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Your Natchez History Minute is brought to you by Natchez National Historical Park.
American songwriter, lyricist and record producer Glen Ballard was born in Natchez on this day,
May 1, 1953. He is best-known for co-writing and producing Alanis Morissette’s album,
Jagged Little Pill, which won a grammy as best rock album, as well as album of the year.
That album has also been ranked by Rolling Stone as one of the 500 greatest albums of
all time. Ballard was also involved in the recording and writing of Michael Jackson’s
Thiller and Bad albums and he co-wrote the songs such “Man in the Mirror” and “Hand
in My Pocket.” Ballard is the founder of Java records and he won a 2006 Grammy Award
for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture for the song “Believe” for the movie Polar
Express. Ballard has performed on or produced albums for the Pointer Sisters, Teddy Pendergrass,
Paula Abdul, Wilson Phillips, Jack Wagner, Toto, K. T. Oslin, Christina Aguilera, Annie
Lenox, the Goo Goo Dolls, Katy Perry and the Dave Matthews Band. Ballard has also written
screenplays and music and lyrics for musical theater.
I’m Mark LaFrancis, teacher, filmmaker, and author. This has been your Natchez History Minute.