Born Robben Lee Ford December 16, 1951 Woodlake, California, U.S. Genres Blues jazz fusionrock Occupation Guitarist Years active 1969–present Robben Lee Ford (born December 16, 1951)[1] is an American blues, jazz, and rock guitarist. He was a member of the L.A. Express and Yellowjackets and has collaborated with Miles Davis, Joni Mitchell, George Harrison, Larry Carlton, Rick Springfield, Little Feat, Jimmy Witherspoon, and Kiss. He was named one of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of the 20th Century" by Musician magazine. Robben Ford was born in Woodlake, California,[1] and raised in Ukiah, California. He began playing the saxophone at age 10 and the guitar at age 14. Robben and two of his brothers (Patrick and Mark) created the Charles Ford Blues Band in honor of and named after their father.[4] A fourth brother died in the Vietnam conflict. At age 18, Ford's band was hired to play with Charlie Musselwhite,[2] and recorded two albums The Charles Ford Band[1] and Discovering the Blues. He recorded two albums with Jimmy Witherspoon[5] called Live and Spoonful. In the 1970s, Ford joined the jazz fusion band L.A. Express,[2] led by saxophonist Tom Scott. In 1974, the band supported George Harrison on his American tour and played on the Joni Mitchell albums The Hissing of Summer Lawns and Miles of Aisles.[2] Miles Davis & Robben Ford in Montreux in 1986 After leaving the L.A. Express in 1976, Robben Ford recorded his first solo album, The Inside Story with a band that later became the Yellowjackets.[2] In 1977 Ford was one of over half a dozen session players asked to play a guitar solo for the Steely Dan song "Peg." The band eventually used a version by Jay Graydon. In 2006, a tribute album to Steely Dan – The Royal Dan – was released, with Ford covering "Peg" in his own style. In 1982, Ford was one of several guitarists who appeared on the KISS album Creatures of the Night, playing lead guitar on the songs "Rock And Roll Hell" and "I Still Love You".