CMA Music Festival: Interview with Frankie Ballard

Yes, yes…I’m STILL trying to get caught up from everything I had from the CMA Music Festival! Just about there! I guess it’s good as long as I get the articles out before CMA Music Festival 2012, right?!? Anyway…

Do you want to know all about this awesome guitar-slinging singer who has been touring the country opening for such artists as: Taylor Swift, Uncle Kracker, and Bob Seger? The girls are going crazy for him, too, and it’s easy to see why! This Michigan-born artist is “a southern gentleman without the accent” (a friend once said that to me and certainly a great way to describe Frankie Ballard) and there’s so much more to like about him, too!

Frankie just moved to Nashville 2 years ago and was signed to Warner Bros. Records after his very first showcase.  That’s pretty incredible and virtually unheard of for any artist to be signed to a major label so quickly.  He caught attention VERY quickly in this town and feels “incredibly blessed” to have had all the opportunities that have come his way so far in his career.

He has been “blown away” by the response that he’s getting from fans as he’s been touring around the country opening for these major acts.  Usually for an opening act, it’s very difficult to get the crowd’s attention since they are there to see the main act, but he’s been getting such a great response from fans all across the country who have started to embrace his music.

Frankie‘s current single (only his 2nd to be released to radio) is a fun, uptempo song entitled “A Buncha Girls“.   I asked him what the inspiration was behind the song.  He explained that when he wrote the song, he had the title a “A Buncha Girls” in his head and wanted to create “a fun, summer song that would be kind of like an anthem for females“.   He explained that you just always seem to see a bunch of girls out celebrating a girls night out, ect. and he just loves seeing that! I even laughed and agreed that you always seem to see a bunch of girls heading to the bathroom together.  So true, so true! Reminds me of what it was like during my college days.  I was one of those “bunch of girls” heading down to Florida for spring break, out on the town for a girls night out, and when one person had to go to the bathroom, we ALL had to go together! Admit it, girls, you know it’s all true!  haha

Watch this video now at this link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWv1HFenAA8

Another pretty amazing thing I learned about Frankie is that he actually only started playing guitar at age 18, and to know what an incredibly talented guitarist he is today is pretty phenomenal! He got a late start.  However, once he picked up the guitar, he was determined to focus all his efforts into learning how to play it and it certainly paid off for him!

Frankie’s got a very touching story about his guitar that probably most fans don’t know about and tells you what a great guy he really is.  He named his guitar after his grandmother who he lost in 2008.  “She was my biggest fan.  I could do no wrong in her eyes.” says Frankie.  “All of my favorite guitar players had their ‘go to’ guitar and I had my own ‘go to’ guitar, but no name for it.”  He was about to open a show for Kenny Chesney and she had planned to go see him when she broke her hip just before having that opportunity.  Sadly, she passed away shortly after that.   “I decided to name it after her.  I woodburned her name into the guitar and that way she would always be with me wherever I go.

Just for the fun of it! A few more questions for Frankie…

Last cd bought?  “Need to Breathe

Celebrity crush?  “Jessica Biel

Dream duet?  “Bob Seger or Dolly Parton”

Favorite vacation spot?  “Mackin Island, Michigan”

Be sure to find out more about this great, new artist at:  www.frankieballard.com and www.facebook.com/frankieballard!

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