ABSTRACT
American concert tenor, born in Syracuse, New York. He was also known as George Winton, on Indestructible records. He had a sweet, clear voice, well suited to his frequent church work. His first recordings were on U-S Everlasting cylinders between 1910 and 1913, beginning with “A Dream” (#1043). He started his 15-year association with Edison singing “Carissima” (two-minute cylinder #213). His most popular offering was “When the Twilight Comes to Kiss the Rose Goodnight” (Edison Blue Amberol 2150). In December 1914 he went to Victor; his most notable recording for the label was “You’re More than the World to Me” (#17654). Ballard’s voice seemed to record best on verticalcut discs, so it was on Edison Diamond Discs that he achieved his greatest successes, during 1915-1922. In addition to his solo work, he was a member of the Moonlight Trio on Edison records. When he quit performing and recording he returned to earlier work as a salesman in a jewelry store. Ballard died in Syracuse, New York. [Walsh 1960/4.]
American popular vocalist, born in Palestine, Texas. From 1929 to 1936, he made records with numerous jazz and dance bands, primarily in New York. He also had his own band in the early 1930s, with many distinguished artists among the personnel at one time or another, including Glenn Miller, Bunny Berrigan, and Ray McKinley. In 1935, he sang on Glenn Miller’s first recording as a bandleader, “A Blues Serenade”/“Moonlight on the Ganges.” Ballew had a radio show in the mid-1930s, and appeared in motion pictures through the 1940s, primarily in B-grade cowboy pictures. By the 1950s, he had returned to Fort Worth, Texas, after retiring from show business. He died there in 1984.
