Ballard MacDonald

Ballard MacDonald (October 15, 1882 – November 17, 1935) was an American lyricist, who was one of the writers of Tin Pan Alley.

Born in Portland, Oregon, he was a charter member of the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP).

MacDonald wrote lyrics for a song called "Play That Barber-Shop Chord" in 1910, which became a hit with revised lyrics when it was sung in The Ziegfeld Follies by vaudeville star Bert Williams. He subsequently worked with composer Harry Carroll on "On the Mississippi" (1912) and "The Trail of the Lonesome Pine" (1912, based on the million-selling novel). He also partnered with James F. Hanley, which produced the 1917 hit "(Back Home Again In) Indiana.

In the early '20s, MacDonald turned his attention to Broadway revues, which in 1924 brought him his most notable musical collaborator in George Gershwin. In 1926, MacDonald teamed up with Walter Donaldson to write songs for the Broadway show Sweetheart Time

Thumbs Up was MacDonald's final Broadway show. He died in Forest Hills, New York.

Birth and Death Data: Born 1882 (Portland), Died 1935 (Queens)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1910 - 1942

Roles Represented in DAHR: lyricist, songwriter, author, composer

Recordings (Results 226-250 of 265 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Brunswick LAE692 10-in. 1/30/1930 A year from today Earl Burtnett Biltmore Trio Male vocal trio, with string ensemble songwriter  
Brunswick DAL732 10-in. 10/26/1928 I loved you then as I love you now Danny David Male vocal solo, with violin, cello, and piano lyricist  
Brunswick DB90 10-in. 10/8/1928 That wonderful kid from Madrid Betty Fields Female vocal solo, with piano lyricist  
Brunswick E28463 10-in. 10/9/1928 I loved you then as I love you now Glen Wick Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Brunswick E29708 10-in. 4/18/1929 Indiana Five Pennies ; Red Nichols Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Brunswick E21743-E21745 10-in. 3/4/1927 Lily Harry Archer Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Brunswick E22585-E22586 10-in. 4/22/1927 Beautiful Ohio Carter's Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo lyricist  
Brunswick E24685-E24688 10-in. 10/10/1927 Breeze (Blow my baby back to me) Carter's Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take E24688) lyricist  
Brunswick E25722-E25723 10-in. 12/22/1927 The trail of the lonesome pine Frank McCravy ; James McCravy Male vocal duet, with orchestra lyricist  
Brunswick E26002-E26003 10-in. 1/13/1928 Indiana Kanawha Singers Male vocal quartet, with 2 violins, banjo, and piano lyricist  
Brunswick E26727-E26729 10-in. 2/29/1928 Wings Kenn Sisson Orchestra ; Eddy Thomas Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take E26729) lyricist  
Brunswick E30997-E30998 10-in. Sept. 1929 A year from today Meyer Davis' Hotel Astor Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) songwriter  
Edison 2415 10-in. 8/19/1913 The trail of the lonesome pine Walter Van Brunt Male vocal solo and vocal ensemble, with orchestra lyricist  
Edison 3461 10-in. Nov.-Dec. 1914 War in Snider's grocery store Tod Weinhold Male vocal solo, with orchestra songwriter  
Edison 3523 10-in. 1/18/1915 Tip-top Tipperary Mary Joseph A. Phillips Male vocal solo and male vocal ensemble, with orchestra lyricist  
Edison 3571 10-in. 2/9/1915 Little house upon the hill Manuel Romain Male vocal solo and mixed vocal quartet, with orchestra lyricist  
Edison 3744 10-in. 5/3/1915 On my way to New Orleans Collins and Harlan Male vocal duet, with orchestra lyricist  
Edison 4172 10-in. 10/6/1915 Piney Ridge Mayo and Tally Male vocal duet, with orchestra lyricist  
Edison 4784 10-in. 6/12/1916 Stormy sea of love Irving Kaufman Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Edison 4915 10-in. 7/27/1916 She is the sunshine of Virginia Walter Van Brunt Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Edison 4961 10-in. 8/31/1916 Mississippi days Collins and Harlan Male vocal duet, with orchestra lyricist  
Edison 5074 10-in. 10/17/1916 You wake up in the morning in Chicago Billy Murray Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Edison 5181 10-in. 11/28/1916 I'm "gone" before I go Edward Meeker Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Edison 5406 10-in. 2/23/1917 Indiana Homestead Trio Female vocal trio, with orchestra lyricist  
Edison 6082 10-in. Mar. 1918 A little bit of sunshine Vernon Dalhart Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
(Results 226-250 of 265 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "MacDonald, Ballard," accessed February 25, 2021, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106626.

MacDonald, Ballard. (2021). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved February 25, 2021, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106626.

"MacDonald, Ballard." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2021. Web. 25 February 2021.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/106626

External Sources

Wikipedia: Ballard MacDonald

Discogs: MacDonald, Ballard

Allmusic: MacDonald, Ballard

Linked Open Data Sources

LCNAR: MacDonald, Ballard - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n92082998

Wikidata: Ballard MacDonald - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q4353485

VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/34722957/

MusicBrainz: MacDonald, Ballard - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/ab00597c-43f1-41c4-98ee-6934dcd4179c

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