Earl Poole Ball

Earl Poole Ball Jr. (born March 12, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter, pianist, music producer and actor. His musical work spans the Ameripolitan, Country, Americana and Rockabilly genres. He has performed with many well known American musicians, including Buck Owens & The Buckaroos, Gram Parsons, Carl Perkins, Merle Haggard, Freddie Hart, Marty Stuart, Phil Ochs, Michael Nesmith, Marty Robbins, Wynn Stewart, The Flying Burrito Brothers and The Byrds. He is best known for his 20 years spent touring and recording with Johnny Cash. (1977-1997)

Early years

Ball was born in Columbia, Mississippi. Ball also played on a number of sessions with Buck Owens' Buckaroos.

Film career

Director Peter Bogdanovich included the song I Don't Think I Could Take You Back Again, which was written by Earl Poole Ball and Jo-El Sonnier, in his 1981 film They All Laughed. Ball was hired to play piano in the film, and began to take acting lessons. He also appeared in a 1981 TV movie with Cash and Brenda Vaccaro called The Pride of Jesse Hallam. In 1983, he and Cash worked together on another made-for-TV film Murder in Coweta County with actor Andy Griffith.

In 1986 Earl moved back to California and found more work in character roles on movies such as Texasville (1990) and The Thing Called Love (1993).

Austin, Texas

In 1999 Ball moved to Austin, Texas. He continues to write songs, perform and do session work. He performs live with several bands including Heybale!, Earl Poole Ball's Rockabilly Blues Band, Earl Poole Ball and The Cosmic Americans, and Earl Poole Ball & Friends, with whom he performs a weekly residency at The Continental Club in Austin.

Discography

As performer

As writer/arranger

I'd give a Whole Lot of Me for a Little Bit of You – Various:blue Ribbon Country Vol 1 – Capitol, 1969 Phil Ochs – Greatest Hits – A&M Records, 1970 Wynn Stewart – Heavenly/You're No Secret of Mine – Capitol, 1970 Terry Stafford – Say, Has Anybody Seen My Sweet Gypsy Rose – Atlantic, 1974 Linda Ronstadt – Hand Sown...Home Grown – Capitol Records, 2004 Ray Stanley – Yolanda/ I've Wasted My Love – Chaparral Vern Stovall and The Showmen – The Wreck of the Olds 88/ Break Time – Longhorn Records Bobby George – I Wish I Was Coming Home(To You)/ Heart of The City – Pompeii Records

As producer

Wynn Stewart – It's a Beautiful Day – Capitol, 1970 Bobby Austin – When Your Sweet Love Carried On – Capitol, 1970 Wynn Stewart – Heavenly/ You're No Secret of Mine – Capitol, 1970 Beth Moore – Put Your Hand in The Hand – Capitol, 1971 Wynn Stewart – Baby, It's Yours/ I Was the First One to Know – Capitol, 1971 Stoney Edwards – Mama's Love/ Poor Folks Stick Together – Capitol, 1971 Wynn Stewart – Baby, It's Yours – Capitol, 1971 Freddie Hart – My Hang-Up is You/ Big Bad Wolf – Capitol, 1972 Marty Mitchell - Midnight Man - Atlantic, 1974 Terry Stafford - Stop If You Love Me – Atlantic, 1974 Terry Stafford – Say, Has Anybody Seen My Sweet Gypsy Rose – Atlantic, 1974 Terry Stafford – Captured – Atlantic, 1974 Johnny Cash – Rockabilly Blues – Columbia, 1980 Johhny Cash – Song of the Patriot – Columbia, 1980 Johnny Cash – The Essential Johnny Cash 1955-1983 (producer of 2 cuts) – Columbia, Legacy, 1992 Merle Haggard – The Studio Recordings, 1969-1976 - Bear Family (Germany), 2007

Film

The Thing Called Love (1993) They All Laughed (1981) Texasville(1990)

Television

Jimmy Swan Television Show (1956 - 1957) Country A Go-Go (1964) Cal's Corral (1964-1965) The Pride of Jesse Hallam (1981) Murder in Coweta County (1983) The Baron and the Kid (1984) Naked City: A Killer Christmas (1998)