Hal Ketchum

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Hal Ketchum
Hal Ketchum in 2008
Background information
Birth name	Hal Michael Ketchum
Born	April 9, 1953 (1953-04-09) (age 56)
Origin	Greenwich, New York, USA
Genres	Country
Occupations	Singer-songwriter
Instruments	Vocals Rhythm guitar
Years active	1986, 1991-present
Labels	Watermelon MCG-Curb Curb Asylum-Curb
Associated acts	Lisa Brokop Gary Burr The Vogues
Website	http://www.halketchum.com

Hal Michael Ketchum (born April 9, 1953) is an American country music artist. Signed to various divisions of Curb Records since the 1991 release of his gold-certified Past the Point of Rescue, he has released nine studio albums and two compilations. Ketchum has also charted six top ten hits on the Hot Country Songs charts, with his highest-peaking singles, "Small Town Saturday Night", "Past the Point of Rescue" and "Hearts Are Gonna Roll", all reaching #2.

Career

Ketchum was born in Greenwich, New York.^[1] At the age of 15, he began performing in clubs as a drummer with a rhythm and blues trio. In 1981, Ketchum moved to Austin, Texas where he began to visit Gruene Hall, a small dance hall near his home. This influenced him to try his hand at singing and songwriting, and by 1985 he was playing at small Texas clubs. In 1986, Ketchum recorded 11 of his self-penned songs under his full name Hal Michael Ketchum. This album, Threadbare Alibis, was released in 1988 under the small Texas label Watermelon Records.

Ketchum then moved to Nashville, Tennessee and signed a record deal with Curb Records. In 1991, Ketchum released his Curb debut album Past the Point of Rescue, with both his debut single "Small Town Saturday Night" and the title track "Past the Point of Rescue" reaching #2 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs) charts, launching him to stardom. This album was later certified Gold by the RIAA.

He released the album Sure Love the following year, with the title track reaching #3 on the country charts, scoring another #2 with "Hearts Are Gonna Roll", and "Mama Knows the Highway" charting at #8.

In 1994, Ketchum released the album Every Little Word, generating several more hits, including the Benmont Tench-penned "Stay Forever" which reached #8. Hal was also inducted as the 71st Member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1994, after his first three Curb records sold over one million copies collectively.

Two years later came a greatest-hits package entitled The Hits. This album included the non-charting single "Hang In There Superman." Ketchum did not appear on the charts again until 1998, when he reached #36 with a cover of Todd Rundgren's "I Saw the Light", from his next album, also entitled I Saw the Light.

In 2001, Ketchum released Lucky Man. This album included only one charting single in the #40 "She Is". Awaiting Redemption followed in 2002 without a charting single, and King of Love in 2004 with only the #60 "My Love Will Not Change" to its credit. One More Midnight, released only in the United Kingdom, produced a #47 country hit in the United States with "Just This Side of Heaven (Hal-Lelujah)", although the album itself never was released in the U.S. His most recent US release is Father Time in 2008.

Acting career

Ketchum appeared in the 1988 film Heartbreak Hotel. Ketchum also made a cameo appearance as a bank robber in the 1994 film Maverick.

Personal life

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In 1998, a neurological disorder called Acute Transverse Myelitis left Ketchum without the use of the left side of his body. He had to relearn basic tasks, including how to walk and play the guitar. He has since been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis^[2], the same disease that claimed his mother’s life.

Ketchum is also a painter and his work has been shown in Santa Fe, New Mexico’s esteemed Pena Gallery, where he had a successful art-show opening in 2002. He also is a master carpenter and enjoys making toys.

Ketchum lives in Nashville with his wife, Gina, and their three children Rosie, Ruby Joy, and Sophia Grace.

Discography

Studio albums

Compilation albums

Singles

Guest singles

Music videos

References