dogs, which reached number 187 on theBillboard 200.[7] English rock bandUriah Heep covered "On the Rebound" in 1982 on their albumAbominog.
Another notable solo hit, "Voices" – from his second self-titled album (1984) – was featured in theMiami Vice episode "Calderone's Return: Part 2 – Calderone's Demise", which aired on 26 October 1984. The song was a brief hit on rockradio stations, peaking at No. 15 on theHot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. However, "Voices" stalled below the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 110. Another song from the same album, "In the Night" was featured in the episode "Calderone's Return: Part 1 – The Hit List". The show also featured "Your Time Is Gonna Come" by Ballard later in its run.
"The Fire Still Burns", the title track of his 1985 album, matched the placement of the previous year's "Voices", peaking at No. 15 on theHot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.[8]
In addition toKiss covering "God Gave Rock and Roll to You", it was retitled as "God Gave Rock 'n' Roll to You II."[9]
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | AUS [15] | |||
| 1974 | Russ Ballard | – | – |
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| 1976 | Winning
| – | – |
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| 1978 | At the Third Stroke | – | – |
|
| 1980 | Barnet Dogs
| 187 | – |
|
| 1981 | Into the Fire | – | – | |
| 1984 | Russ Ballard
| 147 | 70 |
|
| 1985 | The Fire Still Burns | 166 | – |
|
| 1993 | The Seer
| – | – | |
| 2006 | Book of Love[8]
Format: CD | – | – | |
| 2015 | It's Good to Be Here[8]
| – | – |
|
| 2025 | Songs From The Warehouse/The Hits Re:Wired
Format: CD, LP, digital | – | – |
|
All songs written by Ballard.
| Year | A-Side | Length | B-Side | Length | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | "Fly Away" | 3:20 | "Danger Zone - Part II" | 3:06 | |
| 1975 | "Loose Women" | 2:27 | "Danger Zone—Part 1" | 2:38 | |
| 1976 | "Since You Been Gone" | 2:50 | "Venus (Shine Your Light)" | 4:41 | |
| 1976 | "The Russ Ballard Story Part 1" | 7:50 | "The Russ Ballard Story Part 2" | 7:41 | US only, promo[17] |
| 1977 | "Some Kinda Hurricane" | 3:27 | "You Can Do Voodoo" | 3:32 | |
| 1978 | "Dancer" | 4:02 | "Treat Her Right" | 2:29 | New Zealand only |
| 1978 | "Treat Her Right" | 2:55 | "What Does It Take" | 3:09 | |
| 1978 | "I'm a Scorpio" | 3:38 | "Expressway to Your Heart" | 2:53 | |
| 1980 | "Rene Didn't Do It" | 3:20 | "Feels Like the Real Thing" | 3:58 | Australia only |
| 1980 | "On the Rebound" | 3:28 | "Riding with the Angels" | 4:06 | |
| 1981 | "Rock & Roll Lover" | 3:31 | "Breakdown" | 3:16 | US only |
| 1981 | "Here Comes the Hurt" | 3:56 | "Breakdown" | 3:16 | |
| 1981 | "I Will Be There" | 3:57 | "Madman" | 5:04 | |
| 1984 | "Two Silhouettes" | 4:17 | "Living Without You" | 4:24 | |
| 1984 | "I Can't Hear You No More" | 4:09 | "The Last Time" | 5:25 | Germany only |
| 1985 | "Voices" | 5:33 | "Living Without You" | 4:24 | |
| 1985 | "The Fire Still Burns" | 4:12 | "Hold On" | 4:17 | |
| 1985 | "Dream On" | 4:15 | "The Omen" | 4:27 | Germany only |
In 1984, Mary Turner produced a 15-minute portrait of Russ Ballard as a record with the title "A Portrait Of An Artist By Mary Turner".[20]
Media related toRuss Ballard at Wikimedia Commons| International | |
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