Ivy Ford is a Chicago blues singer, guitarist, and multi-instrumentalist who has been turning heads in the Midwest music scene since her early teens. Born and raised in Waukegan, Illinois, Ford began performing live at 13 and never looked back — developing a self-taught command of piano, alto saxophone, drums, bass guitar, and electric guitar that sets her apart from nearly any other artist on the current blues circuit.
Known as The Blues Kitten, Ivy fronts her own band and draws from a wide palette of blues, soul, and R&B to deliver performances that are equal parts raw power and effortless cool. Her influences run deep through the tradition — Muddy Waters, Etta James, James Cotton, Koko Taylor — while her sound remains entirely her own.
In 2015, Ford opened for Buddy Guy at his legendary Chicago club, Legends, and has since shared stages with Chicago Blues Hall of Fame inductees and represented the Crossroads Blues Society at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, reaching the finals in 2019. That same year she performed at the Chicago Blues Festival and released her critically acclaimed album Harvesting My Roots.
Jason and Ivy sit down for a wide-ranging conversation about her roots in Waukegan, learning to play multiple instruments by ear, building a name on the Chicago blues circuit, her experience at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, and what keeps her connected to the blues tradition. A candid and captivating conversation with one of Chicago's most exciting independent artists.