The Baseballs are a German rock & roll band that perform contemporary hits in a style that combines rockabilly and
Elvis Presley. Fashioned with pompadours and sideburns in accordance with its '50s throwback aesthetic,
the Baseballs are a trio of vocalists named simply Sam, Digger, and Basti; they're backed up by
Lars Vegas (guitar), Klaas Wendling (upright bass), Jan Miserre (piano), and
Tomas Svensson (drums). Founded in 2007 in Berlin, Germany,
the Baseballs made their debut in 2009 with the hit single "Umbrella," a rock & roll version of
Rihanna's then-recent smash single. The full-length album
Strike! (2009) followed shortly thereafter and was likewise a hit throughout the German-speaking world, reaching the Top Five in Switzerland, the Top Ten in Germany, and the Top 20 in Austria. The album features cover versions of contemporary hits such as
Usher's "Love in This Club,"
Plain White T's' "Hey There Delilah," and
Katy Perry's "Hot N Cold." The
Baseballs returned in 2011 with their sophomore release
Strings 'n' Stripes. Once again, the album featured reworkings of contemporary pop hits including
Katy Perry's "California Gurls,"
Will Smith's "Miami," and
50 Cent's "Candy Shop." A holiday album,
Good Ol' Christmas, arrived the next year. In 2014, they issued
Game Day, their fourth Top 30 debut in Germany. Featuring their spins on hits by
Take That,
Destiny's Child,
Ace of Base, and
Britney Spears, Hit Me Baby... was released in 2016, climbing into the Top Ten. They followed with
The Sun Sessions in late 2017. Celebrating their tenth anniversary, the collection compiled 16 of their catchiest covers. ~ Jason Birchmeier