The tale of Missouri-born Americana singer-songwriter, Alex Ballard, is certainly a rich tapestry. After Ballard’s 1980’s band Baku Press disbanded, he relocated to Seattle to write and reflect. Although the music scene there was on the verge of exploding, Ballard returned to his long-time home, Milwaukee with a fresh batch of songs, and released his first solo E.P., Madeira, on Don’t Records. The E.P. was nominated for 5 WAMI (Wisconsin Area Music Industry) awards, received rave reviews in publications like College Music Journal and airplay on both independent and commercial radio. Ballard formed Sugarfoot in 1993 to tour behind the effort. That same year, Alex Ballard and Sugarfoot were voted one of the top 10 unsigned bands in the country, according to Musician Magazine.
In 1999, the band recorded Take a Picture (Karmadillo Entertainment Recordings), the band’s first full-length. It received great reviews and write-ups in Billboard Magazine and No Depression, among other publications, and indie sales of the record were brisk. The band toured behind the album extensively throughout the Midwest and beyond, opening for such legendary acts as Wilco, Little Feat, The Band, Semisonic, and others. Recently, in 2018, they opened for Edgar Winter at the world’s largest music festival, Summerfest.
Although personnel have changed over the years, one thing has remained consistent, and that is the quality of Ballard’s songwriting. The current lineup, featuring Jeff “H” Harrington on bass, Dan Johnston on guitars, Matt Davies on keyboards, and Jeff Jara on drums, delivers the goods live, and Ballard performs at his best. On their latest releases, Built my World and Lathe of Heaven (Karmadillo Entertainment Recordings), the band showcases their folk rock and Americana roots as well as their pop sensibilities. The strength of the songs combined with the current lineup will make Alex Ballard and Sugarfoot a contender for your shortlist. Check them out!
The four piece group The Thriftones draws it’s inspiration from an endless pool of musical genres. You might feel a funky 70’s jam end and a weird sonic freak-out begin. A spastic and aggressive rocker lead into a crooning waltz. They have played the outdoor festival stage, the cozy coffeehouse, the gallery night art opening and a lot of those clubs you find yourself in the early morning hours.
