One of my all time favorite harp players - with the Ford Brothers band. Pat Ford is the drummer. Robben Ford is one of the guitar players. The other is Volker Strifler, and the bass player is Dewayne Pate.
Hi Greg Love his phrasing and sound. How the hell does he get that electric sound and do you know what he is doing now. I know Andy Just played together with Mark and you can hear his influences in Andys playing but who did Mark learn from?? I dont hear any one player I recognise on his cd's.
I love his version of work song. This is my all time Favourite You Tube Video.
Posted just for you guys who do not know this player.
---------- Oxharp
Last Edited by on Jan 11, 2012 10:10 AM
Hey Greg, I heard Mark just walked away from the harp. Is there any truth that rumor? I'm curious, because I want to know why. I'm a big Robben Ford fan. I'm jealous of this musical family.
Last Edited by on Jan 11, 2012 11:12 AM
The last I heard, Mark Ford was working as a paramedic and gigging very, very rarely.
I seem to recall reading somewhere that his influence's were more guitar based than harp players. All of the Ford brothers draw their influences from a wide range of musical styles and instruments. They are not exclusively 'blues" players. One of their biggest blues influences was Paul Butterfield. They did great a tribute album to him a few years back.
With regards to Mark's rig. He mostly uses/used a bullet mic into a Bassman or Super Reverb and an effects unit. For info on the exact effect unit watch Andy Just's interview over on www.bluesharmonica.com. I believe that both Andy and Mark use/used the same rig.
sometime in the 70s mark ford, and i think another brother quit music and joined a christian group. children of god? may have been the name of the sect. this info is according to chris stratchwitz who had the arhoolie label and says as much on the liner notes of the charles ford band album on arhoolie.
since then, obviously mark and his brother seriously got back into playing music and that butterfield tribute album kingley mentions is very,very good. ----------
MP doctor of semiotics and reed replacement.
"making the world a better place, one harmonica at a time"
Mark blew the roof off the place @ the Dallas 2003 SPAH convention. Some folks were scared and left the room. The rest of us got closer to the stage. Powerful and raw and intense and awesome. Nice guy too.
