I have always been in awe of Micheal “Buck” Ballew. His ability to write songs that invite you in and make you sing along. He is Texan, to the bone. His voice is absolutely amazing, smooth as silk.
I met Michael as part of Sun Room Music Group, the same songwriters team where Ron Hicks and I met Erik Moll and Will T. Massey. He is another friend who “shoulda got famous”. I play his songs for others whenever I get the chance. “Listen to THIS!”. He also wrote the wedding song that I have played at friends weddings, for years. “Today, Will Never End”. It used to make me cry when I performed it. (Out of jealousy, that I didn’t write it? Nah!) He and I wrote a wonderful song, “Your Memory Is Better Than Mine”. To be honest, Michael wrote it from a title idea that I gave him, but that is how that biz works. Spell my name right, please….
Somehow, I got to be Michael’s bass player for a while, an honorable spot, usually occupied by Lynn Daniels (one of my local Austin idols) or Bill Colbert. Bill was killed, tragically, on the way home from a gig one night, by a drunk driver. He was a sweet, brilliant man and, both Michael and I love and miss him, dearly.
It was during that time that Michael took me on my first trip to Europe, Switzerland, Austria and Germany, a life changing experience. I have since been back to Europe with Michael several times, back to Switzerland, Austria and Germany as well as Denmark and Budapest, Hungary.
We played at the party in Budapest where the Olympic Selection Committee got busted for bribing the judges with hookers. Yep, that one! At that gig, I guy in a suit got up on stage and told me to tell Michael to stop playing. I tried to dismiss him as some drunk ex frat boy until I saw the earpiece and he said “President Clinton is on the phone”. Well….ok, then.
Our Germany “legs” were organised with the help of our friend, Jurgen Koop. One night I was driving the band home from a gig. Let’s just say they were “shit-faced-drunk” and I didn’t drink so the driving duty fell to me. We got stopped by the German police. Jurgen assured them that even though I smelled like beer, it was non-alcoholic beer and that I was totally sober. Michael had been dipping snuff and kept opening the car door to spit and I think the cops thought he was throwing up. We had a Polish illegal, Bartek, in the car with us and while we were being questioned, he got out of the car and disappeared into the bushes to pee. Now, being from Texas, I realized we were not “in Kansas anymore”. That kind of thing doesn’t happen in America….POW, POW POW>>>FREEEEEZE!
In the car, Bartek, who didn’t speak hardly any English, was talking in Marty Muse’s ear (Marty had his head back and wasn’t moving.) Bartek said “Maahtty, de muzik….I luvs it…..everything..” Marty opened his eyes, raised his head and said “I heard that!” and plopped his head back down.
Traveling and playing with Buck has always been a joy and a point of pride for me. As a Country songwriter, he is what I aspired to be. He writes like Merle Haggard writes, in a way that makes you say “Me too!…That’s me.” It is honest songwriting. Being on stage singing harmony, with him, taught me to sing better. I would not have been ready for my apprenticeship with Freddy Powers had Micheal not groomed me and brought me along. He taught me to understand TEXAS songwriting, which is it;s own thing. From Texas Blues, to “Torch” songs. to Western Swing to “Rodeo Cool”, he gave me a foundation to go on and do something on my own.
Recently, on Facebook, Michael made a comment….”I didn’t used to consider Steve a “Texas” songwriter…Now I do.” I could not wish for higher praise from my friend and mentor. Thanks Michael.
Mary Muse, Steve Carter and Michael Ballew
Don Raby, Steve Carter and Michael Ballew
My Entertaining Life-Steve Carter 