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T-Model Ford

 
Artist: T-Model Ford
Home > Library > Entertainment & Arts > Pop Artists

Similar Artists:

Rose Blossom Punch, Charlie Sexton Sextet, Junior Kimbrough, Robert Cage

Influenced By:

R.L. Burnside, James Montgomery, Johnny Winter, Paul "Wine" Jones, John Lee Hooker, Son House, Johnny Shines, Robert Johnson

Followers:

The Black Keys

Formal Connection With:

Spam
  • Born: 1925, Greenville, MS
  • Active: '90s, 2000s
  • Genres: Blues
  • Instrument: Guitar
  • Representative Albums: "Jack Daniel Time

Biography

Singer, songwriter, and guitarist T-Model Ford (James Lewis Carter Ford) plays a raw-edged, visceral style of blues from the Mississippi Delta, accompanied much of the time by his drummer, Spam (Tommy Lee Miles). Ford caught a break when he opened up on a national tour for Buddy Guy and his band, playing respectable theaters and some festivals, but he's been chronically under-recorded. He began playing guitar late in life and hadn't really toured much outside the Mississippi Delta until the 1990s and into the new millennium. In recent years he's been well-received at Antone's nightclub in Austin during the South by Southwest Music Festival, at the Chicago Blues Festival, and on tour with Guy and his band. When not on the road, playing mostly blues nightclubs, T-Model Ford and Spam set their instruments and amps up on Nelson Street in Greenville, MS, where they'll play for as much as eight hours straight. Ford's sound is raw, unadulterated Delta blues, and the music on his albums tends to sound sparse but is very rhythmic, given that his sole accompanist is the drummer Spam. His albums, all for the Fat Possum label, now based in Los Angeles, include Pee-Wee Get My Gun (1997), You Better Keep Still (1999), She Ain't None of Your'n (2000), and Bad Man (2002). ~ Richard Skelly, All Music Guide
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Wikipedia: T-Model Ford
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Home > Library > Miscellaneous > Wikipedia
 This article's factual accuracy is disputed. Please see the relevant discussion on the talk page. (December 2008)
T-Model Ford

Background information
Birth name James Lewis Carter Ford
Also known as Taildragger
Born 1920 (age 88–89)
Genres Juke joint blues, blues rock, Delta blues, electric blues
Occupations Musician, singer
Instruments Guitar, vocals
Years active 1997–present
Labels Fat Possum
Associated acts Gravelroad
For the motor vehicle, see Ford Model T

James Lewis Carter Ford (born c1920 Forest, Mississippi) is an American blues musician better known by his stage name, T-Model Ford. Unable to remember his exact date of birth, he began his musical career in his early seventies and has continuously recorded for the Fat Possum Records label.

His musical style melds traditional Chicago blues and juke joint blues styles with the rawness of Delta blues and the rebellious attitude of 1970s-style punk. Alternately known as "The Taildragger", Ford, in reference to his age, has been known to tell studio musicians, "T-Model Ford is going to remember you sorry fuckers how it's done."[1]

Contents

Biography

Early life

James Ford grew up working various blue collar jobs as early as his preteen years, such as plowing fields, working at a sawmill, and later in life becoming a lumber company foreman and then a truck driver. However, when reflecting on this time in his life, Ford recalls, "I could really stomp some ass back then. I was a sure-enough-dangerous man."[1]

Legal troubles

 This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (December 2008)
(Find sources: T-Model Ford – news, books, scholar)

During his tenure as a truck driver[when?] working another job at a log camp, Ford was sentenced to ten years on a chain gang for murder. Allegedly Ford was able to reduce his sentence to two years.[1]

He ensuingly spent many of his years in conflicts with law enforcement. When asked about his run-ins with the law, he jokes, "I don't know [how many times I've been to jail]. How many? Every Saturday night there for awhile."[1]

Recent activity

Currently, Ford resides in Greenville, Mississippi and also writes an advice column for Arthur magazine. (This has since ended). Ford claimed to be 88 at his birthday celebration in June 2008. According to records, his birth was somewhere between 1921 and 1925. According to his half-sister (still alive in Tennessee), he was born in 1922.

Recently T-Model has been playing locally with his 11-year-old step-grandson STUD as his drummer (after multiple falling outs with Spam, apparently over the latter's refusal to give up smoking), claiming of the youngster, "That boy is BAD."

In 2008, Ford began working with Seattle-based band GravelRoad. The project began as a single event, with Ford needing assistance to play the Deep Blues Festival in Minnesota in July 2008. GravelRoad, long time fans of Ford and performers already scheduled for the Deep Blues Festival, agreed to provide support for a 10 show US tour for Ford through July.

T-Model had a pacemaker put in less than 2 weeks after the completion of the summer tour. It appeared as if he would not be able to play again. But from his hospital bed he declared that he would go out again. After receiving doctor's clearance, Ford played a handful of shows locally and was able to return to the road with GravelRoad for a 3 week tour of the Southern/Southeastern US in November & December 2008.

Ford and GravelRoad completed a third tour of the US in April. This time, they did 16 from march to April 2009, including stops through the south, southwest, and west coast.

T-Model Ford and GravelRoad are planning another US tour this July (including a second trip to the Deep Blues Festival) and a run through Europe in September & October 2009.

According to Ford, he is not retiring. "No way ... only the good lord knows when I'm gonna stop." To that end, Mr Ford has said he has had a dream that he will live to 110. At that rate, he's got over twenty years left.

Discography

  • Pee-Wee Get My Gun' - 1997
  • You Better Keep Still - 1999
  • She Ain't None of Your'n - 2000
  • Bad Man - 2002
  • Don't Get Out Talkin' It - 2008
  • Jack Daniel Time - 2008

References

  1. ^ a b c d http://www.fatpossum.com/artists/tmodel.html

External links


This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

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