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 201-225 of 265 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
OKeh W404517 10-in. 10/30/1930 Somebody loves me Seger Ellis Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band lyricist  
OKeh [OK cat 1110-B] 10-in. approximately 1918 Dreaming of home sweet home Miriam Fine Female vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
OKeh [OK cat 1269-b] 10-in. approximately 1919 Broken blossoms Lewis James Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
OKeh [OK cat 40558-A] 10-in. approximately 1926 Clap hands! Here comes Charley! Johnny Marvin Male vocal solo lyricist  
Brunswick 833 10-in. approximately early 1917 Indiana Wm. Schafer Male vocal solo lyricist  
Brunswick [Br cat 5175-a] 10-in. approximately Oct. 1917 The rag time volunteers are off to war Arthur Collins Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Brunswick [Br cat 5200-b] 10-in. approximately Jan. 1918 Chin chin Chinaman Peerless Quartet Male vocal quartet, with orchestra lyricist  
Brunswick [Br cat 5212-a] 10-in. approximately Mar. 1918 Three wonderful letters from home Henry Burr Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Brunswick [Br cat 5214-a] 10-in. approximately Apr. 1918 How could Washington be a married man and never, never tell a lie? Dan W. Quinn Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Brunswick 6082-6083 10-in. approximately July 1921 Mimi Billy Jones Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Brunswick 14509-14511 10-in. 12/17/1924 At the end of the road Radio Franks Male vocal duet, with string quartet and piano lyricist  
Brunswick E16398-E16400 10-in. 9/17/1925 Indiana Criterion Quartet Male vocal quartet, with orchestra lyricist  
Brunswick E17647-E17649 10-in. 1/22/1926 Clap hands, here comes Charlie! The Merrymakers Male vocal quartet, with piano lyricist  
Brunswick IND664 10-in. 6/23/1928 The trail of the lonesome pine Floyd Thompson Home Towners ; Frank Owens ; Jack Tilson Instrumental quartet, with male vocal duet lyricist  
Brunswick C2557 10-in. 11/12/1928 Somebody loves me Freddie Rose Male vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist  
Brunswick C3766 10-in. 7/2/1929 Somebody loves me Baker Hotel Orchestra ; Henry Lange Jazz/dance band, with vocal; without vocal lyricist  
Brunswick C3903 10-in. 7/19/1929 Somebody loves me Baker Hotel Orchestra ; Henry Lange Jazz/dance band, with vocal lyricist  
Brunswick C5030 10-in. 12/17/1929 Hoosier hop Ray Miller Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with vocal; without vocal (take G) lyricist  
Brunswick C1120-C1122 10-in. 9/4/1927 Since Henry Ford apologized to me Jimmy Hussey Male vocal solo, with piano lyricist  
Brunswick C1123-C1125 10-in. 9/4/1927 Rose of the studios Jimmy Hussey Male vocal solo, with piano songwriter  
Brunswick LTR221 10-in. 9/27/1929 I’m following you Lawrence Gray Male vocal solo, with piano lyricist  
Brunswick LAE665 10-in. 11/18/1929 I’m following you Jesse Stafford Palace Hotel Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) lyricist  
Brunswick LAE666 10-in. 11/18/1929 I’m sailing on a sunbeam Jesse Stafford Palace Hotel Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo; without vocal (take G) lyricist  
Brunswick LAE667 10-in. 11/18/1929 I’m following you Lawrence Gray Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band lyricist  
Brunswick LAE668 10-in. 11/18/1929 I’m sailing on a sunbeam Lawrence Gray Male vocal solo, with jazz/dance band lyricist  
(Results 201-225 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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