Robben Ford
| Birth Name | Robben Lee Ford |
|---|---|
| Born | December 16, 1951 (age 68) Woodlake, California, U.S. |
| Age | 68 Years |
| Genres | Blues, jazz, fusion, rock |
| Instruments | Not found |
| Associated acts |
KISS, Miles Davis, John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, Yellowjackets, Chick Corea, Gregg Allman Band, L.A. Express |
Robben Lee Ford (born December 16, 1951) is an American blues, jazz, and rock guitarist. He was a member of the L.A. Express and Yellowjackets and has collaborated with Miles Davis, Joni Mitchell, George Harrison, Larry Carlton, Rick Springfield, and Kiss. He was named one of the “100 Greatest Guitarists of the 20th Century” by Musician magazine.
Video Playlist
1/3 videos
1
12 Bar Blues Improvisation
2
Freedom
3
Talk To Your Daughter
Robben Ford was born in Woodlake, California, United States, and raised in Ukiah, California. He began playing the saxophone at age 10 and the guitar at age 14. Robben and his brothers created the Charles Ford Blues Band in honor of and named after their father.
At age 18, Ford’s band was hired to play with Charlie Musselwhite, and recorded two albums The Charles Ford Band and Discovering the Blues. He recorded two albums with Jimmy Witherspoon called Live and Spoonful. In the 1970s, Ford joined the jazz fusion band, L.A. Express, led by saxophonist Tom Scott. In 1974, the band supported George Harrison on his American tour and played on the Joni Mitchell albums The Hissing of Summer Lawns and Miles of Aisles.
Miles Davis & Robben Ford in Montreux in 1986
After leaving the L.A. Express in 1976, Robben Ford recorded his solo album, The Inside Story with a band that later became the Yellowjackets.
In 1977, Ford was one of half a dozen or so session players asked to play the guitar solo for the Steely Dan song “Peg.” In the end, the group went with the version by Jay Graydon instead. In 2006, a tribute album to Steely Dan – The Royal Dan – was released, with Ford covering “Peg” in his own style.
Guitarists Through The Decades
Top 3 Robben Ford Recordings
How To Play Guitar Like Robben Ford
Robben Ford II - The Blues and Beyond
This book begins with basic blues concepts such as the pentatonic, mixolydian and blues scales and builds on them, progressively incorporating more sophisticated scales and chord voicings. With lots of transcriptions and music examples, the book moves from basic 12-bar blues through gospel, jazz and modal feels.
Robben Ford -- Playin' the Blues
Guitar TAB, Book & CD (Alfred’s Artist Series). Robben lays out all the basics — the scales, chords, licks and phrases that are the foundation of modern blues guitar style. He discusses his fingering technique, vibrato and string bending, and also shows his favorite chord forms and comping patterns. Includes a “lick” section and several complete solos. In notation and tab.
