Pianography

Pianography celebrates Earl Poole Ball’s half-century stint as one of country music’s most accomplished keyboardists. Since the ‘60s, this Mississippi native (now an Austin resident) has pounded the ivories for everyone from Johnny Cash and Buck Owens to Gram Parsons and The Byrds. This album pairs seven new recordings (mostly cowritten with Jo-El Sonnier) with five live cuts taken from a 2010 Johnny Cash tribute concert and a pair of studio tracks from 1967 and 1977, respectively. Ball’s grizzled yet expressive vocals catch the right blend of humor and orneriness in “Say You Love Me” and “Sing It Boy”; his Willie Nelson–like way with a ballad can be heard in “One of Those Old Things.” “The Real Me” and “Something’s Gonna Get Us All” especially reveal his strengths as a tunesmith. The rockabilly-inflected “Second and San Antone” and the gospel-rooted “Flowers on Papa’s Grave” have the feel of undiscovered classics. Throughout, Ball’s piano work is distinguished by its vigor and innate sense of taste, matched by strong performances by singer Cindy Cashdollar, guitarist Casper Rawls, fiddler Gene Elders, and other A-list players.