‘Catch of the Day’ – Frankie Ballard – “It All Started With A Beer” [AUDIO]

Today's feature artist was discovered during a singing competition that was put on to find regional opening acts for Kenny Chesney's Poets and Pirates tour.

Frankie Ballard grew up in Battle Creek, Michigan, a working-class town where he grew up loving Elvis Presley and Johnny Horton. Sports was key for young Ballard, and it led him to Western Michigan University, where he played baseball. During his time at WMU he turned what started our as a minor interest in music, into his main passion.

Ballard studied guitarists, including blues great Buddy Guy, playing away day and night, until he could excel at the instrument. He began playing local open mic nights around the campus, and even learned to play the drums, just so he could be in a band. By the time he was out of college, he was leading his own band, playing 200+ nights a year within a 300-mile radius and taking trips to Nashville once-a-month.

In 2008, Ballard entered Kenny Chesney's Next Big Star competition, going on to win the Michigan region, The prize? Ballard was named to open for Chesney on his Poets and Pirates tour stops in the Great Lakes State.

This exposure from opening for Chesney led to Ballard being signed by Reprise Records, releasing his self-titled debut album in 2010. The lead single from the album, "Tell Me You Get Lonely" climbed to number 33 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart, while the follow-up single, "A Buncha Girls" surpassed it, peaking at number 27. The album itself would not garner much promotion or attention, selling a barely more than 11,000 copies.

In 2013, Ballard's recording contract was transferred to Warner Brothers Records, and he released his second album, "Sunshine and Whiskey". They lead single from the album, "Helluva Life", definitely benefited from the added promotion, hitting the top of the country chart in March of 2014. It was followed by two more number ones from the album, the title track and "Young and Crazy".

Ballard is back in the studio working on an as of yet, unnamed third album. The lead single from that album is in the spotlight today. Frankie Ballard and "It All Started With A Beer" is today's Catch of the Day, new music you haven't heard, but you'll want to hear it again.