Penny Ford facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Penny Ford
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| Also known as | Pennye Ford |
| Born | June 11, 1964 Cincinnati, Ohio, US |
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| Years active | 1979–present |
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Penny Ford (born June 11, 1964), also known as Pennye Ford, is an American singer, songwriter, and music producer from Cincinnati, Ohio. She became famous in the 1980s. She signed a record deal with Total Experience Records and released her first solo album, Pennye. This album included the popular songs "Change Your Wicked Way" and "Dangerous". Penny Ford wrote and produced these songs herself.
She became known around the world as the lead singer of the Eurodance group Snap!. The group's first album, World Power, came out in 1990. It sold over seven million copies worldwide. It became one of the most successful dance albums ever. The album had hit songs like "The Power", "Ooops Up", "Cult of Snap", and "Mary Had a Little Boy". Together, these songs sold over nine million records. When Snap! took a break, Penny Ford released her second album, Penny Ford (1993). This album helped her become a well-known solo artist globally. It featured the songs "Daydreaming" and "I Lose Control".
Penny Ford has also been a member of the groups Klymaxx and Soul II Soul. In 2006, she rejoined Snap! and started touring with them again around the world. Throughout her career, Penny Ford has sold more than 16 million records.
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Early Life and Musical Start
Penny Ford was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. Her mother, Carolyn Griffith, was an evangelist. Her father, Gene Redd, Sr., was a record company executive and producer. Penny's older half-sister, Sharon Redd, was also a singer.
Penny went to St. Mark Catholic School in Cincinnati. There, she took dance and music classes. Her love for music and performing grew after she won a talent show when she was young. She read a piece by Maya Angelou and sang "Summertime" by George Gershwin. In 1979, at age 14, she got a job as a background singer for the electro-funk group Zapp. This was part of their World Funk Tour. After finishing high school at 16, she moved to Los Angeles. She auditioned at a studio for Motown and became a demo singer.
Music Career Highlights
Starting Her Career: 1984–1988
After singing backup for the Gap Band, Penny Ford released her first album, Pennye, in 1984. Two songs from this album became hits in the UK. "Change Your Wicked Ways" reached No. 76, and "Dangerous" reached No. 43. In 1986, Penny became the lead singer for the group Klymaxx. After touring for a year, she joined the S.O.S. Band for six months. During this time, she recorded "It's Time to Move" for the Police Academy soundtrack. In 1988, Penny became friends with singer Chaka Khan. She sang background vocals on "Our Day Will Come," a song with Edwin Starr. She also toured with Chaka Khan in Europe in 1988.
Joining Snap!: 1989–1991
In late 1989, Penny Ford was in Germany. She was asked to fill in for Chaka Khan at a recording session. This session was for a new electronic dance group called Snap!. The first members of Snap! were Penny Ford, rapper Turbo B, and producers Michael Münzing and Luca Anzilotti. In early 1990, the group released their first song, "The Power". It quickly became a huge hit worldwide, selling over a million copies in America.
In May 1990, Snap! released their first album, World Power. It was very successful in many countries. It reached number seven in Germany and number 10 in the UK. The album sold well and earned gold and platinum awards in several countries. The group's second song, "Ooops Up", was also a big international hit. It reached the top ten on many music charts. Snap! continued their success with songs like "Cult of Snap" and "Mary Had a Little Boy". They also went on a world tour. After the tour, the group started working on their second album. Penny Ford decided to leave the group in 1991.
Solo Album and Soul II Soul: 1991–1995
After leaving Snap!, Penny Ford signed a new record deal with Columbia/Sony in June 1991. During this time, she started working with the British music group Soul II Soul. She sang background vocals for their song "Move Me No Mountain". This song was released in 1992. In 1992, Penny began recording her second solo album.
In March 1993, Penny Ford released her second album, Penny Ford. The first song from the album, "Daydreaming", reached number 40 on Billboard's R&B singles chart. It also reached number 43 on the UK Singles chart. The album also had two more songs, "I'll Be There" and "I Lose Control". The song "I Lose Control" was written by Mariah Carey. In 1994, Penny started working with Soul II Soul again. She sang lead vocals on their song "Love Enuff", which came out in 1995. She also performed this song with the group on the TV show Top of the Pops.
Later Career and Today: 2006–Present
In 2006, Penny Ford returned as the original singer for the group Snap! She rejoined with Snap! producers Michael Münzing and Luca Anzilloti. She has been performing with them all over the world since then. She lives in Offenbach, Germany. In 2022, Penny Ford was honored and added to the Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame.
Musical Style and Skills
Penny Ford is a multi-instrumentalist. This means she can play many different instruments. She is known for playing the guitar, flute, drums, percussion, bass, keyboards, and synthesizer. She played all these instruments when she started her career as a demo singer. On her first album, she played all the instruments on the song "Serious". She also played three instruments on the other songs. Penny Ford has also produced and arranged songs for other artists. These include Natalie Cole, the Gap Band, Chaka Khan, Victoria Wilson-James, and Snap!.
Discography
- Pennye (1984)
- Penny Ford (1993)
