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Photo provided by: Lita Ford
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Inspiration: The Question That Separates Artists from the Rest
At Guitar Thrills Magazine, one of the most telling questions we ask in an interview is simple:
Who—or what—inspired you?
It’s not filler. It’s not casual conversation. It’s a defining moment.
Our readers want to know what shaped the artist standing in front of them—what lit the spark and fueled the journey. Every musician is inspired by something along the way. That influence doesn’t diminish originality; it sharpens it. What matters is how an artist takes what they’ve learned and turns it into something authentic, personal, and unmistakably their own.
This isn’t about copying another player’s tone, phrasing, or look. It’s about evolution.
Inspiration doesn’t always come from technical mastery. Sometimes it comes from character. From work ethic. From how an artist handles pressure, failure, and success. It can be the way someone commands a stage—or the way they conduct themselves when the lights are off.
Some of the most influential artists never chase the spotlight beyond the music. They remain grounded, humble, and focused on the craft. They lead by example, allowing consistency and integrity to define their legacy. Often, they inspire others without ever realizing it.
That quiet influence is powerful—and lasting.
At Guitar Thrills, we believe inspiration is a two-way street. Every artist should ask themselves:
Am I inspiring someone else—without even knowing it?
Whether through performance, perseverance, or personal values, influence has a ripple effect. If you’ve never reflected on that, it may be time. Understanding what it means to inspire can change how you approach your craft, your career, and your role in the music community.
According to BetterUp.com, inspiration is rooted in qualities that uplift and motivate others—qualities that extend far beyond raw talent. In creative industries, people naturally look to artists as leaders, whether those artists realize it or not.
Some defining traits of inspirational individuals include:
These qualities resonate far beyond a single performance or release.
When Guitar Thrills Magazine selects artists for interviews, we look beyond chops and catalog size. One quality stands above the rest: the courage to face challenges head-on.
The music industry is relentless. Obstacles are constant. Longevity belongs to those willing to stand their ground, adapt, and push forward despite the odds. That resilience is what defines true artists.
That’s why Lita Ford has always stood out to us. Her impact isn’t limited to her undeniable skill or iconic status—it’s rooted in what she’s accomplished through adversity. Her journey embodies the spirit we respect and celebrate.
At Guitar Thrills Magazine, inspiration isn’t just something we talk about.
It’s something we recognize, honor, and amplify.
ABOUT LITA FORD
Lita Rossana Ford (born 19 September 1958) is an English-born guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter. She was the lead guitarist for the all-female rock band the Runaways in the late 1970s, and then embarked on a successful glam metal solo career that hit its peak in the late 1980s. The 1989 single "Close My Eyes Forever", a duet with Ozzy Osbourne, remains Ford's most successful song, reaching No. 8 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
Ford was born to Harry Lenard Ford and Isabella Benvenuto in London, England; her father was British, and her mother was Italian. When she was in second grade, she moved with her family to the United States, eventually settling in Long Beach, California. Inspired by Ritchie Blackmore's work with Deep Purple, she began playing the guitar at the age of 11. Her vocal range is mezzo-soprano.)
In 1975, at age sixteen, Ford was recruited by recording impresario Kim Fowley to join the all-female rock band The Runaways. The band soon secured a recording contract and released their first album in 1976. The band garnered significant media attention and the Runaways became a successful recording and touring act during their late-1970s heyday. Ford's lead-guitar playing became an integral element of the band's sound until their eventual break-up in April 1979.
In 1977, internal conflicts were erupting within the Runaways, who had by that time already parted ways with producer Fowley, lead singer Cherie Currie, and bassist Jackie Fox. Vocalist/guitarist Joan Jett wanted the band to shift to a more Ramones-influenced punk rock sound, while Ford and drummer Sandy West wanted to continue playing the hard rock-oriented songs the band had become known for. With neither faction willing to compromise, the band finally broke up in April 1979.
In 1982, Ford signed with Mercury Records and set about launching a solo career. Her debut solo album, Out for Blood, released in 1983, was a commercial disappointment. Her next release, Dancin' on the Edge (1984) achieved moderate success, and Ford's popularity began to rise. Dancin' on the Edge included the single "Fire in My Heart", which reached the Top 10 in several countries outside the United States. The follow-up single, "Gotta Let Go", performed better. Ford said in an interview that she recorded an unreleased album with RCA Records, and Tony Iommi did not perform on it.
Ford signed with RCA Records, hired Sharon Osbourne Management, and re-emerged with a more radio-friendly pop-metal sound. In 1988, she released her most commercially successful album, the self-produced Lita. The album featured several singles including "Kiss Me Deadly", "Back to the Cave", "Close My Eyes Forever", and "Falling in and Out of Love", a song co-written by Nikki Sixx of Mötley Crüe. The ballad "Close My Eyes Forever", a duet with Ozzy Osbourne, remains her most successful song, reaching No. 8 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Ford followed up the success of Lita with the album Stiletto (1990). Stiletto featured the singles "Hungry" and "Lisa" (a song dedicated to her mother). However, the album failed to match the success of her previous release. Ford's next release was Dangerous Curves (1991), which featured her last charting single to date, "Shot of Poison". Ford's final album prior to a lengthy recording hiatus was Black on the German ZYX Records.
By the mid-1990s, Ford had turned her attention towards raising her two young sons, causing her music career to become less of a priority. Following the release of Black in 1995, Ford did not release new material until Wicked Wonderland in 2009. In June 2008, Ford re-emerged with a new band with Stet Howland (W.A.S.P.) on drums, playing several warm-up gigs under the moniker Kiss Me Deadly prior to Rocklahoma in Pryor, Oklahoma. In June 2009, she toured the United States and Europe with a new line-up on her last fourteen shows, consisting of former Guns N' Roses guitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal, drummer Dennis Leeflang, and Deepfield bassist PJ Farley.
After a long recording hiatus, Ford released Wicked Wonderland on 6 October 2009, on the JLRG Entertainment label. In an interview with ExclusiveMagazine.com, Ford spoke about her new material: "I just wanted to kick ass! I don't know what's popular, or the flavor of the day. I just wanted the music to rock! The lyrics are very personal and that's it. I wasn't going to come out in sandals with hairy armpits!" In November 2014, Heaven Below guitarist Patrick Kennison joined Ford's band. In 2016, Ford released Time Capsule, a collection of songs she discovered on old analogue tapes from the 1980s, featuring recordings she had made with Billy Sheehan, Gene Simmons, Bruce Kulick, Robin Zander, Rick Nielsen, Dave Navarro, Rodger Carter, and Jeff Scott Soto.
Guitar Thrills: Hello, Lita. We’ve been in the music industry for a long time—long enough to know what it takes to perform at the level you do. You don’t accomplish what you have without putting in a tremendous amount of effort. It also requires the ability to overcome obstacles and challenges, and to stand up for yourself when it’s not the popular thing to do. That’s what inspires others.
How important do you believe inspiration is in the music industry, and how have the character traits discussed here helped you?
Lita: We all need inspiration at times, no matter your age or how difficult your past has been. You don’t have to be a little kid to look for inspiration—a guiding force or guiding light. Some people never find it, which isn’t good, because we all need it to get so far in life and keep moving forward.
Life is hard, and you really can’t do it all by yourself. So we look for strength in someone or something we admire or love—someone who has conquered major battles. That doesn’t mean you’re going to win them all, but at least you can try. And if at first you don’t succeed, try and try again!
Guitar Thrills: Do you think there has been an accommodating spirit in the industry—doing whatever it takes to be successful, even if it requires giving in to your personal beliefs?
Lita: Ha ha! There are no accommodating spirits in the music industry.
That said, the ones who did give me a helping hand were often fellow musicians—artists I met along the way. Many of them understood the struggle and weren’t confused by a female playing guitar. They were supportive and encouraging.
Of course, I’ve come across a few evil ones too—people who just want to be better than you. Usually that’s because they’re intimidated. But overall, I feel very grateful to have been inspired by the good artists and completely disgusted by the losers.
Guitar Thrills: What sort of challenges have you endured, and what enabled you to overcome them?
Lita: Being a “female guitar player” has been my greatest challenge—although I never really dwelled on being female. I only ever saw myself as a guitar player. Unfortunately, some people couldn’t see past the gender thing. The two just didn’t go together in their minds.
It’s amazing how blind people can be. They couldn’t digest both ideas at once because society conditions people to think a certain way:
“Ah… this is a girl—pin her picture on your wall.”
“Ah… he’s a guitar player—listen to what he’s playing.”
Growing up, I always paid attention to the guitar players in my favorite bands. I rarely focused on the singers—I noticed them last. Guitar players fascinated me. I listened to their every move and wanted to learn their solos, riffs, and chord configurations. I loved bands with the nastiest riffs—big, powerful guitars and emotional solos. That was my greatest inspiration.
The bigger the guitar playing, the bigger the inspiration.
Guitar Thrills: What is your mindset like? Is it your morals, or how you were raised? What helps you stay courageous in an industry that isn’t always conducive to someone like you?
Lita: My parents always supported me as a guitar player—late nights, long trips, all of it. My father came to every California show with his six-pack of beer, and my mother would ask me to play certain guitar parts because she loved the sound so much.
It rocked their world—ha ha—in more ways than one, and it rocked mine right back. They were my biggest fans, and I truly believe that support gave me the strength to get through hard times and just be Lita. They listened when I needed to talk, never telling me what to do—just encouraging and supporting me.
Guitar Thrills: Who were some of your inspirations as you entered the music industry, and what specific traits stood out to you?
Lita: I loved the adventure of figuring out a great guitar part. There was no internet back then—I learned by playing records over and over, pushing the needle back into the grooves until I figured out a solo or riff. I learned Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple songs. I loved and admired Johnny Winter and Michael Schenker. “From the Beginning” by Emerson, Lake & Palmer—what a song. Greg Lake’s beautiful guitar intro was incredible.
I loved how sloppy some of Jimmy Page’s solos were—it didn’t matter! Ritchie Blackmore’s double picking and his use of the Echoplex blew my mind. The wah-wah pedal was huge for me—it was an instrument in itself. Schenker cracking the wah open just enough to get that cutting-edge tone.
Learning vibrato was huge too—like handwriting, no two vibratos are the same. It’s pure individuality.
Hendrix’s rig made noise, and he used that noise—channeling it into feedback, sustaining notes, dive-bombing with the whammy bar. If you have feedback, use it. Don’t let good feedback go to waste. The more hiss, noise, and sustain you can get out of your rig, the better.
In The Runaways days, I crossed channels on my Marshall for more edge and sustain. Totally wrong—against the laws of guitar-playing hygiene—but if you don’t try things and blow #$%! up, you’ll never learn.
I even took guitars apart just to see how they went back together—like a car. Sometimes you forget a few parts!
I plugged my Gibson SG into my father’s Sony reel-to-reel tape machine and used the echo—it sounded like God. Not what it was meant for, but powerful and politically incorrect.
One of my favorite guitar duos was Steve Hunter and Dick Wagner from Alice Cooper’s Welcome to My Nightmare era. They were magic—musically and visually. They ruled the stage and rocked the &%#$ out of the audience!
Guitar Thrills: When we refer to inspiration, it isn’t always about the music. Which songs have you covered over the decades, and what determines whether you’ll cover a song?
Lita: One of my all-time favorite cover songs is Alice Cooper’s “Only Women Bleed.” Written by Dick Wagner, it’s a song I deeply relate to lyrically, and it’s a challenge both vocally and on guitar.
That song resonates with me. It’s powerful. And if you’ve got the balls to do a cover song, you’d better make it your own. Don’t copy the original—own it.
Guitar Thrills: When you eventually decide to end your music career, what do you want people to remember you for?
Lita: When I go to my grave, I want to leave my mark on this world. I want to be remembered for helping pave the road for others to follow—it hasn’t been an easy journey.
Longevity. Glamour in a not-so-glam business.
I want my family, friends, and fans to be proud. And I want new guitar players to look back and say:
“Yeah, baby! We can get some inspiration from Lita.”
Guitar Thrills: How often do you perform internationally, and where have you found your strongest fan base
Lita: We don’t get overseas as much as we’d like—the cost of travel, gear, and crew is astronomical. It has to be worthwhile.
But when we can’t go overseas, the USA always rocks our world.
Guitar Thrills: Is there a region or venue you’d still love to perform at?
Lita: I’ve been lucky to play some incredible places, but there’s still a lot of territory—and many countries—I haven’t stepped foot in yet. I can’t wait to rock those places.
Guitar Thrills: You’ve played countless guitar brands. Is there a go-to guitar for you?
Lita: My favorites are my old Hamer Explorers. I have some of the very first ones made—I still use one live today. Serial number 0048. I call him Pepper.
I also have the crème of the crop BC Rich customs—Mockingbirds, Warlocks, and Rich Biches. They’re like wearing your favorite old jeans. Heavy, solid mahogany and maple, rosewood and ebony fretboards, smoking-hot electronics—DiMarzio Super Distortions, Neal Moser preamps, Kahler tremolos. These guitars are powerful machines—not for the weak of heart. Super badass. Made by the best of the best.
Guitar Thrills: What does your live stage setup look like? Is it collaborative?
Lita: We just play and sing our asses off. We don’t travel with a lot of stage props—no smoke and mirrors. We rely on each other and a few accessories.
Guitar Thrills: How instrumental has your band been in your success?
Lita: I have an incredible team. I spent decades finding these musicians. It’s like being in the military—we go to war together on the road and always come out alive because we’ve got each other’s backs.
If you’re not a team, you won’t last long before someone gets killed—or replaced. Ha ha! True story.
Band:
Drums – Bobby Rock
Guitar – Patrick Kennison
Bass – Marten Andersson
Keys (occasionally) – Michael T. Ross
Guitar Thrills: It’s been wonderful interviewing you. Your strengths inspire both us and your fans. We hope you’ll join us again soon.
Lita: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME!! 😉
Great questions—you rocked it!
Guitar Thrills: Excellent. We look forward to it.
Lita: Can’t wait!!
Final Thoughts
Lita Ford’s story is more than a history of records, riffs, and iconic performances—it’s a blueprint for resilience. Her career reflects what it truly means to stand firm in your identity, challenge expectations, and push forward when the odds are stacked against you. Inspiration, as Lita demonstrates, isn’t something you chase—it’s something you become through perseverance, authenticity, and fearless self-belief.
At Guitar Thrills Magazine, we recognize artists who do more than perform. We celebrate those who leave a lasting imprint on the industry and empower others to follow their own path. Lita Ford continues to do exactly that—on stage, in the studio, and through the countless musicians she’s inspired along the way.
Legacies aren’t built overnight. They’re forged through courage, conviction, and the refusal to back down. Lita Ford’s legacy is loud, unapologetic, and enduring—and the echoes of her influence will continue to resonate for generations to come.
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