Lita Ford facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lita Ford
Ford performing in 2023
Background information
Birth name	Lita Rossana Ford
Born	(1958-09-19) September 19, 1958 (age 66) London, England
Origin	Long Beach, California, U.S.
Genres	Glam metal hard rock heavy metal
Occupation(s)	Musician singer songwriter
Instruments	Guitar vocals
Years active	1975–1995 2008–present
Labels	Mercury RCA JLRG SPV/Steamhammer

Lita Rossana Ford (born September 19, 1958) is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. She was the lead guitarist for an all-female rock band called The Runaways in the late 1970s. After that, she started a successful solo career in glam metal music, which was very popular in the late 1980s. Her song "Close My Eyes Forever" from 1989, which she sang with Ozzy Osbourne, is her most famous song. It reached number 8 on the US Billboard Hot 100 music chart.

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Lita Ford was born in London, England. Her father was British, and her mother was Italian. When she was in second grade, her family moved to the United States. They eventually settled in Long Beach, California.

Lita started playing the guitar when she was 11 years old. She was inspired by Ritchie Blackmore, a guitarist from the band Deep Purple. Lita is also a talented singer.

Music Career Highlights

Joining The Runaways (1975–1979)

Ford performing with The Runaways in 1976

In 1975, when Lita was 16, she was asked by music producer Kim Fowley to join a new all-female rock band called The Runaways. The band quickly got a record deal and released their first album in 1976. The Runaways became very popular and toured a lot in the late 1970s. Lita's guitar playing was a very important part of the band's sound. The band broke up in April 1979.

In 2016, Lita Ford wrote a book about her life called Living Like a Runaway: A Memoir. In the book, she shared stories about her time with The Runaways.

By 1977, the band started having disagreements. They had already stopped working with their producer Kim Fowley, and their lead singer Cherie Currie and bassist Jackie Fox had left. The remaining members, Joan Jett, Lita Ford, and drummer Sandy West, had different ideas for the band's music. Joan Jett wanted a more punk rock sound, like the band Ramones. But Lita and Sandy wanted to keep playing the hard rock music they were known for. Since they couldn't agree, the band officially broke up in April 1979.

Lita's Solo Career (1982–1995)

In 1982, Lita Ford signed with Mercury Records to start her solo music career. Her first solo album, Out for Blood, came out in 1983, but it didn't sell very well. Her next album, Dancin' on the Edge (1984), was more successful, and Lita's popularity began to grow. This album included the song "Fire in My Heart," which was a Top 10 hit in several countries outside the United States.

Ford performing in Munich, West Germany, in 1988

Lita then signed with RCA Records and worked with Sharon Osbourne Management. Her music style became more like pop-metal, which was popular on the radio. In 1988, she released her most successful album, Lita. This album had several popular songs, including "Kiss Me Deadly" and "Falling in and Out of Love." The song "Falling in and Out of Love" was co-written by Nikki Sixx from the band Mötley Crüe. The slow song "Close My Eyes Forever," which she sang with Ozzy Osbourne, is still her biggest hit. It reached number 8 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

After Lita, she released the album Stiletto in 1990. It included the songs "Hungry" and "Lisa" (which was for her mother). However, this album wasn't as successful as Lita. Her next album was Dangerous Curves (1991), which had her last song to appear on the charts, "Shot of Poison." Lita's final album before taking a break from recording was Black in 1995.

Taking a Break (1996–2007)

In the mid-1990s, Lita Ford focused on raising her two young sons. Because of this, her music career became less of a priority. After Black was released in 1995, Lita didn't release any new music until 2009.

Returning to Music (2008–Present)

In June 2008, Lita Ford returned to performing with a new band. They played some warm-up shows before a festival called Rocklahoma. In June 2009, she toured the United States and Europe with a new group of musicians.

After a long break from recording, Lita released Wicked Wonderland on October 6, 2009. She said in an interview that she just wanted the music to "rock!" and that the lyrics were very personal.

Ford performing in June 2009

In May 2011, Lita promised to release a "real comeback album." She said that her 2009 album Wicked Wonderland was too much of a team project with her ex-husband. She wanted to make an album that sounded more like her earlier work.

Her album Living Like a Runaway was released in June 2012. It was indeed more like her classic sound. The title of the album also celebrated that she had made up with her former bandmates from The Runaways. In 2014, she received The Certified Legend Award from Guitar Player Magazine.

In November 2014, Patrick Kennison, a guitarist from the band Heaven Below, joined Lita's band.

In 2016, Lita released Time Capsule. This album was a collection of songs she found on old tapes from the 1980s. It featured recordings she had made with famous musicians like Billy Sheehan, Gene Simmons, Bruce Kulick, Robin Zander, Rick Nielsen, Dave Navarro, and Jeff Scott Soto.

Other Projects and Appearances

Ford performing with Patrick Kennison

During her solo career, Lita Ford used guitars made by B.C. Rich. She was often seen playing their "Warlock" guitar. In 1992, Lita was a regular guitarist for the house band on the TV show Howie, starring Howie Mandel. She also had a small part in the 1992 horror/comedy movie Highway to Hell, playing a character called "The Hitchhiker." In 1993, she played herself in an episode of the TV show Herman's Head.

Lita Ford also lent her voice and appearance to the video game Brütal Legend in 2009. She appeared as the character Lita Halford, alongside other famous musicians like Jack Black and Ozzy Osbourne. Her song "Betrayal" is also featured in the game.

In 2010, a major Hollywood movie about Lita's first band, The Runaways, was made. The movie was called The Runaways, and actress Scout Taylor-Compton played Lita Ford. Lita was also a big part of the 2005 documentary film Edgeplay: A Film About the Runaways, where she talked openly about her time in the band.

In 2013, Lita Ford reunited with her former Runaways bandmate Cherie Currie to record a Christmas song. This song helped support Toys for Tots, a charity that gives holiday toys to children in need.

Lita Ford appeared on the cover of Making Music Magazine in May/June 2013, where she talked about her life and career. In 2014, she narrated a film called The Life, Blood, and Rhythm of Randy Castillo.

Lita also competed on the cooking show Chopped. She hoped to win money for her charity. She made it through the first round but was eliminated in the second.

In 2018, Lita Ford and Jim Cara started Lita Ford Guitars. They create guitars and special experiences for fans and players. Lita has also appeared as a guest commentator on the AXS TV show Top Ten Revealed.

Personal Life

In the mid-1980s, Lita Ford was briefly engaged to guitarist Tony Iommi from the band Black Sabbath. Their relationship ended, and Lita later said they had some disagreements.

Lita was married to guitarist Chris Holmes for a short time in the early 1990s. After they divorced, Lita met Nitro singer Jim Gillette in 1994. They got married just two weeks after meeting. They have two sons, James and Rocco. The family moved to the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Lita's marriage to Jim Gillette began to have problems. In 2011, Lita said in an interview that her marriage was over. After her relationship with Gillette ended, Lita became an advocate for helping families deal with difficult situations where one parent might try to turn children against the other.

Discography

• Out for Blood (1983)
• Dancin' on the Edge (1984)
• Lita (1988)
• Stiletto (1990)
• Dangerous Curves (1991)
• Black (1995)
• Wicked Wonderland (2009)
• Living Like a Runaway (2012)
• Time Capsule (2016)

Film and Game Appearances

Video Game

See also

In Spanish: Lita Ford para niños

• List of British Italians
• List of glam metal bands and artists
• List of Italian-American entertainers