Editing Hank Ballard

{{Short description|American singer (1927–2003)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2015}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Hank Ballard
| image = Hank-Ballard.jpg 
| caption = Ballard in 1954
| background = solo_singer
| birth_name = John Henry Kendricks
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1927|11|18}}<ref name=independent>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/hank-ballard-36316.html|work=The Independent|title=Hank Ballard|date=4 March 2003}}</ref>
| birth_place = [[Detroit]], Michigan, U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2003|3|2|1927|11|18}}
| death_place = Los Angeles, U.S.
| occupation = Singer, songwriter
| genre = {{Flatlist|
*[[Blues]]
*[[rock and roll]]
*[[Rhythm and blues|R&B]]
*[[funk]]}}
| label = [[Federal Records|Federal]], [[King Records (USA)|King]], [[People Records|People]], [[Stang Records|Stang]]
| years_active = 1951–2003
| past_member_of = [[The Midnighters]]
}}

'''Hank Ballard''' (born '''John Henry Kendricks'''; November 18, 1927 – March 2, 2003)<ref name="independent"/> was an American singer and songwriter, the lead vocalist of [[the Midnighters]] and one of the first [[rock and roll]] artists to emerge in the early 1950s. He played an integral part in the development of the genre, releasing the hit singles "[[Work with Me, Annie]]" and [[answer song]]s "[[Annie Had a Baby]]" and "Annie's Aunt Fannie" with his Midnighters. He later wrote and originally recorded (in 1959) "[[The Twist (song)|The Twist]]" which was notably covered a year later by [[Chubby Checker]], this second version spreading the popularity of the dance.<ref name=pc20/> He was inducted into the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]] in 1990.

==Early years==
Born John Henry Kendricks in [[Detroit|Detroit, Michigan]], he and his brother, Dove Ballard, grew up and attended school in [[Bessemer, Alabama]], after the death of their father.{{Citation needed|date=August 2011}} He lived with his paternal aunt and her husband, and began singing in church. His major vocal inspiration during his formative years was the "Singing Cowboy", [[Gene Autry]], and in particular, his signature song, "[[Back in the Saddle Again]]".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bluesworld.com/Ballard.html|title=Hank Ballard profile|publisher=Bluesworld.com|access-date=2012-12-07|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061020062243/http://bluesworld.com/Ballard.html|archive-date=October 20, 2006|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Ballard returned to Detroit in his teens and later worked on the assembly line for [[Ford Motor Company|Ford]].

==Hank Ballard and the Midnighters==
{{main|The Midnighters}}
[[File:Hank Ballard and the Midnighters, 1982-05-11b.jpg|thumb|upright|Hank Ballard and the Midnighters, 1982]]
In 1953, Ballard joined [[doo-wop]] group the Royals, which had previously been discovered by [[Johnny Otis]] and signed to [[Federal Records]] (a division of [[King Records (USA)|King Records]]), in [[Cincinnati]]. Ballard joined Henry Booth, Charles Sutton, Sonny Woods and Alonzo Tucker in the group, replacing previous singer Lawson Smith.

The Royals released "Get It" (1953), an R&B song with possibly sexually oriented lyrics, which some radio stations refused to play,<ref name=nite>Nite, Norm N. ''Rock On: The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock n' Roll (The Solid Gold Years)''. Thomas Y. Crowell (1974), pp. 428–29. {{ISBN|0-690-00583-0}}.</ref> although it still made it to number 6 on the US ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' [[Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs|R&B]] [[record chart|chart]].

The group then changed its name to the Midnighters to avoid confusion with [[the "5" Royales]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Ward|first=Ed|date=2016|title=The History of Rock & Roll, volume one, 1920–1963|location=New York|publisher=Flatiron Books|page=65|isbn=978-1-250-07116-3|author-link=Ed Ward (writer)}}</ref> In 1954, Ballard wrote a song called "[[Work with Me, Annie]]" that was drawn from "Get It".<ref name=nite/> It became the Midnighters' first major R&B hit, spending seven weeks at number 1 on the R&B chart and also selling well in mainstream markets, along with the [[answer song]]s "[[Annie Had a Baby]]" and "Annie's Aunt Fannie"; all were banned by the FCC from radio air play.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://rockhall.com/inductees/the-midnighters/bio/|title=The Midnighters Biography|access-date=January 12, 2013|archive-date=July 17, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120717214540/http://rockhall.com/inductees/the-midnighters/bio/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Their third major hit was "Sexy Ways", a song that cemented the band's reputation as one of the most risqué groups of the time.<ref name="nite"/>

They had four other R&B chart hits in 1954–55, but no others until 1959, by which time the group was billed as "Hank Ballard and The Midnighters" with their label changed from Federal to King, the parent label. Between 1959 and 1961 they had several more both on the R&B and Pop charts, starting with "Teardrops on Your Letter", a number 4 R&B hit in 1959, that had as its [[A-side and B-side|B-side]] the Ballard-written song "[[The Twist (song)|The Twist]]". A few months later, [[Chubby Checker]]'s [[cover version]] of the song went to number 1 on the [[Billboard Hot 100|Hot 100]] chart. It would return to the top of the charts again in 1962<ref name=pc20>{{Gilliland|url=https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc19770/m1/|title=Show 20 – Forty Miles of Bad Road: Early '60s potpourri |show=20|track=2}}</ref> – the only song in the rock and roll era to reach number 1 in two different non-consecutive years.

Ballard and the Midnighters had several other hit singles in the early 1960s, including the Grammy-nominated "[[Finger Poppin' Time]]" (1960) and "[[Let's Go, Let's Go, Let's Go]]" (1960) which hit number 7 and number 6, respectively, on the ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' pop chart. They did not reach the charts again after 1962 and dissolved in 1965.

==Later career==
After the Midnighters disbanded, Ballard launched a solo career. His 1968 single, "How You Gonna Get Respect (When You Haven't Cut Your Process Yet)", was his biggest post-Midnighters hit, peaking at number 15 on the R&B chart. [[James Brown (musician)|James Brown]] produced Ballard's 1969 album ''You Can't Keep a Good Man Down''. A 1972 single, "From the Love Side", credited to Hank Ballard and the Midnight Lighters, went to number 43 on the R&B chart. Ballard also appeared on Brown's 1972 album ''[[Get on the Good Foot (album)|Get on the Good Foot]]'', on two tracks, "Recitation By Hank Ballard", that features Ballard describing Brown and the album, and “Funky Side of Town”, in duet, with James Brown.

One-off sides, "Sunday Morning, Coming Down", and "I'm a Junkie for My Baby's Love", followed in the 1970s. He had some more upbeat releases in the mid-1970s, including "Hey There Sexy Lady" and "Let’s Go Streaking", as well as a beat ballad, "Love On Love". In 1979, he had moderate success with the disco number, "Freak Your Boom-Boom".

During the 1960s, Ballard's cousin, [[Florence Ballard]], was a member of the Detroit girl group [[the Supremes]].<ref name="iobit">{{cite news |last=Leigh|first=Spencer|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/hank-ballard-36316.html|title=Hank Ballard|work=[[The Independent]] |date=March 4, 2003|access-date=April 25, 2019}}</ref> In the mid-1980s, Ballard re-formed The Midnighters and the group performed until 2002.

==Death==
On March 2, 2003, he died at age 75 of [[Esophageal cancer|throat cancer]] in his Los Angeles home.<ref name="nytimes.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/04/obituaries/04BALL.html|title=Hank Ballard, Singer and songwriter, Is Dead|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=March 4, 2003|access-date=2014-08-20}}</ref> He was buried at Greenwood Cemetery in [[Atlanta, Georgia]].

==Legacy==
In 1990, Ballard was inducted into the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]]; the other Midnighters were inducted in 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://rockhall.com/inductees/the-midnighters|title=The Midnighters: inducted in 2012|publisher=Rockhall.com|access-date=2014-08-20}}</ref>

In 2010, Hank Ballard & The Midnighters were voted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.michiganrockandrolllegends.com/mrrl-hall-of-fame/110-hank-ballard-a-the-midnighters|title=Michigan Rock and Roll Legends - HANK BALLARD & THE MIDNIGHTERS|website=Michiganrockandrolllegends.com|access-date=March 30, 2019}}</ref>

Ballard was the great uncle of [[National Football League|NFL]] player [[Christian Ballard]].{{citation needed|date=June 2019}} He was a cousin of original [[The Supremes|Supremes]] member [[Florence Ballard]].<ref name="iobit"/>

==Discography==
===Solo albums===
* ''A Star in Your Eyes'' (King Records, 1964)
* ''You Can't Keep a Good Man Down'' (King Records, 1968)
* ''Hanging with Hank'' ([[Stang Records]], 1976)

===Singles===
*''Note:  Credited as '''Hank Ballard and the Midnighters''' unless stated otherwise.''
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+List of singles, with year released, name of B-side, selected chart positions and album name shown
! rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Single (A-side, B-side)<br /><small>Both sides from same album except where indicated</small>
! colspan="2"| Chart positions
! rowspan="2"| Album
|- style="font-size:small;"
! style="width:40px;"| [[Billboard Hot 100|US Pop]]<br><ref name=whitburnpop>{{cite book|first=Joel|last=Whitburn|year=2003|title=Top Pop Singles 1955–2002|edition=1st|publisher=Record Research Inc.|location=Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin|isbn=0-89820-155-1|page=[https://archive.org/details/joelwhitburnstop00whitbur/page/36 36]|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/joelwhitburnstop00whitbur/page/36}}</ref>
! style="width:40px;"| [[Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs|US R&B]]<br><ref name="whitburnr&b">{{cite book|title=Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–1995|last=Whitburn |first=Joel|author-link=Joel Whitburn|year=1996|publisher=Record Research|page=20}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="5"|1952
| style="text-align:left;"| "Every Beat of My Heart"<br /><small>b/w "All Night Long"<br />The Royals</small>
| –
| –
| align="left" rowspan="2"|Non-album tracks
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "Starting from Tonight"<br /><small>b/w "I Know I Love You So"<br />The Royals</small>
| –
| –
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "Moonrise"<br /><small>b/w "Fifth Street Blues" (Non-album track)<br />The Royals</small>
| –
| –
| align="left"|''Their Greatest Hits''
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "A Love in My Heart"<br /><small>b/w "I'll Never Let Her Go"<br />The Royals</small>
| –
| –
| align="left" rowspan="3"|Non-album tracks
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "Are You Forgetting"<br /><small>b/w "What Did I Do"<br />The Royals</small>
| –
| –
|-
| rowspan="4"| 1953
| style="text-align:left;"| "The Shrine of St. Cecelia"<br /><small>b/w "I Feel So Blue"<br />The Royals</small>
| –
| –
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "Get It"<br/><small>b/w "No It Ain't" (Non-album track)<br />The Royals</small>
| –
| 6
| align="left"|''Their Greatest Hits''
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "Hello Miss Fine"<br /><small>b/w "I Feel That-A-Way" (from ''The Twistin' Fools'')<br />The Royals</small>
| –
| –
| align="left" rowspan="2"|Non-album tracks
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "That's It"<br /><small>b/w "Someone Like You"<br />The Royals</small>
| –
| –
|-
| rowspan="5"| 1954
| style="text-align:left;"| "[[Work with Me, Annie]]"<br/><small>b/w "Until I Die" (from ''The Twistin' Fools'')<br />Original pressings as by the Royals<br />Later pressings as by the Midnighters</small>
| 22
| 1
| align="left" rowspan="4"|''Their Greatest Hits''
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "Sexy Ways"<br/><small>b/w "Don't Say Your Last Goodbye" (from ''Singin' and Swingin{{'}}'')<br />The Midnighters</small>
| –
| 2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "[[Annie Had a Baby]]"<br/><small>b/w "She's the One"<br />The Midnighters</small>
| –
| 1
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "Annie's Aunt Fannie"<br/><small>b/w "Crazy Loving (Stay with Me)<br />The Midnighters</small>
| –
| 10
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "Stingy Little Thing"<br/><small>b/w "Tell Them"<br />The Midnighters</small>
| –
| –
| align="left"|''Singin' and Swingin{{'}}''
|-
| rowspan="8"| 1955
| style="text-align:left;"| "Moonrise"<br/><small>b/w "She's the One"<br />The Midnighters</small>
| –
| –
| align="left"|''Their Greatest Hits''
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "Ashamed of Myself"<br/><small>b/w "Ring-A-Ling-A-Ling"<br />The Midnighters</small>
| –
| –
| align="left"|''Singin' and Swingin{{'}}''
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "Why Are We Apart"<br/><small>b/w "Switchie Witchie Titchie" (from ''Their Greatest Hits'')<br />The Midnighters</small>
| –
| –
| align="left"|''Mr. Rhythm and Blues''
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "Henry's Got Flat Feet<small> (Can't Dance No More)</small>"<br/><small>b/w "Whatsonever You Do" (from ''Singin' and Swingin{{'}}'')<br />"The Midnighters</small>
| –
| 14
| align="left" rowspan="2"|''Their Greatest Hits''
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "It's Love Baby<small> (24 Hours A Day)</small>"<br/><small>b/w "Looka Here" (from ''Let's Go Again'')<br />The Midnighters</small>
| –
| 10
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "That Woman"<br/><small>b/w "Give It Up" (from ''Mr. Rhythm and Blues'')<br />The Midnighters</small>
| –
| –
| align="left" rowspan="2"|''Let's Go Again''
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "Don't Change Your Pretty Ways"<br/><small>b/w "We'll Never Meet Again" (from ''The Twistin' Fools'')<br />The Midnighters</small>
| –
| –
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "Rock and Roll Wedding"<br/><small>b/w "That House on the Hill"<br />The Midnighters</small>
| –
| –
| align="left"|''Singin' and Swingin{{'}}''
|-
| rowspan="4"|1956
| style="text-align:left;"| "Partners for Life"<br/><small>b/w "Sweet Mama, Do Right" (from ''Singin' and Swingin{{'}}'')<br />The Midnighters</small>
| –
| –
| align="left" rowspan="3"|''Volume 2''
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "Open Up the Back Door"<br/><small>b/w "Rock, Granny, Roll" (from ''Let's Go Again'')<br />The Midnighters</small>
| –
| –
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "Early One Morning"<br/><small>b/w "Tore Up Over You" (from ''Their Greatest Hits'')<br />The Midnighters</small>
| –
| –
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "I'll Be Home Someday"<br/><small>b/w "Come On and Get It" (from ''Let's Go Again'')<br />The Midnighters</small>
| –
| –
| align="left"|''Singin' and Swingin{{'}}''
|-
| rowspan="4"|1957
| style="text-align:left;"| "Let Me Hold Your Hand"<br/><small>b/w "Ooh Ooh Baby" (from ''Singin' and Swingin{{'}}'')<br />The Midnighters</small>
| –
| –
| align="left" rowspan="5"|''Volume 2''
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "E Basta Cosi"<br/><small>b/w "In the Doorway Crying"<br />The Midnighters</small>
| –
| –
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "Is Your Love for Real"<br/><small>b/w "Oh So Happy"<br />The Midnighters</small>
| –
| –
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "What Made You Change Your Mind"<br/><small>b/w "Let 'Em Roll"<br />The Midnighters</small>
| –
| –
|-
| rowspan="2"|1958
| style="text-align:left;"| "Daddy's Little Baby"<br/><small>b/w "Stay By My Side"<br />The Midnighters</small>
| –
| –
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "Baby Please"<br/><small>b/w "Ow-Wow-Oo-Wee"<br />The Midnighters</small>
| –
| –
| align="left"|''Let's Go Again''
|-
| rowspan="7"| 1959
| style="text-align:left;"| "Teardrops on Your Letter"
| 87
| 4
| align="left" rowspan="2"|''Singin' and Swingin{{'}}''
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "[[The Twist (song)|The Twist]]"
|  28
| 16
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "[[Kansas City (Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller song)|Kansas City]]"<br /><small>b/w "I'll Keep You Happy"</small>
| 72
| 16
| align="left" rowspan="3"|''The One and Only''
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "Sugaree"<br /><small>b/w "Rain Down Tears"</small>
| –
| –
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "Cute Little Ways"<br /><small>b/w "House With No Windows"</small>
| –
| –
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "I Could Love You"<br /><small>b/w "Never Knew"</small>
| –
| –
| align="left" rowspan="4"|''Mr. Rhythm and Blues''
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "I Said I Wouldn't Beg You"<br /><small>b/w "Look At Little Sister"</small>
| –
| –
|-
| rowspan="4"| 1960
| style="text-align:left;"| "The Coffee Grind"<br /><small>b/w "Waiting"</small>
| –
| 21
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "[[Finger Poppin' Time]]"<br /><small>Original B-side: "I Love You, I Love You So-o-o"<br />Later B-side: "I'm Thinking of You" (from ''Spotlight on Hank Ballard'')</small>
| 7
| 2
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "The Twist"<br /><small>b/w "Teardrops on Your Letter"<br />Reissue</small>
| 28
| 6
| align="left"|''Singin' and Swingin{{'}}''
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "[[Let's Go, Let's Go, Let's Go]]"<br /><small>b/w "If You'd Forgive Me"</small>
| 6
| 1
| align="left" rowspan="2"|''Spotlight on Hank Ballard''
|-
| rowspan="9"| 1961
| style="text-align:left;"| "The Hoochi Coochi Coo"<br /><small>b/w "I'm Thinking of You"</small>
| 23
| 3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "Let's Go Again<small> (Where We Went Last Night)</small>"<br /><small>b/w "Deep Blue Sea"</small>
| 39
| 17
| align="left"|''Let's Go Again''
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "The Continental Walk"<br /><small>b/w "What Is This I See"</small>
| 33
| 12
| align="left" rowspan="7"|''Dance Along''
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "The Switch-A-Roo"
| 26
| 3
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "The Float"
| 92
| 10
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "Nothing but Good"
| 49
| 9
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "Keep On Dancing"
| 66
| -
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "Big Red Sunset"<br /><small>b/w "Can't You See I Need a Friend"</small>
| –
| –
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "I'm Gonna Miss You"<br /><small>b/w "Do You Remember" (from ''The Twistin' Fools'')</small>
| –
| –
|-
| rowspan="7"| 1962
| style="text-align:left;"| "Do You Know How to Twist"<br /><small>b/w "Broadway"<br />Hank Ballard</small>
| 87
| –
| align="left"|''The Twistin' Fools''
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "It's Twistin' Time"<br /><small>b/w "Autumn Breeze"</small>
| –
| –
| align="left" rowspan="3"|''Jumpin'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "Good Twistin' Tonight"<br /><small>b/w "I'm Young" (from ''Dance Along'')</small>
| –
| –
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "I Want to Thank You"<br /><small>b/w "Excuse Me"</small>
| –
| –
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "Shaky Mae"<br /><small>b/w "I Love and Care for You"</small>
| –
| –
| align="left" rowspan="2"|''A Star In Your Eyes''
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "Bring Me Your Love"<br /><small>b/w "She's the One" (from ''Their Greatest Hits'')</small>
| –
| –
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "Christmas Time for Everyone but Me"<br /><small>b/w "Santa Claus Is Coming"</small>
| –
| –
| align="left"|Non-album tracks
|-
| rowspan="5"|1963
| style="text-align:left;"| "(All the Things in Life That) Pleases You"<br /><small>b/w "The Rising Tide"</small>
| –
| –
| align="left" rowspan="3"|''The 1963 Sound''
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "(I'm Going Back to) The House on the Hill"<br /><small>b/w "That Low Down Move"</small>
| –
| –
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "Walkin' and Talkin'"<br /><small>b/w "How Could You Leave Your Man Alone"</small>
| –
| –
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "It's Love Baby<small> (24 Hours a Day)</small>"<br /><small>b/w "Those Lonely Lonely Feelings"</small>
| –
| –
| align="left"|''A Star in Your Eyes''<br /><small></small>
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "I'm Learning"<br /><small>b/w "Buttin' In" (from ''A Star in Your Eyes'')</small>
| –
| –
| align="left"|''Jumpin'''
|-
| rowspan="5"|1964
| style="text-align:left;"| "These Young Girls"<br /><small>b/w "I Don't Know How to Do but One Thing" (from ''A Star in Your Eyes'')</small>
| –
| –
| align="left"|''Spotlight on Hank Ballard''
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "She's Got a Whole Lot of Soul"<br /><small>b/w "Stay Away from My Baby" (from ''A Star In Your Eyes'')</small>
| –
| –
| align="left"|''The One and Only''
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "Daddy Rolling Stone"<br /><small>b/w "What's Your Name" (from ''Jumpin''')</small>
| –
| –
| align="left"|''Dance Along''
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "Let's Get the Show on the Road"<br /><small>b/w "A Winner Never Quits"</small>
| –
| –
| align="left" rowspan="2"|''Those Lazy, Lazy Days''
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "[[One Monkey Don't Stop No Show (song)|One Monkey Don't Stop No Show]]"<br /><small>b/w "Watch What I Tell You"</small>
| –
| –
|-
|| 1965
| style="text-align:left;"| "Poppin' the Whip"<br /><small>b/w "You, Just You"</small>
| –
| –
| align="left" rowspan="6"|Non-album tracks
|-
| rowspan="3"|1966
| style="text-align:left;"| "Sloop and Slide"<br /><small>b/w "My Sun Is Going Down"</small>
| –
| –
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "Togetherness"<br /><small>b/w "I'm Ready"</small>
| –
| –
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "(Dance with Me) Annie"<br /><small>b/w "He Came Along"</small>
| –
| –
|-
| rowspan="3"|1967
| style="text-align:left;"| "Dance Till It Hurtcha"<br /><small>b/w "Here Comes the Hurt"</small>
| –
| –
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "You're in Real Good Hands"<br /><small>b/w "Unwind Yourself" (from ''You Can't Keep a Good Man Down'')</small>
| –
| –
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "Which Way Should I Turn"<br /><small>b/w "Funky Soul Train"</small>
| –
| –
| align="left" rowspan="5"|''You Can't Keep a Good Man Down''
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1968
| style="text-align:left;"| "Come on Wit' It"<br /><small>b/w "I'm Back to Stay" (Non-album track)</small>
| –
| –
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "How You Gonna Get Respect"<br/><small>b/w "Teardrops on Your Letter"<br />Hank Ballard along with "The Dapps"</small>
| –
| 15
|-
| rowspan="4"|1969
| style="text-align:left;"| "You're So Sexy"<br /><small>b/w "Thrill on the Hill"<br />Hank Ballard along with "The Dapps"</small>
| –
| –
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "Are You Lonely for Me Baby"<br /><small>b/w "With You Sweet Lovin' Self"</small>
| –
| –
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "Butter Your Popcorn"<br /><small>b/w "Funky Soul Train" (from ''You Can't Keep a Good Man Down'')</small>
| –
| –
| align="left" rowspan="6"|Non-album tracks
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "Blackenized"<br /><small>b/w "Come on Wit' It" (from ''You Can't Keep a Good Man Down'')</small>
| –
| –
|-
| 1970
| style="text-align:left;"| "Love Made a Fool of Me"<br /><small>b/w "Sunday Morning Coming Down"</small>
| –
| –
|-
| rowspan="3"|1972
| style="text-align:left;"| "From the Love Side"<br/><small>b/w "Finger Poppin' Time"<br />Hank Ballard and the Midnight Lighters</small>
| –
| 43
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "Annie Had a Baby"<br /><small>b/w "Teardrops on Your Letter"<br />Hank Ballard</small>
| –
| –
|-
| style="text-align:left;"| "Finger Poppin' Time"<br /><small>b/w "With Your Sweet Lovin' Self"<br />Hank Ballard</small>
| –
| –
|-
|| 1974
| style="text-align:left;"| "Let's Go Streaking"—Part 1<br /><small>b/w Part 2<br />Hank Ballard</small>
| –
| –
| align="left" rowspan="2"|''Hanging with Hank''
|-
|| 1975
| style="text-align:left;"| "Hey There Sexy Lady"<br /><small>b/w Instrumental version of A-side</small>
| –
| –
|-
|| 1979
| style="text-align:left;"| "Freak Your Boom Boom"—Part 1<br /><small>b/w Part 2</small>
| –
| –
| align="left"|Non-album tracks
|-
| colspan="8" style="text-align:center; font-size:85%"| "–" denotes releases that did not chart.
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.angelfire.com/mn/coasters/hits.html#midnite A history of ''The Midnighters'']
* [{{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p3621/biography|pure_url=yes}} Allmusic profile]
* {{Find a Grave|7229332}}
* [http://www.soulfulkindamusic.net/hballard.htm Discography at Soulfulkindamusic]
* {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080626161857/http://mac.easthouston.net/thehound/19880227/mp3s/start35-set08.mp3|date=June 26, 2008 |title=Radio interview, WFMU, 1988}}
*{{Rockhall}}

{{Hank Ballard & the Midnighters}}
{{1990 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ballard, Hank}}
[[Category:1927 births]]
[[Category:2003 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American male singers]]
[[Category:20th-century American male singers]]
[[Category:20th-century American singers]]
[[Category:American funk singers]]
[[Category:African-American rock singers]]
[[Category:Rock and roll musicians]]
[[Category:Deaths from throat cancer in California]]
[[Category:Deaths from esophageal cancer in California]]
[[Category:Federal Records artists]]
[[Category:Stang Records artists]]
[[Category:James Brown vocalists]]
[[Category:The Midnighters members]]
[[Category:King Records artists]]
[[Category:Musicians from Detroit]]
[[Category:People from Bessemer, Alabama]]