Earl Poole Ball

Country backup and session pianist Earl Poole Ball was born in Mississippi and moved to Southern California in the 1960s, where he appeared on albums by <a href="spotify:artist:2FMZn5P3WATd7Il6FgPJNu">Buck Owens</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:1PCZpxHJz7WAMF8EEq8bfc">the Byrds</a> (Sweetheart of the Rodeo). In the 1970s, he was hired by <a href="spotify:artist:6kACVPfCOnqzgfEF5ryl0x">Johnny Cash</a>, whom he backed for 20 years, until <a href="spotify:artist:6kACVPfCOnqzgfEF5ryl0x">Cash</a>'s retirement in the 1990s. Meanwhile, he found time to do recording sessions with other musicians including <a href="spotify:artist:6TdaDpGBUyjeHtwQfMNoOF">Jo-El Sonnier</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:2OpqcUtj10HHvGG6h9VYC5">George Jones</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:0Xi59sEw38vRvwleSAVqoo">Marty Robbins</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:0rESpKEusFHxhW59MIf7eM">the Flying Burrito Brothers</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:67meObnM9NdAyCO373aaEp">Dale Watson</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:4TWlhLMKfoIXqJOYxwKhdf">Sleepy LaBeef</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:52BKc9OtCbQstAAPTIvLGH">James McMurtry</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:2ptmyXoL7poH6Zq62h1QT9">Merle Haggard</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:73sSFVlM6pkweLXE8qw1OS">Rick Nelson</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:6mvFRE3xP0zlD7UslNKjfI">Jason & the Scorchers</a>. Ball made a rare appearance as a main artist when he covered "I Still Miss Someone" on the 2002 album Dressed in Black: A Tribute to Johnny Cash. In 2003, Lucky Tomblin recruited Ball for <a href="spotify:artist:4zWF0johRJ5V0GiWjudRAm">the Lucky Tomblin Band</a>, and he appeared on the group's self-titled debut album, as well as In a Honky-Tonk Mood (2006) and Red Hot from Blue Rock (2007). Along with guitarist <a href="spotify:artist:3v0BLbhP6fJBapmJzm86nX">Redd Volkaert</a>, also a member of <a href="spotify:artist:4zWF0johRJ5V0GiWjudRAm">the Lucky Tomblin Band</a>, Ball formed HeyBale, which recorded The Last Country Album (2008), on which Ball wrote such songs as "Everything … About Drinkin'" and "Livin' in a Cheap Motel." He also maintained his membership in the Lucky Tomblin Band, however, and next appeared on the group's 2010 album Honky Tonk Merry Go Round. ~ William Ruhlmann, Rovi