michael-ballew
Texas born and raised singer, songwriter, musician, entertainer Michael Ballew is no stranger to music business. In 1967, he signed his first 'major lable' recording contract with White Wale Records and later went on to record for Columbia, Warner Brother, Pentagram, Liberty and EMI America.
After making it into Hot 100 charts a few times with rock and rool groups in California, and opening shows for top acts such as loggins & Messina, Country Joe and the Fish, Steppenwolf, and Eric Burton and the Animals, he yearned to return home to Texas and get back to his roots in country music.
Several Austin artists were already recording Ballew's songs, so Austin seemed like the best bet and it was. The Austin Music scene opened its arms wide to Ballew, and it has remained his home base since 1976.
Playing throughout Texas, he has performed with Willie Nelson, Asleep at the Wheel, Michael Martin Murphy, John Conlee, B. W. Stevenson, Doc Watson, Alan Jackson, Johnny Gimble, Jerry Jeff Walker, Ray Price, Johnny Bush, Bonnie Raitt, The Drifters, The Coasters, The Platters, Jimmy Reed, Big Joe Turner, Johnny with Mac Dais, David Wills and Leroy Parnell, and had his material recorded and performed by many top country and western artists. Hissongs have been heard on TV in the Dolly Parton Christmas Special and on movie soundtracks, including 'Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure', and 'Grave Secrets'.
Since 1992, Ballew has had fourteen successful tours in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Holland, and Denmark. In January, 1995 he played the Frank Erwin Center in Austin for the Inauguration of Governor George Bush and Lieutenant Governor Bob Bullock of Texas. June 1995, Ballew played in Budapest, Hungary where he was summoned by Salt Lake City's 2002 Olympic Bid Committee. Salt Lake City won the Olympic Bid and the winter Olympics will be held in 2002 in Utah.
Ballew returned from Europe in June of this year from a successful tour of Germany, Holland, & Switzerland where he discovered his third C.D. "You Better Hold On" was the second highest seller on the Bear Family Records label, and his latest "Live At Gruene Hall" is making ground.
Ballew currently plays all over the Texas hill country and his music can be heard regularly at Ego's and Saxon Pub in Austin, Gruene Hall outside New Braunfels and Cypress Creek in Wimberley.