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{{short description|American songwriter}}
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{{Infobox person
| name=Ernest Ball
{{about||the American professor of botany|Ernest Aubrey Ball}}
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{{Infobox person
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| image =Ernest_Ball.jpg
| name = Ernest Ball
| birth_date={{Birth date|1878|7|22|mf=y}}
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| image = Ernest_Ball.jpg
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| birth_place=[[Cleveland, Ohio]]
| death_date={{death date and age|1927|5|3|1878|7|22|mf=y}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1878|7|22|mf=y}}
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| birth_place = [[Cleveland, Ohio]]
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| death_place=[[Santa Ana, California]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|1927|5|3|1878|7|22|mf=y}}
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| resting_place=[[Lake View Cemetery]]
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| death_place = [[Santa Ana, California]]
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|spouse=Jessie Mae Jewett
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| resting_place = [[Lake View Cemetery]]
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| spouse = [[Jessie Mae Jewitt]]
| relatives = [[Ernie Ball]] (grandson)<br/>[[Hannah Marks]] (great-great granddaughter)
}}
}}


'''Ernest Roland Ball'''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newenglandballproject.com/g2/p2666.htm#i66642|title=The New England Ball Project – Person Page|publisher=|accessdate=23 March 2017}}</ref> (July 22, 1878 &ndash; May 3, 1927) was an American singer and songwriter, most famous for composing the music for the song "[[When Irish Eyes Are Smiling]]" in 1912. He was not himself Irish.
'''Ernest Roland Ball'''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newenglandballproject.com/g2/p2666.htm#i66642|title=The New England Ball Project – Person Page|publisher=|access-date=23 March 2017}}</ref> (July 22, 1878 &ndash; May 3, 1927) was an American singer and songwriter, most famous for composing the music for the song "[[When Irish Eyes Are Smiling]]" in 1912. Ball was not Irish although the lyricists were.


==Early life and education ==
==Early life and education ==
Born in [[Cleveland, Ohio]], Ball received formal music training at the [[Cleveland Conservatory]].<ref>https://case.edu/ech/articles/b/ball-ernest-r/ </ref><ref>https://www.songhall.org/profile/Ernest_Ball </ref>
Born in [[Cleveland, Ohio]], Ball received formal music training at the [[Cleveland Conservatory]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://case.edu/ech/articles/b/ball-ernest-r/|title = Ball, Ernest R|date = 31 May 2019}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=https://www.songhall.org/profile/Ernest_Ball|title=Ernest Ball - Songwriters Hall of Fame|website=www.songhall.org}}</ref>


==Career ==
==Career ==
His nascent career was much buoyed by [[James J. Walker]], then a state senator of [[New York (state)|New York]], asked Ball to write music for some lyrics he wrote. Ball did, and the song "Will You Love Me In December as You Do In May?" became a hit. Walker later became known as "Dapper Jimmy Walker", Mayor of New York City, a fortunate event for Ball's career.
His growing career was much buoyed by [[Jimmy Walker|James J. Walker]], then a state senator of [[New York (state)|New York]], who asked Ball to write music for some lyrics he wrote. Ball did, and the song "Will You Love Me In December as You Do In May?" became a hit. Walker later became known as "Beau James," mayor of New York City from 1926 to 1932; their collaboration was a fortunate event for Ball's career.


Ball accompanied singers, sang in [[vaudeville]] and wrote sentimental ballads, mostly with Irish themes.<ref>Laurie, Joe, Jr. ''Vaudeville: From the Honky-tonks to the Palace'' (New York: Henry Holt, 1953), p. 328.</ref> He collaborated with [[Chauncey Olcott]] on many songs including "When Irish Eyes are Smiling", for which Olcott wrote the lyrics. Ball wrote other Irish favorites like "Mother Machree", and "A Little Bit of Heaven", as well as "Dear Little Boy of Mine", and "Let the Rest of the World Go By." "Mother Machree" was made popular by the famous Irish tenor, [[John McCormack (tenor)|John McCormick.]] <ref>{{cite web|title=Ball, Ernest R.|url=http://ech.case.edu/cgi/article.pl?id=BER|website=Encyclopedia of Cleveland History|publisher=Case Western Reserve University|accessdate=12 September 2016}}</ref>. He also worked with [[J. Keirn Brennan]] on songs like "For Dixie and Uncle Sam", "Good Bye, Good Luck, God Bless You".<ref>{{Cite book|title=World War I Sheet Music - Volume 1|last=Parker|first=Bernard S.|publisher=McFarland & Company, Inc.|year=2007|isbn=0-7864-2798-1|location=Jefferson, North Carolina|pages=153, 200}}</ref>
Ball accompanied singers, sang in [[vaudeville]] and wrote sentimental ballads, mostly with Irish themes.<ref>Laurie, Joe, Jr. ''Vaudeville: From the Honky-tonks to the Palace'' (New York: Henry Holt, 1953), p. 328.</ref> He collaborated with [[Chauncey Olcott]] on many songs including "When Irish Eyes are Smiling", for which Olcott wrote the lyrics. Ball wrote other Irish favorites like "Mother Machree", and "A Little Bit of Heaven", as well as "Dear Little Boy of Mine", and "Let the Rest of the World Go By." "Mother Machree" was made popular by the famous Irish tenor, [[John McCormack (tenor)|John McCormack.]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Ball, Ernest R.|url=http://ech.case.edu/cgi/article.pl?id=BER|website=Encyclopedia of Cleveland History|publisher=Case Western Reserve University|access-date=12 September 2016}}</ref> He also worked with [[J. Keirn Brennan]] on songs like "For Dixie and Uncle Sam" and "Good Bye, Good Luck, God Bless You".<ref>{{Cite book|title=World War I Sheet Music - Volume 1|last=Parker|first=Bernard S.|publisher=McFarland & Company, Inc.|year=2007|isbn=978-0-7864-2798-7|location=Jefferson, North Carolina|pages=153, 200}}</ref>


He became a charter member of [[ASCAP]] in 1907, and wrote many American standards. He was also a fine pianist, and his playing is preserved on several [[piano roll]] recordings he made for the [[Vocalstyle]] company, based in his home state of [[Ohio]]. He died just after walking off stage at the Yost Theatre in [[Santa Ana, California]] while on tour with "Ernie Ball and His Gang", an act starring Ball and a male octet.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article223623248 |title=Dropped Dead |newspaper=[[The Sun (Sydney)|The Sun]] |issue=5145 |location=Sydney |date=5 May 1927 |accessdate=19 December 2016 |page=5 (FINAL EXTRA) |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>Slide, Anthony. ''The Encyclopedia of Vaudeville'' (Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1994), p. 22.</ref> Ball was posthumously inducted into the [[Songwriters Hall of Fame]] in 1970.
He became a charter member of [[ASCAP]] in 1907, and wrote many American standards. He was also a fine pianist, and his playing is preserved on several [[piano roll]] recordings he made for the [[Vocalstyle]] company, based in his home state of [[Ohio]]. He died just after walking off stage at the [[Yost Theater]] in [[Santa Ana, California]] while on tour with "Ernie Ball and His Gang", an act starring Ball and a male octet.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article223623248 |title=Dropped Dead |newspaper=[[The Sun (Sydney)|The Sun]] |issue=5145 |location=Sydney |date=5 May 1927 |access-date=19 December 2016 |page=5 (FINAL EXTRA) |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>Slide, Anthony. ''The Encyclopedia of Vaudeville'' (Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1994), p. 22.</ref> Ball was interred at [[Lake View Cemetery]] in [[Cleveland]], [[Ohio]].<ref>{{cite news|title='Mother Machree' Grieves for 'Rolly'|work=The Plain Dealer|date=May 8, 1927|pages=1, 4}}</ref> Ball was posthumously inducted into the [[Songwriters Hall of Fame]] in 1970.<ref name="auto"/>


A 1944 musical ''[[Irish Eyes Are Smiling]]'' told the story of Ball's career and starred [[Dick Haymes]] and [[June Haver]].
A 1944 musical ''[[Irish Eyes Are Smiling]]'' told the story of Ball's career and starred [[Dick Haymes]] and [[June Haver]].

His songwriting career was heavily influenced by the early works of M-Steel.


== Family ==
== Family ==
His grandson was the guitar string entrepreneur [[Ernie Ball]], great-grandson is singer-songwriter/content producer Sherwood Ernest Ball and his great-great-granddaughters are actress [[Hannah Marks]] and singer/songwriter Tiare' Ball.
His grandson was the guitar string entrepreneur [[Ernie Ball]], his great-grandson is singer-songwriter/content producer Sherwood Ernest Ball, and his great-great-granddaughters are actress [[Hannah Marks]] and singer/songwriter Tiare' Ball.


==References==
==References==
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==External links==
==External links==
* {{Shof|id=206|name=Ernest Ball}}
* {{Shof|id=206|name=Ernest Ball}}
* {{IMSLP|id=Ball, Ernest Roland}}
* {{ChoralWiki}}
* {{ChoralWiki}}
*[http://libx.bsu.edu/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=/ShtMus&CISOPTR=1156&REC=13 Sheet Music for "Let the Rest of the World Go By"]; music by Ernest R. Ball; lyrics by J. Keirn Brennan, M. Witmark & Sons publisher, 1919.
*[http://dmr.bsu.edu/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=/ShtMus&CISOPTR=1156&REC=13 Sheet Music for "Let the Rest of the World Go By"]; music by Ernest R. Ball; lyrics by J. Keirn Brennan, M. Witmark & Sons publisher, 1919.
* [https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/110352 Ernest R. Ball recordings] at the [[Discography of American Historical Recordings]].


{{Authority control}}
{{Authority control}}
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[[Category:1878 births]]
[[Category:1878 births]]
[[Category:1927 deaths]]
[[Category:1927 deaths]]
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[[Category:19th-century American male singers]]
[[Category:19th-century American singers]]
[[Category:19th-century American singers]]
[[Category:American male songwriters]]
[[Category:American male songwriters]]
[[Category:Musicians from Cleveland]]
[[Category:Musicians from Cleveland]]
[[Category:Songwriters from Ohio]]
[[Category:Songwriters from Ohio]]
[[Category:Songwriters Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:American vaudeville performers]]
[[Category:Vaudeville performers]]
[[Category:20th-century American male singers]]
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[[Category:American male singers]]
[[Category:20th-century American singers]]
[[Category:20th-century American singers]]
[[Category:19th-century composers]]
[[Category:20th-century American composers]]
[[Category:20th-century composers]]
[[Category:20th-century American male musicians]]
[[Category:19th-century American composers]]
{{Reflist}}
[[Category:19th-century American male musicians]]
[[Category:Columbia Records artists]]

Latest revision as of 21:40, 28 August 2024

For the American professor of botany, see Ernest Aubrey Ball.
Ernest Ball
Born(1878-07-22)July 22, 1878
Cleveland, Ohio
DiedMay 3, 1927(1927-05-03) (aged 48)
Santa Ana, California
Resting placeLake View Cemetery
SpouseJessie Mae Jewitt
RelativesErnie Ball (grandson)
Hannah Marks (great-great granddaughter)

Ernest Roland Ball[1] (July 22, 1878 – May 3, 1927) was an American singer and songwriter, most famous for composing the music for the song "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling" in 1912. Ball was not Irish although the lyricists were.

Early life and education

[edit]

Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Ball received formal music training at the Cleveland Conservatory.[2][3]

Career

[edit]

His growing career was much buoyed by James J. Walker, then a state senator of New York, who asked Ball to write music for some lyrics he wrote. Ball did, and the song "Will You Love Me In December as You Do In May?" became a hit. Walker later became known as "Beau James," mayor of New York City from 1926 to 1932; their collaboration was a fortunate event for Ball's career.

Ball accompanied singers, sang in vaudeville and wrote sentimental ballads, mostly with Irish themes.[4] He collaborated with Chauncey Olcott on many songs including "When Irish Eyes are Smiling", for which Olcott wrote the lyrics. Ball wrote other Irish favorites like "Mother Machree", and "A Little Bit of Heaven", as well as "Dear Little Boy of Mine", and "Let the Rest of the World Go By." "Mother Machree" was made popular by the famous Irish tenor, John McCormack.[5] He also worked with J. Keirn Brennan on songs like "For Dixie and Uncle Sam" and "Good Bye, Good Luck, God Bless You".[6]

He became a charter member of ASCAP in 1907, and wrote many American standards. He was also a fine pianist, and his playing is preserved on several piano roll recordings he made for the Vocalstyle company, based in his home state of Ohio. He died just after walking off stage at the Yost Theater in Santa Ana, California while on tour with "Ernie Ball and His Gang", an act starring Ball and a male octet.[7][8] Ball was interred at Lake View Cemetery in Cleveland, Ohio.[9] Ball was posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970.[3]

A 1944 musical Irish Eyes Are Smiling told the story of Ball's career and starred Dick Haymes and June Haver.

Family

[edit]

His grandson was the guitar string entrepreneur Ernie Ball, his great-grandson is singer-songwriter/content producer Sherwood Ernest Ball, and his great-great-granddaughters are actress Hannah Marks and singer/songwriter Tiare' Ball.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "The New England Ball Project – Person Page". Retrieved 23 March 2017.
  2. ^ "Ball, Ernest R". 31 May 2019.
  3. ^ a b "Ernest Ball - Songwriters Hall of Fame". www.songhall.org.
  4. ^ Laurie, Joe, Jr. Vaudeville: From the Honky-tonks to the Palace (New York: Henry Holt, 1953), p. 328.
  5. ^ "Ball, Ernest R." Encyclopedia of Cleveland History. Case Western Reserve University. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
  6. ^ Parker, Bernard S. (2007). World War I Sheet Music - Volume 1. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc. pp. 153, 200. ISBN 978-0-7864-2798-7.
  7. ^ "Dropped Dead". The Sun. No. 5145. Sydney. 5 May 1927. p. 5 (FINAL EXTRA). Retrieved 19 December 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ^ Slide, Anthony. The Encyclopedia of Vaudeville (Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1994), p. 22.
  9. ^ "'Mother Machree' Grieves for 'Rolly'". The Plain Dealer. May 8, 1927. pp. 1, 4.
[edit]
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