Lita Ford lends guitar to Rock Hall

Aug. 7—Legendary guitarist Lita Ford stopped by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on July 26, to lend one of her instruments to the museum's collection. She followed the presentation with a small concert for museum visitors.

"It's history," Ford said. "It's a real big honor to be a part of it."

Ford is not an inductee, but happily accepted the Rock Hall's invitation to join its collection. She said it was difficult to decide which guitar to loan away because they are like her "babies."

She went with a duplicate of her guitar, Morice, which she strummed throughout 2014 and 2015, most notably at the 50th anniversary party for Los Angeles' famous Whiskey a Go Go. The instrument is an ebony BC Warlock with a black widow symbol painted on the side.

She laughingly described it as "badassery."

Ford, with 5-inch stiletto heels, an all-black ensemble, and eye makeup smokier than her raspy voice, seems to know a thing or two about badassery. She spent years jamming with the Runaways, an all-female rock group whose other members include Joan Jett. Though she said the Runaways were part of a "special time in music history," Ford pursued a successful solo career after the band broke up.

Her most successful hit, a duet with Black Sabbath's Ozzy Osbourne titled "Close My Eyes Forever," peaked at No. 8 on Billboard's Hot 100 in 1989.

When Ford first rose to prominence for her string picking, few women played rock music, a disparity she believes the Runaways helped combat.

"You're always going to get [sexist comments]," she said. "But you can choose whether to listen or not."

Morice II will join the museum's "Garage Gear" collection, comprised of instruments displayed outside of "The Garage," an interactive musical space on the Rock Hall's second floor.

Rock Hall CEO Greg Harris said Ford's "generous guitar donation will let fans celebrate her all summer long."

After handing the guitar over to Rock Hall workers, Ford joined her longtime bandmate, Patrick Kennison, to perform several of her hit songs, including "The Bitch is Back," "Playin' with Fire," and "Cherry Bomb."

A swarm of museum visitors flooded the space around Ford. One spectator joked that she was becoming "very close friends" with her fellow Ford fans because of how dense the crowd was.

Meb Weaver, a Florida native who stopped at the Rock Hall as part of a cross-country road trip, said seeing Ford perform was a highlight of her trip and that she stayed for the entire performance.

"That was very special," she said.

Other visitors, like Rachel Elion Baird, decided the visit the Rock Hall specifically because of Ford. Baird is a professional musician who once opened for Ford's former bandmate, Joan Jett.

Ford also recorded a video for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's online education platform, rockhall.edu, about how she became interested in guitar. Her stop at the Rock Hall followed a series of live shows, including a "Vaxxin' on The River" concert in Lorain.

She planned to stop at home for a few days before returning to performing. After the coronavirus pandemic forced her to take a break from touring — a period she said she spent riding her bicycle and watching out for her health — Ford said she is thrilled to be back onstage.

"I just love playing for the fans. That's what it's all about," she said.