Sheila Ford's Page

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 joined 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 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, One Step Down, and Takoma Station in Washington, DC; The Flamingo Hilton and Casino in Kansas City, MO; Norwegian Cruise Lines; The Myerhoff Symphony Hall, The Lyric Opera House, Pier Six Concert Pavilion, and the New Haven Lounge 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, Dennis Chambers, Antonio Hart, Ben Vereen, Alex Bugnon, Rachelle Ferrell, Art Sherrod, Jr., The Midnight Movers, Bobby and the Believers, Trylogy, ” Wolfman” Jack, The Village People, Charles Dockins, DJ Spen, Marti St. Michaels, DJ Pope, DJ Oji, Thommy Davis, Marc Evans, Maysa, Robin S., Michael Watford, Nona Hendryx, Ultra Nate', Barbara Tucker, Josef Saddler, Juanita Dailey, and numerous others. 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 as well as her superb songwriting skills. Her most recent recording, "BEAUTIFUL DAY (THANK YOU)" was recently released on Poji Records. Other recordings include “SPIRITUAL JOURNEY” on Poji Records, “L.O.V.E.” on Poji 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 PRESENTSTHE BLACK-CUBAN CHRONICLES OF LOVE", on Slip 'n Slide Records, UK; and "HIGHER LOVE", on Shelter Records, to name a few. Sheila is currently working on a new 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.

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.