Senate Resolution 13

A RESOLUTION EXTENDING THE RECOGNITION OF THE MISSISSIPPI SENATE TO INTERNATIONALLY RENOWNED PIANIST, SINGER-SONGWRITER, MUSIC PRODUCER AND ACTOR EARL POOLE BALL, JR., OF AUSTIN, TEXAS, AS THE RECIPIENT OF THE 2024 GOVERNOR'S ARTS AWARD FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT.

WHEREAS, the Governor's Arts Awards Program has announced its 2024 recipients, which include internationally renowned Pianist, Singer-Songwriter, Music Producer and Actor Earl Poole Ball, Jr., of Austin, Texas, as the recipient of the 2024 Governor's Arts Award for Lifetime Achievement; and

WHEREAS, established in 1988, Governor's Arts Awards are given to individuals and organizations to recognize outstanding work in the artistic disciplines, as well as arts-based community development and arts patronage in Mississippi. The awards are presented in partnership with the Governor's Office and signify the important relationship between government and the arts; and

WHEREAS, Earl Poole Ball, Jr., (March 12, 1941) is a Pianist, Singer-Songwriter, Music Producer and Actor. His musical work spans the Americana, Country, Gospel and Rockabilly genres; and

WHEREAS, he has recorded and performed with Buck Owens and the Buckaroos, Gram Parsons' "International Submarine Band," Merle Haggard, Carl Perkins, Marty Stuart, Freddie Hart, Phil Ochs, Michael Nesmith, Marty Robbins, Wynn Stewart, the Flying Burrito Brothers and on the Byrds iconic album Sweetheart of the Rodeo. He is best known for the 20 years he spent touring and recording with Johnny Cash; and

WHEREAS, Ball hails from Foxworth, Mississippi, where his aunt, Kathryn Ball, taught him how to play the piano at the Foxworth First Baptist Church. Later he learned how to play the popular country and early rockabilly songs on the radio and was a part of a local Columbia band called the Hill Cats. Ball auditioned for Jimmy Swan's Country Dance Band and got the job hitch-hiking back and forth to Hattiesburg to play on television. The McCaffrey Supermarket sponsored the "Jimmy Swan Show" where he met a young Eddie Hodges and family. He performed in the local bars while in high school and afterward and supplemented his music career by selling Fuller Brushes door to door; and

WHEREAS, at age 20, his father gave him a bus ticket to his chosen destination of Houston, Texas, where he honed his craft after meeting Mickey Gilley, who showed him the ropes of survival in the world of honky-tonk piano players. Gilley remained a lifelong friend; and

WHEREAS, while spending three years in Houston where a young Glen Campbell sat in with his band "The Shades," Ball worked four or five nights in the bars and sold sewing machines in the day and finally bought a car. Ball then traveled to Southern California where he looked up his pal Eddie Hodges and another friend from Texas, Dick Stubbs, and found work in the lively country music scene in clubs and on local television. Studio work soon followed, and he was called for many recording sessions at Columbia, RCA and Capitol Records. The newly founded Academy Of Country Music named Ball "Piano Player of the Year" in 1967 and 1968; and

WHEREAS, while working for Cliffie Stone's Central Songs Music, Ball suggested the song his friends had written "Try A Little Kindness" to his old friend Glen Campbell for a number one hit; and

WHEREAS, in 1969, Ball was offered an executive position with Capitol records as assistant to the vice president in charge of country music, the legendary Ken Nelson. In addition to his other duties filling in for Nelson, he produced the most memorable Tribute to the World's Best Damn Fiddle Player album (or, My Salute to Bob Wills) by the great Merle Haggard; and

WHEREAS, in 1972, Ball was made a full producer and transferred to the Nashville office where he took over the responsibility of producing the hottest act in country music at that time, Freddie Hart. He was able to follow up Hart's smash "Easy Loving" with a number one hit for six weeks "My Hang-Up Is You" followed by two more number one singles and albums; and

WHEREAS, Ball continued to play at recording sessions as a pianist and was referred to Johnny Cash by the great songwriter Harlan Howard. Cash offered Ball a position in his traveling show just as Ball was finding that the corporate life was not the joy he had hoped for, and he missed the thrill of performing for live audiences. A deal was struck, and Ball traveled with the Cash show doing recordings and television for the next 20 years, also producing the remarkable Cash album Rockabilly Blues in 1980; and

WHEREAS, when asked to contribute a song to the famed Movie Director Peter Bogdanovich's latest film in 1980 They All Laughed starring Audrey Hepburn and Ben Gazzara, Ball was hired on as the Band Leader in the film and a musical friendship was formed. Bogdanovich and Ball would write several songs for subsequent films such as The Thing Called Love starring River Phoenix and Texasville, where Ball also had a role as an actor appearing as Junior Nolan, Jeff Bridges' pal. Ball also acted with Andy Griffith and Cash in the made for TV movie Murder in Coweta County directed by Gary Nelson, who also became a very close friend; and

WHEREAS, since 1999, Ball continues to do studio work, and to make music with his band "Earl Poole Ball and The Fantabulous Friends." He also performs with the "Hey Bale" band and is working on his autobiography. He currently resides in Austin, Texas; and

WHEREAS, it is with great pride that we pay tribute and express appreciation for the talent of a Mississippi-born artistic leader who has made Mississippi a better place and exemplifies the artistic traditions of our great state:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby extend the recognition of the Mississippi Senate to Internationally Renowned Pianist, Singer-Songwriter, Music Producer and Actor Earl Poole Ball, Jr., of Austin, Texas, as the recipient of the 2024 Governor's Arts Award for Lifetime Achievement and extend our congratulations to a Mississippi-born artistic leader on this auspicious occasion.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to Earl Poole Ball as part of the Governor's Arts Awards presentation and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.