Ivy Ford is a singer, musician and artist. At 22 years old, Ford has already established herself as an artist with great showmanship and musical talents. She plays a few different instruments which include piano, guitar, bass guitar and drums. From the Chicago area, Ivy Ford started singing with a Kenosha based band at 13 years old and was mentored by a very talented drummer, Steve "Rainman" Rainey. After finishing high school, she met a band with whom she played piano for and sang as a sideman. Ultimately they became "Ivy Ford and The Cadillacs" which was the first band Ford would front. Around this time, Artspace was opening "The Karcher Artspace Lofts," in Ford's hometown of Waukegan, IL. It seemed natural that not only Ivy become a Karcher resident but her mother and brother as well, who are also artists.
In the past year Ms. Ford has partnered with Blues Hall of Famer, J.B. Ritchie, for whom she occasionally plays bass guitar. In January she was invited to open up for and play with her number one idol, blues legend, Buddy Guy.
Blues musician and enthusiast, Ms. Ford's influences are the great Muddy Waters, Etta James, James Cotton, Koko Taylor and MANY more. Leading bands first through her vocal talents, Ivy also plays piano and lead/rhythm guitar. Encouraged to sustain the blues as the roots and substance of American music today, she frequently covers and tributes some of the standard tunes like "Sweet Home Chicago," "Mojo Workin' and "Downhome Blues."
She's currently backed by "The Cadillacs" featuring musicians: Willie Rauch on bass, Tony Oncken on drums, Jeff Iwai on guitar and Eric "Junior" Wilcox on harp and vocals. Ivy Ford writes and composes her own music in blues, soul and the R-n-B genre.
Whether it's indoors, outdoors, public venues or private events, Ms. Ford is always "Pitchin' a Wang Dang Doodle...All Night Long"
Ivy recently was featured on the cover of Lake County Magazine, interviewed and performed an acoustic show on "Hambone's Blues Party," on 90.9 WDCB Radio and would love to be a blues ambassador of sorts for a younger audience and demographic.
