Jim Ford - Biography
By J Poet
Legendary songwriter, singer and ne’er do well Jim Ford only made one proper album in his life, but its blend of country, folk, soul and rock influenced musicians the world over including Aretha Franklin, P.J. Proby, Bobby Womack, The Temptations and Nick Lowe, who says he modeled his own arch songwriting style on the work of Ford.
Little is known about Ford’s life. He was born in Johnson County, Kentucky, went college in New Orleans and dropped out to wander the country in 1966. He was on his way to become a hippie in San Francisco when he landed in LA and met Pat and Lolly Vegas, the Native American rockers who founded Redbone. They loved his songwriting and got him an audition with Bob Keane of Del-Fi Records, known for discovering Richie Valens. He made a couple of Del-Fi singles that went nowhere, but people were impressed with his songwriting, a unique mix of country, folk, soul and rock. P.J. Proby had a hit with Ford’s “Niki Hoeky” in 1967 and he dated Bobby Gentry, allegedly helping her write “Ode to Billy Joe.”
The White Whale label, an LA indie that was the home of the folk rock band The Turtles, finally signed him. Harlan County (1969 White Whale, 1997 Edsel UK) was quirky, rocking, and laid back all at the same time, featuring his stylistic mix of styles. It had four original tunes and twisted takes on Willie Dixon's “Spoonful” and Delaney & Bonnie's “Long Road Ahead,” but sank without a trace. In 1971, Ford’s manager, and future head of Liberty Records, Si Waronker flew him to London to cut a follow up backed up by Brinsley Schwartz. The sessions collapsed and the tapes for the album, which also featured Joe Cocker’s Grease Band, vanished.
Ford came back to California (with the taps of the London session as it happens) and after writing a few tunes for various artists, including Bobby Womack’s “Harry Hippie,” he vanished into a self-induced haze of drugs and alcohol. Over the years his unrecorded tunes became legendary and were covered by Nick Lowe [“36 Inches High” on Jesus of Cool (2008 Yep Roc)], Dave Edmunds, The Ventures, Bo Diddley and Ronnie Wood, and Bobby Womack [“Harry Hippie” on Understanding (1973 United Artists) and “Surprise, Surprise” on Poet II (1973 United Artists, 1994 Razor and Tie.)]
European writer L. P. Anderson tracked Ford down in 2006 and found him living in a trailer in Fort Bragg, California. Master tapes of various sessions were strewn all over the mobile home. Bear Family got hold of them, cleaned them up and released The Sounds of Our Time (2007 Bear Family Germany) 25 tracks that included the entire Harlan County session and his Del-Fi singles. Ford had been writing songs all those lost years and was talking about a new album with producer Jim Dickinson. James Burton had volunteered to play guitar on the sessions and Nick Lowe was organizing a benefit concert to help Ford launch the album and get his life together, but Ford died suddenly on November 18, 2007. A second compilation, Point of No Return (2008 Bear Family Germany) was in the works when he died. It showcases 16 lost songs including “I'm Ahead If I Can Quit While I'm Behind” from the London sessions and the original demo of “Harry Hippie.”
