Fitzgerald & Ford
Pat
Fitzgerald & Robin Dale Ford,
a.k.a. Fitzgerald & Ford, were in opposite orbits
when they met in the seventies. Robin was unknowingly a part of
a rather large movement of young people (OK, Hippies...and proud
of it!) that were heading north to Alaska and the promise of an,
as yet, unspoiled wonderland. Pat, on the other hand, had been
born and raised in the small town of Fairbanks and was giving
much thought to gettin outta Dodge and finding
out what was shakin in the the Lower 48. But
this wave of new, young faces and their enthusiasm for his home
state had a big effect on him. Instead of heading south, he moved
further into the Alaskan woods and the pioneer lifestyle and built
a big log cabin, now the home of 10th Planet Recording Studio...a
uniquely Alaskan melding of high- and low-tech.
Back then, Pat was a drummer for the seminal Alaskan band, The
Glass
Bead Game, and Robin was a big fan, going to almost all of their
shows
that first magic summer in Alaska. Over the next years, Pat and
Robin
were, separately, major contributors to the lively music scene
of
Fairbanks with Pat very influential in the Rock & Roll sphere,
and Robin
(avec banjo) adding to a robust revival of Old Timey and Bluegrass
music in bands like The Sidewinders & Doc South's Old Time String Band.
Their
musical orbits finally collided one Fall evening as they waited
in line to see a Bonnie Raitt concert. Pat had heard that Robin
had taken up the electric bass, and asked if she would like to
join a new Rock & Roll band he was putting together. She jumped
at the chance to play loud, and the past two decades have heard
the two making noise in countless bands including Stir Crazy,
The Flyers, The Firewalkers and their current band, DANG!
Throughout their time in these bands, both Pat and Robin have
maintained solo recording and performing careers, and in the late
nineties decided to combine these solo acoustic acts into one
show and take it on the road. In 1997, as Fitzgerald &
Ford, they toured the entire West Coast from Alaska to Arizona,
and in 1999 toured Canadian music festivals from Nova Scotia to
Vancouver Island. In between these forays to other worlds,
they can be heard playing their music all over their beloved Alaska.
Now, after constant haranguing from fans and promoters alike,
they are
in the process of coming up with the material for a Fitzgerald
& Ford
CD that will showcase their energy as a duo. Look for this project
sometime in 2002, the year which will also find them celebrating
10
years of 10th Planet Records and 20 years of love (yes, they are
a
couple!).
A sample of their duo sound can be heard on Pats song Dark
Road, Gypsy Light from his Wild Harvest CD.
For bookings, contact 10th
Planet Records, P.O. Box 10114, Fairbanks, Alaska 99710.
|