LITA FORD W/ SPECIAL GUEST GARY HOEY

With Gary Hoey

Lita Ford’s career began in 1975 as a founding member and guitarist of the groundbreaking all female group the Runaways. The groups hard rock / punk edge spawned hits like “ Cherry Bomb ” and “ Queens of Noise ”. Lita and the Runaways proved their timelessness in 2014 when “Cherry Bomb” was featured in the critically acclaimed Marvel / Disney Studios hit movie “Guardians Of The Galaxy” and was nominated for a Grammy Award.

In 1983 Lita launched her carrier as a solo artist with her début album “Out For Blood” establishing her as the premier female performer in rock and Heavy Metal. Lita quickly followed up in 1984 with the release of “Dancin’ on the Edge” which earned her a Grammy nomination in the Best Female Rock Vocal Performance category. The album produced the world charting single “Fire In My Heart” and the U.S. Billboard top 50 charting hit “Gotta Let Go”. The song, along with the video being in MTV’s top rotation began to make Ford a household name and face.

2018 Celebrated the 30 th anniversary of the self-titled multi platinum “Lita” album. Released on February 2 nd 1988 the “Lita” album boasted four charting hit singles. “Back to the Cave” , “Falling In and Out of Love” (co written with Motley Crue’s Nikki Sixx) along with the world wide mega hits “Kiss me Deadly” , nominated for the MTV Video Music Awards Best Female Video of The Year and the certified gold ballad single “Close my Eyes Forever” featuring Ozzy Osbourne, which remained in the Billboard top 10 for 25 weeks.

The “Lita” album solidified Ford as one of the most influential female performers in the music industry and earning her the title “ Queen of Metal” . Ford released three more studio albums following “Lita”. Stiletto , “ Dangerous Curves” and “ Black” . These albums produced the radio and video hits “Hungry”,“Playin’ with Fire” and “Shot of Poison ” again nominating her for a Grammy.

In 1995 Lita Ford took a sabbatical from the industry.

But in 2008 Ford answered the calling of her fans and after thirteen years triumphantly returned to the stage. The excitement generated by Ford’s return quickly showed the world that the Queen was back.

Alongside her live performances Lita followed up with two new studio albums. “Living Like A Runaway” and “Time Capsule”. With Ford’s long awaited return to the scene, also came the long awaited opportunity by the industry to finally recognize Lita Ford for forever changing the roll of women in music.

2014 saw two of these accolades. At the 50th anniversary of the world famous Whiskey A Go Go Ford was presented with the Guitar Player Lifetime Achievement Award. And in the same year Guitar Player Magazine awarded her the prestigious Guitar Player Certified Legend Award and inducted her in to the Guitar Player Hall of Fame.

Besides her renown musical career Lita has also appeared in numerous movie, television and media rolls. In 1991 She portrayed the roll of the Hitchhiker in the fantasy/thriller “Highway To Hell” starring Chad Lowe. On television Ford has guested on shows such as Fox’s Herman’s Head, Food Networks Chopped and Nickelodeon’s Big Time Rush.

Ford was also featured along with Bruce Springsteen’s legendary E Street band saxophonist Clarence Clemons as band members of The Howie Mandel Show’s Studio One Band. In 2009 Lita was cast to voice the roll of Rima for the action adventure video game Brutal Legend.

In 2016 Ford released her autobiography “Living Like A Runaway: A Memoir”. The books insight and vivid truthfulness so captured audiences that it quickly became a national best seller and awarded 4.7 stars out of 5 by Amazon. The book reached such critical acclaim that Lita was presented the “Outstanding Writer” award in 2017 by the Producers Choice Honors.

At 2017’s Fifth Annual She Rocks Awards Lita was chosen as the recipient of the coveted Icon Award. That evening she was also officially bestowed the title of The First Lady of Rock Guitar by Marshall Amplification and Guitar Player Magazine. Laura B. Whitmore, founder of WiMN and producer of the She Rocks Awards, commented: “Whether as a solo artist, band member, or guitar shredder, Lita Ford is a true pioneer who has broken down barriers and inspires today’s female guitarists. I am excited to honor her with an award that really sums up the essence of Lita Ford.”

Ford continues to encourage and inspire aspiring musicians by teaching and mentoring through here work with Rock and Roll Fantasy Camps.

Since the start of 2018 Lita has been more present than ever in major media and publications. Filming 24 plus episodes of AXS TV’s hit series “Top 10 Revealed”, Nat Geo TV’s “Decades Remixed” and a top BBC series focusing on iconic musicians playing styles and their gear. Along with appearances in both the Suzi Quatro and Girls School documentaries. Lita also contributed to two upcoming major release books “The History of Hard Rock” by Tom Beaujour and “No Encore” by Drew Fortune.

The year finished out with Lita again being bestowed three more prestigious honors. The Hollywood FAME Producers Choice “Icon” Lifetime Achievement Award, the 2019 “Legend” Inductee Nomination into the Hall of Heavy Metal History and a life sized digital portrait of her ionic one of a kind double neck guitar will be on exhibit at London’s Saatchi Gallery presented by “The Art of Capture” photographer Kane Hibberd.

2021 marked another major milestone in Ford’s career. On July 26th, by request, Lita presented The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland OH, her iconic Morice II B.C. Rich Warlock guitar. The guitar currently is on exhibit in the main foyer at The Rock Hall. Ford and her band continue to tour and headline major events throughout the United States and worldwide.

GARY HOEY
Neon Highway Blues, Gary’s latest release, carries its 11 tracks with the confidence and assuredness of a veteran,and the freshness of someone who’s still in the process of discovery and refinement –with the help of famous friends such as Eric Gales, Lance Lopez, Josh Smith and Hoey’s 17-year-old son Ian Hoey. The release of Neon Highway Blues will, of course, take Gary Hoey back on the highways and byways for plenty of touring and playing, well, the blues –and more. He can’t yet predict where the next road will take him, but Hoey is confident it will be an adventure.

“It’s great to hear Gary sing and play the blues with his trademark intensity, feel and authenticity. And the guitar tones…both vintage and modern at the same time.” – Joe Satriani

In 2012, he produced and co-wrote The Queen Of Metal, Lita Ford’s latest release Living Like Runaway for SPV records to rave reviews. As Music Director for Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camp, he’s worked with legends like Joe Perry, Roger Daltrey, Yes, blues icon Johnny Winter, Robben Ford, Leslie West, and KISS drummer, Peter Criss. And he has toured and traded licks with the likes of Jeff Beck, Brian May of Queen, Ted Nugent, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Peter Frampton, and Dick Dale.

With a collection of 21 albums it’s no wonder Gary Hoey is listed as one of the top 100 guitarists of all time. The world renowned rock guitarist’s first break came in 1987 when Ozzy Osbourne liked Hoey’s tape enough tofly him to LA for an audition and encouraging him to move to the West Coast.In 1990 Hoey was signed to Reprise Records with a short lived band called Heavy Bones, but followed up in 1993 with a solo album, and Gary’s cover of “Hocus Pocus” rocketed into the Billboard’s Top 5 Rock Tracks. He went on to score the successful “Endless Summer II” soundtrack for New Line Cinema and in 1995 started a trilogy of “Ho!Ho!Hoey,” a collection of instrumental Christmas classics that continues each year in his Rockin’ Holiday shows. And in 2013’s release, Deja Blues, he came home to the blues. Gary’s release in 2016, Dust & Bones, displayed an exuberant fusion of blues and rock. But whatever style he plays, one thing is certain, Gary Hoey is a fiery, charismatic player who connects with the crowd.

Whether he’s playing scorching originals or classic rock covers, his solos are thrilling and reminiscent of Clapton or Stevie Ray in their fiery youth. One thing that remains consistent is Hoey’s impassioned command of the guitar. He can attack his instrument with feral intensity and then play something very soft and achingly beautiful. This ability to mix feeling, phrasing, technique and tone is the true mark of a master guitarist.