Biography
Although Marc Ford has maintained an independent path as a guitarist and vocalist since the closing years of the 1990s, his most prominent work remains the period he spent with the Atlanta-formed roots rock and hard rock outfit the Black Crowes. A native of Los Angeles, Ford entered that group eight years after its founding and therefore was never part of its original lineup. Brothers Chris and Rich Robinson assembled the band in 1984; by the time the musicians recruited Ford in 1992 to succeed guitarist Jeff Cease, the Crowes had already moved several million records. Prior to that affiliation Ford had not yet achieved widespread recognition, yet certain earlier accomplishments stood out on his résumé.
Born in Los Angeles on April 13, 1966, Ford was still in his early twenties when he assembled the power trio Burning Tree alongside bassist Mark “Muddy” Dutton and drummer Doni Gray. Drawing heavily from the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Blue Cheer, and Cream, the Los Angeles unit cultivated a psychedelic hard rock approach that echoed the sound of the late 1960s. Ford handled both lead vocals and guitar duties, and while Burning Tree never reached a large audience, the group did release a self-titled album on Epic/Sony in 1990 before disbanding. That same year the trio supported the Black Crowes on several dates, coinciding with the release of the Crowes’ triple-platinum debut Shake Your Money Maker, produced by Rick Rubin for American Recordings, then operating as Def American.
Ford’s profile rose sharply once he joined the Black Crowes in 1992, a tenure that lasted until the Robinson brothers dismissed him in 1997. They cited his heavy drug use as the cause; Ford has since confirmed that he struggled with addiction at the time and entered rehabilitation the same year he was let go. After departing, he launched a solo career that began with the 2002 album It’s About Time, on which he again sang lead and played guitar. Fans welcomed the 2005 reunion of the Black Crowes, who had been on hiatus since 2002, and Ford participated in an extensive tour that featured several summer performances alongside Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers. In 2006, however, he announced his second exit from the group, this time appearing to leave voluntarily. Details surrounding the decision stayed limited, though a biographical note on his website records that “Ford realized that his newly found sobriety, an issue for the guitarist his entire career, was slowly being jeopardized by the incessant touring.”
Shortly afterward Ford rejoined Dutton and Gray for a handful of Burning Tree reunion shows in Hollywood. His solo discography continued with Weary and Wired in 2007 and The Neptune Blues Club in 2008. During 2009 he toured with Booker T. Jones while simultaneously establishing a dedicated website to document his own projects. A fourth solo release, Fuzz Machine, appeared in 2010. After several years devoted to production work for Ryan Bingham, Jonny Burke, and Phantom Limb, Ford returned with the album Holy Ghost in spring 2014.
Born in Los Angeles on April 13, 1966, Ford was still in his early twenties when he assembled the power trio Burning Tree alongside bassist Mark “Muddy” Dutton and drummer Doni Gray. Drawing heavily from the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Blue Cheer, and Cream, the Los Angeles unit cultivated a psychedelic hard rock approach that echoed the sound of the late 1960s. Ford handled both lead vocals and guitar duties, and while Burning Tree never reached a large audience, the group did release a self-titled album on Epic/Sony in 1990 before disbanding. That same year the trio supported the Black Crowes on several dates, coinciding with the release of the Crowes’ triple-platinum debut Shake Your Money Maker, produced by Rick Rubin for American Recordings, then operating as Def American.
Ford’s profile rose sharply once he joined the Black Crowes in 1992, a tenure that lasted until the Robinson brothers dismissed him in 1997. They cited his heavy drug use as the cause; Ford has since confirmed that he struggled with addiction at the time and entered rehabilitation the same year he was let go. After departing, he launched a solo career that began with the 2002 album It’s About Time, on which he again sang lead and played guitar. Fans welcomed the 2005 reunion of the Black Crowes, who had been on hiatus since 2002, and Ford participated in an extensive tour that featured several summer performances alongside Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers. In 2006, however, he announced his second exit from the group, this time appearing to leave voluntarily. Details surrounding the decision stayed limited, though a biographical note on his website records that “Ford realized that his newly found sobriety, an issue for the guitarist his entire career, was slowly being jeopardized by the incessant touring.”
Shortly afterward Ford rejoined Dutton and Gray for a handful of Burning Tree reunion shows in Hollywood. His solo discography continued with Weary and Wired in 2007 and The Neptune Blues Club in 2008. During 2009 he toured with Booker T. Jones while simultaneously establishing a dedicated website to document his own projects. A fourth solo release, Fuzz Machine, appeared in 2010. After several years devoted to production work for Ryan Bingham, Jonny Burke, and Phantom Limb, Ford returned with the album Holy Ghost in spring 2014.
Albums
