Jim Ballard and The Strangs at The Rialto Theatre
1000 Kenmore Boulevard Akron, Ohio
Friday, June 4th. Doors 8:00pm / Showtime 9:00pm.
RSVP to the Facebook event page!
Meet Jim Ballard and The Strangs
A native of NE Ohio, Jim Ballard has been, for many years a part of the music/recording/performing community there. After a long period of touring and performing all over the country, working with artists from 10,000 Maniacs to Gordon Lightfoot,The Mekons to Pete Seeger and Tom Paxton, he moved into producing and recording out of his Akron studio, Skylyne. He has also created film scores for a number of independent films and animations. He has recorded and worked with recording artists from Michael Stanley and Don Dixon to Alex Bevan and Charlie Wiener. His 12th release, Good Bones marks the fifth album since his return to recording and performing. He performs occasionally in the Northeast Ohio area, both solo and with a band.
www.jimballardmusic.net
The Strangs are bassist Bill Watson, drummer Joe Lang, guitarist Wes McCraw and keyboardist Tim Longfellow.
They are a part of my family…
Bill has played with a who’s who of 330 bands including Deadly Earnest and The Honky Tonk Heros and Hillbilly Idol and Alex Bevan. He also is bassist for Rachel Brown and the Beatnik Playboys and of course with 15-60-75 The Numbers Band.
Wes and I first met when he was playing lead guitar for Searchlight Ensemble, a TransSiberian Orchestra-like Touring Christmas Concert. I was recruited to stand in as the other guitar player, so we just took it from there. He also plays with The Traveling Johnsons and Little Steve-O
Tim has been a keyboard legend in the 330 and way beyond for a lot of years. I call him ‘the fingerpoet” and you’ll hear why… You’ll find him also adding his magic to Yankee Bravo, Tracey Thomas and Brian Lisik. I believe Todd Rundgren is in there somewhere too…
I met Joe when I was producing the tribute CD to the music of John Bassette, when he came to the studio to drum for Jim Gill. When I wanted to put together a band for the Ask John Steinbeck CD , I called Joe. The rest is history.
PLEASE BE ADVISED: For ALL guests attending an in person performance, The Rialto Theatre will be taking all necessary measures to keep our staff, guests and performers safe. There will be changes and guidelines to follow when performers and guests arrive on the premises. Currently we will be opening up the in person performances up to 30 guests per performance, however, this may change due to the states mandated occupancy changes. The Rialto Theatre and its affiliates are currently requiring all guests to wear face coverings.