SHEILA FORD

Cool, sexy, soulful and serene. With a voice that glistens like a string of pearls, musicianship beyond her years, and a lovely, irresistible stage persona, Sheila Ford is indeed a musical treasure. Vast experience as a vocalist and entertainer has equipped Miss Ford for nearly any challenge the music stage has to offer. Though Sheila has a special love for jazz (Ella Fitzgerald is one of her earliest and best loved influences), she has dazzled audiences in nearly every musical style-jazz, funk, r&b, blues, classic soul, pop, house, rock, Latin, even rap. No stranger to the studio, Sheila is a highly sought after session vocalist and songwriter. Producers and songwriters love her range, tone, versatility, and ear for harmony. Whether she's jazzin' it up or rockin' the house, Sheila has what it takes and is loved by audiences and musicians alike.

Sheila is a graduate of the elite Berklee College of Music, Boston Massachusetts, where she majored in Music Education. In addition to exceptional vocals, Sheila plays the piano, organ, and has studied several woodwind, brass, string and percussion instruments. In 2004, she was added to the staff of The Maryland Conservatory Of Music as a vocal instructor. Sheila has also served as a juror for the Billy Holiday Vocal Competition in Maryland.

Sheila has performed in concert halls, hotels, resorts, at festivals and clubs across the U.S. and around the world with some of the finest musicians and ensembles around. Some highlights include The Kennedy Center in Washington, DC; Caesar's Pocono Resorts in Pennsylvania; S.O.B.'s and the Dean Street Cafe" in New York; The Loft in London; The Southport Weekender, which is a huge festival in Southport, England; The Bluebird Cafe in Moscow; The General Walker Hotel in Germany; The Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, California; Le Disco in Greece; The Top of the Rock Club in Iceland; Schinnen AB in the Netherlands; and Kleine Broegel AB in Belgium. Other highlights include Blues Alley, The Mandarin Oriental, One Step Down, and Takoma Station in Washington, DC; The Flamingo Hilton and Casino in Kansas City, MO; various cruise ships; The Myerhoff Symphony Hall, The Lyric Opera House, Pier Six Concert Pavilion, The New Haven Lounge and Caton Castle in Baltimore, MD.

Sheila has toured with the Washington Jazz Ensemble performing in Russia and Greece to sold-out audiences. Numerous concert tours have taken her all over the world to Iceland, The United Kingdom, The Netherlands, Germany, France, Austria, Belgium, Asia and beyond. Sheila has performed, recorded, and shared stages with renowned artists such as Branford Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, Frank Foster, Kim Waters, Gary Bartz, Bobby Watson, Jeff “Tain” Watts, Gary Thomas, Cyrus Chestnut, Antonio Hart, Ben Vereen, Alex Bugnon, Rachelle Farrell, Art Sherrod, Jr., The Midnight Movers (Wilson Pickett’s band), ” Wolfman” Jack, The Village People, Maysa, Robin S., Nona Hendryx, Angie Stone, Bobby and the Believers, Trylogy, The Fabulous Fantoms, Ultra Nate', Barbara Tucker, Michael Watford, Marc Evans, Josef Saddler, Marti St. Michaels, Juanita Dailey, and numerous others. She has also worked with several internationally renowned producers including, Charles Dockins, DJ Spen, The Muthafunkaz, Thommy Davis, Abicah Soul, DJ Pope, and DJ Oji. She is currently the vocalist for Raggs and the All Stars, a top-notch big band with strings led by trombonist Scott Ragsdale. She also has her own band, Sheila Ford and Friends.

Sheila also brings to the stage years of musical theatre experience, having performed prominent roles in a number of professional productions. Highlights include Dreamgirls, Purlie, Tap Dance Kid, Big River, The Wiz, Bubblin' Brown Sugar, Showboat, and Ain't Misbehavin’. She has also sung jingles, provided voice-overs, and appeared in national and regional commercials. Highlights include a "Just Say No To Drugs" public service announcement, a jingle for Calico Corners Fabric Stores, a commercial for Cookies Men's Clothing Stores, and numerous voice-overs and station identifications for radio stations all over the world including KISS F.M. in London and WEAA F.M. in Baltimore, MD.

Sheila has performed on numerous recordings, which have enabled her to exercise her exquisite vocals (lead and background) as well as her superb songwriting and instrumental skills. Her most recent recording, “ALWAYS”, with DJ Spen and the MuthaFunkaz, was released on Code Red Recordings/Defected. Other recordings include "LIFE’S SO MUCH BETTER (Abicah Soul Mix)", which is included on The CODE RED SUMMER VIBES SAMPLER 2008, "BEAUTIFUL DAY (THANK YOU)" , “SPIRITUAL JOURNEY”, and “L.O.V.E.” on Poji Records, “MAGIC(Terry Thompson)”, on Code Red/Defected, “FEEL THE SAME (Groove Armada featuring Angie Stone – Muthafunkaz mixes (keyboards and bass))”, on Strictly Rhythm, “LOVE HANGOVER (Joey Negro-DJ Spen mixes (background vocals and operatic chant))” , on Z Records, "MOODY (STATE OF MIND)", on Blackvinyl Records, "IT’S ALRIGHT" (which was used for a television show on the British Broadcasting Company), on Slip ‘n Slide Records, UK, "JOURNEY", on Slip ‘n Slide Records, UK, "CHARLES DOCKINS PRESENTS THE BLACK-CUBAN CHRONICLES OF LOVE", on Slip 'n Slide Records, UK; and "HIGHER LOVE", on 157 Shelter Records, to name a few. Sheila is currently working on a jazz cd and a dance music cd, which will be released in the very near future (for a partial list of recordings, go to http://www.discogs.com/artist/Sheila+Ford ).

If you thought music was enough, think again. Sheila is also an exceptional dancer. She is currently a member of and an instructor for The Charm City Dancers (The New Baltimore Hand Dance Association), a very prestigious organization that specializes in hand dancing, line dancing, cha-cha, the bop, and much more. She is also a highly skilled jewelry and fashion designer. Actors on television shows including the CBS daytime drama, THE GUIDING LIGHT, have worn her designs.

Highly prized by bandleaders, sought-after by producers and songwriters, loved by audiences and musicians, and admired by singers, Sheila is a complete vocalist. She's equally at home in the studio layin' down hot tracks or on stage heatin' up an audience. Be sure to experience Miss Sheila Ford-the lady with a voice like a string of pearls.