The Ballad of Billy Balls

By iHeartPodcasts

Society & Culture History

What's The Ballad of Billy Balls about?

It’s 1982, and a man bursts into an East Village storefront apartment and shoots punk musician Billy Balls. Author and activist iO Tillett Wright and Crimetown Producer Austin Mitchell unravel a mystery of love and loss, the tender binds of family, and the stories we tell ourselves just to survive. Created by Marc Smerling and Zac Stuart-Pontier.

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Introducing | Firebug

07.23.2021

From the co-creator of The Ballad of Billy Balls, Crimetown and host of Morally Indefensible comes a new podcast, Firebug. In the early 1990s, a manuscript for a novel called “Points of Origin” lands at literary agencies across the country. ...

The Ballad of Billy Balls episodes:

07.23.2021 Introducing \| Firebug From the co-creator of The Ballad of Billy Balls, Crimetown and host of Morally Indefensible comes a new podcast, Firebug. In the early 1990s, a manuscript for a novel called “Points of Origin” lands at literary agencies across the country. ...
08.18.2020 Introducing \| Morally Indefensible 1979 is the year that Ex-Green Beret Doctor Jeffrey MacDonald is convicted of the murders of his pregnant wife and two young daughters. It’s also the year he meets a new friend in famous journalist Joe McGinniss. Joe agrees to ...
08.15.2019 S2 [BONUS] The Ballad of The Ballad \| The Ballad of Billy Balls iO, Austin, and Zac sit down for a very special behind-the-scenes bonus episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
08.08.2019 S2 [BONUS] The Lawslinger \| The Ballad of Billy Balls iO and Austin pay a final visit to everyone's favorite lawslinger, Ron Kuby. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
08.01.2019 Introducing Crimetown, Season 2 From the same team behind The Ballad of Billy Balls comes Crimetown, Season 2. This season, Crimetown heads to Detroit, Michigan. From its heyday as the Motor City to its rebirth as the Brooklyn of the Midwest, Detroit’s history reflects ...
07.18.2019 S2 [BONUS] I'll Call You Back \| The Ballad of Billy Balls iO returns some of the many compelling listener calls, while Austin checks in with old friends. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
07.11.2019 S2 [BONUS] Leave a Message \| The Ballad of Billy Balls In the afterglow of the season, we play some voicemails we've received from our wonderful listeners. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
07.04.2019 S2 [13] Life After Death \| The Ballad of Billy Balls As the show comes to an end, iO tries to figure out what the wisdom of it is. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
06.27.2019 S2 [12] The Guy in the Cowboy Hat \| The Ballad of Billy Balls The elusive character at the center of the mystery is found, and iO gets his story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
06.20.2019 S2 [11] There’s Someone Under This Ground \| The Ballad of Billy Balls iO takes Rebecca on a trip 37 years in the making. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
06.06.2019 S2 [10] Something Bigger Than Me \| The Ballad of Billy Balls iO's upbringing pushes him to a life or death moment, and his path toward healing leads straight to Billy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
05.30.2019 S2 [9] Ophelia \| The Ballad of Billy Balls Rebecca's grief in the years following Billy’s death leads her to an unlikely source of comfort, and a big surprise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
05.23.2019 S2 [8] Cops Tend to Shoot \| The Ballad of Billy Balls After months of anticipation, iO and Austin receive the biggest piece of evidence yet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
05.21.2019 Introducing Gangster Capitalism Gangster Capitalism Season 1 is centered on the 2019 college admissions scandal that is exposing everyone from CEOs to celebrities. Award-winning documentarian Andrew Jenks uncovers the origins and inner workings of this unprecedented scam, introducing you to the people involved, ...
05.09.2019 S2 [7] The Hunt for Paper \| The Ballad of Billy Balls iO and Austin track down some concrete evidence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
05.02.2019 S2 [6] Amanda \| The Ballad of Billy Balls Amanda, a game-changing character, tells her story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
04.25.2019 S2 [5] Those High-Powered Lawyers \| The Ballad of Billy Balls Was there a conspiracy to murder Billy in order to keep him quiet? iO's search for an answer leads to a sobering reality. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy ...
04.18.2019 Introducing Root of Evil: The True Story of the Hodel Family and the Black Dahlia When Elizabeth Short, also known as The Black Dahlia, was brutally killed in 1947, it gripped the entire country. Many believe Dr. George Hodel was the killer, thanks to an investigation by Hodel's own son. But murder is just part ...
04.11.2019 S2 [4] Get in the Wind \| The Ballad of Billy Balls iO explores a darker side of Billy - did it lead to his death? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
04.04.2019 S2 [3] Billy the Kid \| The Ballad of Billy Balls As the investigation begins, iO explores Billy's journey to New York City. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
03.28.2019 S2 [2] He's Not Done Yet \| The Ballad of Billy Balls After Billy dies, his body disappears and strange things start to happen. Rebecca insists the whole thing is a cover up and we set out to find the truth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for ...
03.28.2019 S2 [1] Billy Balls and His Babygirl \| The Ballad of Billy Balls New York City. The 1970s. Artists flock to the East Village hoping to make a name for themselves. Enter Rebecca, an aspiring model, who meets Billy Balls, a rock and roll musician like no other. They fall madly in love ...
03.21.2019 S2 Trailer \| The Ballad of Billy Balls "Crimetown Presents: The Ballad of Billy Balls" premiers March 28th, 2019. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
03.15.2019 S1 [BONUS] Tom Jackman of the Washington Post Talks RFK and More \| The RFK Tapes Zac talks to Washington Post reporter Tom Jackman about the latest in the RFK case. And then, Tom takes Zac through another of his stories about an old spy taking down a Jamaican scam... all caught on a wire. Learn ...
12.24.2018 S1 [BONUS] Loose Ends \| The RFK Tapes After a few months away from the RFK case, Zac sits down with producer Jesse Rudoy to discuss some loose ends. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10.09.2018 S1 [BONUS] That’s Not the Girl You Described \| The RFK Tapes On the night of Robert F. Kennedy’s assassination, waiter Vincent DiPierro told police that he saw a girl in a polka dot dress standing with Sirhan in the pantry of the Ambassador Hotel. Bill and Zac pay DiPierro a visit ...
10.02.2018 S1 [BONUS] Follow the Lies \| The RFK Tapes Bill takes the reins as he goes through some of the additional evidence that convinced him a second gun was firing the night Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy ...
09.25.2018 S1 [BONUS] He Was Irreplaceable \| The RFK Tapes A collection of the best Robert F. Kennedy stories and speeches that didn't make it into the show, featuring speechwriter Adam Walinsky, special assistant William vanden Heuvel and campaign coordinator Steve Isenberg. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices ...
09.18.2018 Up and Vanished, Season 2 Up and Vanished merges storytelling with investigation, highlighting a new missing persons case each season. Season 2 focuses on the disappearance of young mother Kristal Reisinger from a remote mountain town in Colorado. Follow along with host Payne Lindsey as ...
09.11.2018 S1 [BONUS] The Trial of Scott Enyart \| The RFK Tapes On the night of Robert Kennedy’s murder, a young photographer named Scott Enyart had his film confiscated by the LAPD. When Enyart sued the city more than twenty years later, Bill Klaber was there. Learn more about your ad choices. ...
09.04.2018 S1 [BONUS] Live in Brooklyn \| The RFK Tapes Last week, Zac and Bill sat down in front of a live audience at The Bell House in Brooklyn. The show featured a heated debate between Bill and special guest Dan Moldea, plus musical performances by Rosaleen Eastman. Learn more ...
08.28.2018 S1 [10] You May Not Be the Same Zac \| The RFK Tapes Zac goes back to Acidalia for one last interview with Bill. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
08.21.2018 Slow Burn, Season 2 Slate's Slow Burn excavates the strange subplots and forgotten characters of recent political history -- and finds surprising parallels to the present. Season 2 captures what it felt like to live through the saga of Bill Clinton's impeachment. And...The RFK ...
08.14.2018 S1 [9] Here’s Where You and I Part Ways \| The RFK Tapes Investigative journalist Dan Moldea finds the man he believes assassinated Robert F. Kennedy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
08.07.2018 S1 [8] I Wanted to Solve This F*cking Murder \| The RFK Tapes Investigative journalist Dan Moldea begins a quest to try to find evidence of a second gun in the pantry of the Ambassador Hotel… by talking to the cops who were there that night. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ...
07.31.2018 S1 [7] He Didn't Think He Was Bulletproof \| The RFK Tapes Zac sets out on his own to talk with former aides to Senator Robert F. Kennedy about what that 1968 campaign was like, and what they believe happened the night of the California primary. Learn more about your ad choices. ...
07.17.2018 S1 [6] The Manchurian Candidate \| The RFK Tapes To prepare for Sirhan Sirhan’s 2011 parole hearing, his current legal team brings in an expert to investigate whether or not Sirhan was hypno-programmed to shoot Senator Robert F. Kennedy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener ...
07.10.2018 S1 [5] The Girl in the Polka Dot Dress \| The RFK Tapes Moments after Senator Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated, Sandra Serrano, a young campaign worker, says she saw a suspicious woman in a polka dot dress running away from the hotel screaming, “We shot him, we shot him.” Learn more about ...
07.03.2018 S1 [4] Reach For Your Gun, Sirhan \| The RFK Tapes Was the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy a deliberate political statement or the act of a sick mind? As Sirhan Sirhan sits in jail awaiting trial, the prosecution sends in a psychiatrist to find out. Learn more about your ad ...
06.19.2018 S1 [3] You Do Not Destroy Evidence! \| The RFK Tapes As Allard K. Lowenstein continues his investigation into Senator Robert F. Kennedy's murder, he enlists the help of Paul Schrade, one of the surviving shooting victims in the case. Together, they force a reexamination of the evidence collected by the ...
06.12.2018 S1 [2] My God, the Cosmos Shook \| The RFK Tapes Allard K. Lowenstein encourages Senator Robert F. Kennedy to run for president but ends up wheeling him into the morgue. Years later, when he picks up the autopsy report, Lowenstein is stunned at what he finds. Through intimate private recordings, ...
06.05.2018 S1 [1] June 5, 1968 \| The RFK Tapes Fifty years ago, Senator Robert F. Kennedy was shot in the kitchen pantry of the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, moments after winning the California Democratic primary. A lone gunman was captured at the scene, pistol in hand. Police said ...
05.29.2018 S1 Trailer \| The RFK Tapes Fifty years after the assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy, questions about the crime still linger. The RFK Tapes will explore the case through rare recordings and new interviews to try to understand what really happened on June 5, 1968. ...