Back to Bama

Our man in Alabama has augmented his published bio on the state legislature site. Representative Mike Ball is also a musician, it turns out.

From vocations to avocations, he now includes:

Mike served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1973 to 1977 and was honorably discharged as a Sergeant. In 1978, he became an Alabama State Trooper, and served 8 years in the Highway Patrol Division. In 1986, he was assigned to serve in the Major Crimes Unit of the Alabama Bureau of Investigation. In addition to his investigative duties, Mike also served as a Hostage Negotiator. He retired from the Alabama Department of Public Safety on January 1, 2003.

A student of several musical instruments, Mike enjoys improvisation with other "shade tree" musicians. He is a member of Asbury Methodist United Methodist Church, the American Legion, the Alabama State Trooper Association, and the Huntsville Traditional Music Association.

Note: Shade-tree musicians tend to be those who play on weekends for their enjoyment. That can include more regular practices and even vanity pressings of their own CDs. I have no evidence the his group has done so, yet.