Lita Ford (born September 23, 1958) is a rock musician who achieved popularity during the 1980s.
Ford was born Lita Rosanna 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 that of a mezzo-soprano.
In 1975 at the age of 17 she joined the all-female rock band The Runaways, for whom she played lead guitar.
After the group folded in 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, first was the #1 "Kiss Me Deadly", next #9 "Back to the Cave", #2 "Close My Eyes Forever", 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 Stilleto. 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 XYZ 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.
During her solo years, she was an endorsee of B.C. Rich guitars and used Mockingbird and Bich 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.
Ford was married to Chris Holmes (from W.A.S.P.) from June 1990 to July 1991. She has been romantically involved with Mötley Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx, Rainbow singer Joe Lynn Turner, Black Sabbath's Tony Iommi, Hurricane / ASIA drummer Jay Schellen, and Jimmy Tavis of Lostboys, Odin and The Anti Social. Currently, she 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.
An achievement in the Xbox 360 version of the 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.
The song Kiss Me Deadly was covered in a Compilation album called Metalliska. The song was covered by Reel Big Fish.
For the first time in 15 years, Lita Ford will be taking the stage in her only North American appearance at Rocklahoma, in Pryor, Oklahoma, on Saturday, July 12th. Her new band is drummer Stet Howland (Wasp), Guitarist Tom Cavanagh (Bent Pussycat/Almost Queen), Teddy Cook (Dio) and Michael T. Ross (Angel/XYZ).
