Born on September 19, 1958 in London, England, Lita Ford is a rock guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter, who was the lead guitarist for The Runaways in the late 1970s before embarking on a solo career in the 1980s.
Inspired by Ritchie Blackmore’s work with Deep Purple, she began playing the guitar at the age of 11. Her vocal range is mezzo-soprano.
In 1975, at age 16, Ford was recruited by recording impresario Kim Fowley to join the all-female rock band he was assembling called The Runaways. The band soon secured a recording contract and released their first album in 1976. The band’s “jailbait on the run” gimmick garnered significant media attention and The Runaways became a successful recording and touring act during their late 1970s heyday. Ford’s lead-guitar playing became an integral element of the band’s sound until their eventual break-up.
In her autobiography, Living Like a Runaway: A Memoir, through Dey Street Books, Ford claimed that she left The Runaways temporarily in 1976, after coming to the conclusion that her bandmates “were all into girls. All of them except for Jackie [Fox],” a situation she didn’t feel comfortable with.
In 1977, internal conflicts were erupting within The Runaways, who had by that time already parted ways with producer Fowley, lead singer Cherie Currie, and bassist Jackie Fox. Vocalist/guitarist Joan Jett wanted the band to shift to a more Ramones-influenced punk rock sound, while Ford and drummer Sandy West wanted to continue playing the hard rock-oriented songs the band had become known for. With neither faction willing to compromise, the band finally broke up in April 1979.
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