Martyn Ford (born 28 April 1944)[1] is an English musician, best known for hisorchestral contributions torock music albums of the 1970s and 1980s.
Born inRugby, Warwickshire, Ford was originally classically trained; he studiedFrench horn at theRoyal Academy of Music.[1] While in his senior year there, he formed his own orchestra, which debuted at theRoyal Albert Hall a few months after he graduated.[1] He then found work as an arranger and conductor for releases byCaravan,Barclay James Harvest,Bryan Ferry,Ginger Baker,Johnny Nash,Three Man Army,Japan andElton John, as well as for the soundtrack for the filmTommy.[1] He also played horn for theSpencer Davis Group early in the decade.[1] He also recorded on his own as the Martyn Ford Orchestra; his 1976 albumSmoovin featuredMike Moran,Ann Odell,Simon Phillips,Morris Pert,John Gustafson andMel Collins.[1] It also spawned a hit in theUK Singles Chart, "Let Your Body Go Downtown", which peaked at No. 38 in 1977[2] and No. 34 on the NME singles chart.[3] The song was written byLynsey de Paul and Moran, who also wrote the follow-up single "Going to a Disco", which failed to reach the UK chart in the summer of 1977.
In the 1980s, he worked withKate Bush,Phil Collins andDave Davies, amongst others.[1]
