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Marcia Ball developed her powerful singing and skilled keyboard playing while growing up in the small town of Vinton, Louisiana -- right by the Texas border. The area was a hotbed of country, blues, Zydeco and "swamp pop" music that was eagerly absorbed by the young piano player. After attending Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Marcia hit the Austin scene in the late 1970’s, quickly finding success in the progressive country movement. By the early 1980’s Ball was focusing on Gulf Coast rhythm & blues, and she's never looked back. Throughout this time she was perfecting her ferocious keyboard style and making quite a name for herself, being ranked right up there in the pantheon of stride piano greats like Fats Domino, Professor Longhair, Dr. John, Leon Russell, and the killer himself, Jerry Lee Lewis. It was during this period that she also started recording for Rounder Records, releasing a string of critically acclaimed albums (the most recent one being "Let Me Play With Your Poodle"). Last year Marcia Ball teamed up with Tracy Nelson and the legendary Irma Thomas for the successful Rounder recording, "Sing It!" and has been splitting her time touring with this successful trio as well as pursuing her solo career. Affectionately known by her fans as the "bayou queen of the piano" and "her tallness," the 6 foot tall Marcia Ball is a total delight to watch. Her expressive vocals display a bluesy, pop quality with a hint of the country music she grew up with and when you see her live, watch out, she literally blows the place apart with her raucous, joyful, stride and boogie-woogie piano playing. Ball is simply one of the best performers on the blues scene today.
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