Lita Ford’s connections are the stuff of legend. The singer/guitarist was all of 16 when she joined the groundbreaking 1970s all-female rock band The Runaways (whose roster also included a young Joan Jett). As a solo artist, she worked with and was once engaged to Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi. Her biggest U.S. hit—“Close My Eyes Forever”—was a duet with another Black Sabbath legend, Ozzy Osbourne. She’s written with Mötley Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx. And 2016’s Time Capsule is a collection of songs Ford recorded in her 1980s heyday with such rock luminaries as Gene Simmons from KISS and Robin Zander and Rick Nielsen from Cheap Trick.
Needless to say, Ford has proven to be quite the team player. But don’t let those collaborations fool you into thinking she plays second fiddle to anyone. Quite the contrary, during a career that has spanned more than four decades, the rock goddess has shown she can command a stage, crush the high notes and shred a six string as confidently, capably and powerfully as any of her male counterparts. Which is why it’s sort of wrong to label Lita Ford as a “female rocker”—she’s just a rocker, period. Always has been, always will be.
Golden Nugget, 8 p.m. Jan. 4, starting at $39 plus tax and fee. 800.745.3000 Ticketmaster
