When it comes to lost, obscure rockers (at least to U.S radio listeners): none are more popular — still, to this day across Europe — than British singer-songwriter Russ Ballard. Next to the equally U.S unknown Chris Rea — outside of a lone solo hit single — Ballard commands Bruce Springsteen-like fandom with concert appearances across Europe and Australia (and . . . if and when he comes to America: a club appearance).
Ballard got his teen start in early 1960s, eventually appearing a record-breaking nine times between 1964 and 1965 on the legendary U.K television series, Ready, Steady, Go!, with Adam Faith’s backing band, the Roulettes. Then Ballard, along with drummer Bob Henrit from Faith’s band, joined ex-Zombies’ Ron Argent in his new, hard-rock concern: Argent. That’s Russ’s vocals on the band’s lone, 1972 U.S “Top 40” hit, “Hold Your Head Up.”
When Argent split after a five-album career in 1974, Russ Ballard released six European-successful solo albums. While “Voices” from his 1984 self-titled fifth album became his only U.S solo hit, his songs were all over U.S and international radio by way of covers from America, the Bay City Rollers, Roger Daltry, Ace Frehley, Kiss, Rainbow, Santana, Three Dog Night, and Uriah Heep — to name a few.
Russ Ballard continues to rock in 2025 as the host of The Voices of Russ Ballard Podcast and plans to embark on a tour of Germany and Switzerland later in the year that should expand across Europe.
No comments:
Post a Comment