In 1990, writer/producer Glen Ballard helped Wilson Phillips land a multiplatinum debut album that spawned three No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 – “Hold On,” “Release Me” and “You’re in Love.” On July 11, the pop trio will return the favor, speaking as Ballard gets a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Roger Bart, who received a Tony nomination for his featured performance in Back to the Future: The Musical, will also speak at Ballard’s star ceremony. Ballard teamed with Alan Silvestri to write the score for the musical adaptation of that 1985 film. The show opened on Broadway in August and is still running.
Ballard is a six-time Grammy winner. He won four awards for work with Alanis Morissette – album of the year and best rock album for Jagged Little Pill, best rock song for “You Oughta Know” and best music video for Jagged Little Pill – Live. Ballard’s other two Grammys are for co-arranging a track on Quincy Jones’ Back on the Block and for co-writing (with Silvestri) “Believe” from The Polar Express. Ballard and Silvestri also received an Oscar nomination for that song, which was performed on the film soundtrack by Josh Groban.
Ballard, 71, is a two-time Grammy nominee for song of the year for “Hold On” and “You Oughta Know.” (He would almost certainly have been nominated in that category for co-writing the Michael Jackson classic “Man in the Mirror,” but Grammy rules at the time made him ineligible. The song, which Ballard co-wrote with Siedah Garrett, topped the Hot 100 in 1988.)
Ballard has received two Grammy nods for producer of the year, non-classical. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2023.
Ballard has also worked with Dave Matthews Band, No Doubt, Shelby Lynne, Goo Goo Dolls, P.O.D., Annie Lennox and many more.
The star ceremony will be held at 11:30 p.m. PT. The event will be livestreamed on walkoffame.com/ Ballard’s star will be located at 6253 Hollywood Boulevard (at Vine Street). Steve Nissen, president and CEO of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, will emcee the ceremony. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce administers the Hollywood Walk of Fame for the City of Los Angeles.
