Lita Ford

Lita Ford (born September 19, 1958) is an American rock musician and singer who was the lead guitarist for The Runaways and achieved popularity for her solo career during the 1980s.

Early life

Ford was born Carmelita Rossanna Ford to a British father and an Italian mother in London, England. She moved with her family to the United States at age 4. She began playing the guitar at age 11. Her vocal range is mezzo-soprano.

In 1975 at the age of 17 she joined the all-female rock band The Runaways, for whom she played lead guitar.

Solo career

After the group fon 1979, she began a solo career. Her first two albums, Out for Blood and Dancin' on the Edge were moderately successful. Out For Blood featured the single "Out For Blood". Her next album Dancin' on the Edge was even more successful. It featured the single "Fire in my Heart" which reached the top 10 in several countries. The next single "Gotta Let Go" was one of Ford's biggest hits. It reached number one on the Mainstream Rock charts.

Ford toured extensively and made several guest appearances on TV shows for the next four years, but had no releases; a follow-up to Dancin' on the Edge, titled The Bride Wore Black, was abandoned and never released due to the fact Ford did not like the production of the album and this upset the head of her record label causing Ford to switch from Mercury Records to RCA Records. By the time Ford returned again, the lighter pop-metal she had long favored had broken through to mainstream audiences, which set the stage for her most commercially successful album, 1988's Lita. With Sharon Osbourne as her manager, and again produced by herself, the album featured four commercial hits, including the #1 "Kiss Me Deadly", #9 "Back to the Cave", #2 "Close My Eyes Forever", "Cross My Eyes-ah Forever(in Japan), and #3 "Falling In and Out of Love" (co-written with Nikki Sixx of Mötley Crüe). The ballad "Close My Eyes Forever," was a duet with Ozzy Osbourne. It was also her only Top 10 Billboard Hot 100 hit, reaching #8.

Her next release was called Stiletto. It featured the singles "Hungry" and "Lisa"; which was dedicated to her mother. However this album was not as successful as Dancin' on the Edge and Lita.

Ford's next release was Dangerous Curves. Ford's last release would be with ZYX Records and would be titled Black. It failed to repeat the success of 1991's Dangerous Curves.

Ford was asked by VH-1 to be in the cast of "The Surreal Life" for its 7th season, in 2007. She declined.

Ford appears in the 1992 film Highway to Hell as 'The Hitchhiker'.

During her solo years, she was an endorsee of B.C. Rich guitars and used Warlock, Eagle, Mockingbird and Bich single and double-neck models.

In mid June 2008, Ford and her new solo band played several warm up gigs prior to Rocklahoma under the name Kiss Me Deadly in the New York City area.

Return to stage 2008, new album and tour 2009

For the first time in 15 years, Lita Ford took the stage in her only North American appearance at Rocklahoma, in Pryor, Oklahoma, July 12. Her new band was drummer Stet Howland (W.A.S.P.), Teddy Cook (Dio) and Michael T. Ross (Angel/XYZ).

Ford plans to release a new album during the summer of 2009, as well as playing a 75 date tour.

Lita Ford also takes to the stage at the Legendary Buffalo Chip, Sturgis South Dakota on August 3 2009, supporting Toby Keith

Personal life

Lita Ford is married to Jim Gillette, of the band Nitro. With him she has two sons, with their first son having been born on Jim and Lita's third wedding anniversary. She was previously married to W.A.S.P. guitarist Chris Holmes, and was engaged to Black Sabbath leader/guitarist Tony Iommi in the mid-1980s.

Tributes

An achievement in the Xbox 360 version of the video game Guitar Hero II, is titled the "Joan & Lita Award" in tribute to Lita and Joan Jett. It is awarded to two players who can get a 100 note streak in cooperative mode.

Her song, Close My Eyes Forever, was included in Karaoke Revolution: American Idol Encore.

The song "Kiss Me Deadly" was covered in a compilation album called Viva La Internet/Blank CD by Reel Big Fish.

Discography

The Runaways Studio albums

1976 The Runaways
1977 Queens of Noise
Waitin' for the Night
And Now... The Runaways
1980 Flaming Schoolgirls

Solo studio albums

1983 Out for Blood
1984 Dancin' on the Edge
1988 Lita
1990 Stiletto
1991 Dangerous Curves
1995 Black

Compilation albums

* The Best of Lita Ford (1992)
* Greatest Hits (1999)
* Greatest Hits Live (2000)
* Platinum and Gold Collection - The Best of Lita Ford (2004)

Other appearances

* "I Want to Be Loved" with LOU on The Other Side (2005)
* "I'll Be Home for Christmas" with Twisted Sister on A Twisted Christmas (2006)
* "Brütal Legend" Video Game (2009)

Singles

1983 "Out for Blood"
"Dressed to Kill"
1984 "Fire In My Heart"
"Gotta Let Go"
1988 "Kiss Me Deadly"
"Back to the Cave"
1989 "Close My Eyes Forever" (ft. Ozzy Osbourne)
"Falling In and Out of Love"
1990 "Hungry"
"Lisa"
1991 "Shot of Poison"
1992 "Playing with Fire"
"Larger Than Life"
1995 "Killin' Kind"

Tours

* 1981 - Queens of Rock Tour with Joan Jett and Sandy West
* 1982 - Rulers of Metal Tour with Black Sabbath
* 1983 - Out For Blood Tour with Scandal, Wes Luthor, and Tony Schladora
* 1984 - Dressed To Kill Tour with Anthrax, The Johnson Brothers Band, Skillet, Metal Mania
* 1985 - South and Central America Tour with Soundgarden
* 1986 - Wild Tour with several local bands opening at different venues
* 1986 - Metal Rulz Tour with Poison, Mötley Crüe, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Ozzy Osbourne.