Russ Ballard was born in 1945 and this year he celebrates his 80th birthday. He is simply one of the most renowned and gifted songwriters in pop and rock music.
Originally rising to prominence as the lead singer and guitarist of the band Argent, Ballard became a prolific songwriter and producer by the late 1970s. His compositions "New York Groove", "You Can Do Magic", "Since You Been Gone", "I Surrender", "Liar", "Winning", "I Know There's Something Going On", "Can't Shake Loose", "So You Win Again", "No More the Fool" and "God Gave Rock and Roll to You" became hits for other artists during the 1970s and 1980s. He also scored several hits under his own name in the early and mid-1980s.
Russ was initially a guitarist, joining Buster Meikle & The Day Breakers in 1961 together with his older brother Roy and their friend the drummer Bob Henrit. After a stint with The Roulettes, backing Adam Faith, he then went on to join Unit 4 + 2 in 1967, before becoming the lead singer and guitarist of Argent (along with Henrit, who joined as drummer), writing their hit "God Gave Rock and Roll to You", which would later be covered by KISS.
Russ is well known as the vocalist on Argent's smash hit “Hold Your Head Up" and also wrote the hit single for Colin Blunstone "I Don't Believe in Miracles".
He left Argent in 1974 and pursued a solo and songwriting career. Penning such hits as Three Dog Night's "Liar", Hot Chocolate's 1977 UK chart topper "So You Win Again", and Rainbow's 1979 hit "Since You Been Gone". Russ also wrote Rainbow's 1981 song "I Surrender", which charted at number 3 in the UK.
He wrote and performed on Roger Daltrey's first two solo albums, Daltrey (1973) and Ride a Rock Horse (1975). Daltrey recorded some other Russ Ballard originals for his McVicar soundtrack, and his albums Under a Raging Moon and Can't Wait to See the Movie. Russ went on tour with Roger Daltrey in 1985, playing guitar and singing.
British Glam band Hello recorded Ballard's "New York Groove" in 1975, reaching top 10 in the UK. "New York Groove" would also be recorded three years later by Ace Frehley, who turned the tune into a stateside hit.
Russ wrote the 1981 hit for Santana, called "Winning", which appeared on their album entitled Zebop!
and produced "You Can Do Magic" for the group America on its 1982 album View from the Ground. The single climbed to TOP 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 in October 1982, and helped resurrect the band's career. The following year, America brought in Ballard to produce their follow-up album, Your Move. One of its tracks, "The Border", which was co-written by Ballard with Dewey Bunnell, reached No. 33 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Russ wrote ABBA singer Frida’s 1982 solo hit: "I Know There's Something Going On" (which was produced by Phil Collins, and also featured Collins on drums). The track reached No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 and top 5 in Europe. He also penned "Can't Shake Loose" for fellow ABBA former member Agnetha Fältskog, which also charted.
In 1987 Russ composed "No More the Fool" recorded by Elkie Brooks, which reached top five in the UK and also wrote "On the Rebound" which Uriah Heep covered in 1982 on their album Abominog.
In 2025 Russ released a new Double CD “Songs From The Warehouse/The Hits Rewired which features amazing new material as well as reworked versions of many hits he has written for other
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