22 episodes

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.

The Ballad of Billy Balls iHeartPodcasts

    • Society & Culture
    • 4.5 • 9.1K Ratings

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.

    S2 [1] Billy Balls and His Babygirl | The Ballad of Billy Balls

    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 and are inseparable, until one night, when Billy is mysteriously shot.

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    • 29 min
    S2 [2] He's Not Done Yet | The Ballad of Billy Balls

    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.

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    • 24 min
    S2 [3] Billy the Kid | The Ballad of Billy Balls

    S2 [3] Billy the Kid | The Ballad of Billy Balls

    As the investigation begins, iO explores Billy's journey to New York City.

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    • 30 min
    S2 [4] Get in the Wind | The Ballad of Billy Balls

    S2 [4] Get in the Wind | The Ballad of Billy Balls

    iO explores a darker side of Billy - did it lead to his death?

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    • 23 min
    S2 [5] Those High-Powered Lawyers | The Ballad of Billy Balls

    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.

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    • 35 min
    S2 [6] Amanda | The Ballad of Billy Balls

    S2 [6] Amanda | The Ballad of Billy Balls

    Amanda, a game-changing character, tells her story.

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    • 40 min

Customer Reviews

4.5 out of 5
9.1K Ratings

9.1K Ratings

twateverhoe ,

Healing

I think as healing as this was for you, you also helped so many of us.

Thank you.

Socobluesky ,

The Best Podcast!

This is one of the BEST podcasts I’ve ever listened to! So we’ll done. I loved the mix of trying to figure out the crime but also all the interpersonal, trauma revealing, humanness to it. I seriously binged this, could not stop listening. Well done 👍🏽 👏🏼👏🏼

RIPgoodinstagram ,

Brilliant & Sad

not sure I can find the words to encapsulate how much I appreciated all of these episodes - the story, the movement through lives and how they were impacted by Billy’s life and death, but.. loved it. love iO. what a brave and beautiful and sad story.

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