Kristen Ford is an American based one woman indie rock band. Kristen Ford’s music fuses folk, reggae, country, and blues with a healthy dose of rock and roll.

Kristen Ford is a ball of energy on stage, pushing joy into the crowd and getting the audience to echo back this enthusiasm. An ideal show for her is loud, under lights, and in front of a crowd demanding a unique musical experience. No two shows are the same as she loves to include spur of the moment ad lib songs, solos and jams, and a smattering of personal quips and anecdotes between songs. Kristen also plays a captivating mellow cafe or listening room show, 3 hour rowdy bar gigs, and even the odd all ages library show or street festival.

Versatility is something Kristen learned at an early age, moving every year or so, growing up in 6 different states. She began working as a dishwasher at 14 to save up enough money for her first guitar. Being left-handed, she soon discovered that the south paw guitars were too expensive and went with a right handed guitar. This perhaps explains her dynamic and expressive rhythm hand, which she uses to drive her band forward and push acoustic songs into a new realm of dance, rock and reggae music.

Kristen’s parents supplied an interesting musical upbringing. Her father sang in a barbershop quartet, and now conducts vocal groups and takes Gospel solos at church. Her mother is a folkie of the 60s and 70s, playing guitar and spinning the likes of Joni Mitchell, Neil Young and Simon and Garfunkel records around the house. This mix of African American and classic folk roots contributes to Kristen’s present musical style. Kristen also draws influence from the pop punk of Blink 182, the groove of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, female inspirations from Ani Difranco to Alanis Morrisette, and alternative icons Radiohead and Modest Mouse.

Kristen is fascinated by music both onstage and off. Her love of touring has led her through 47 states and 6 countries, spending at least a third of each year on the road. Her solo performance of beat-boxing, playing percussion with her feet, looping guitar riffs and hushing the crowd for intimate finger-picking songs, are only rivaled by her stance as a band leader. Her band mates play drums, bass, lead guitar, violin and sing harmonies. Off stage, she finds work as a sound engineer, label representative, music publicist and booking agent.

Since releasing her first album in 2009, Kristen has released three full length albums and two EPs. She has currently packed up or sold all of her belongings, and hit the road full time to promote her new record “DINOSAUR”.

Kristen and her band have played with artists such as Melissa Ferrick, Erin Mckeown, Allison Weiss, Bess Rogers, Sonya Kitchell, Matthew Santos, Naia Kete, The Pussy Pirates, June and Jean Millington, My Pet Dragon, Bern & the Brights, Audrey Ryan and many more.

She’s performed at such venues and festivals as National Women’s Music Festival (WI), Southern Maine Pride Festival (ME), Hudson Valley Pride (NY) Lady and the Amp Festival (MA), Mass RockFest (MA), Parihaka Peace Festival (Auckland, NZ) Fenway Park (Boston), Brighton Music Hall (Boston), Empty Bottle (Chicago), Saxon Pub (Austin), National Underground (Nashville), Pianos (NYC), Spike Hill (Brooklyn), 331 Club (Minneapolis), Woodlands (Columbus), The Bridge (Columbia), Casa de Popolo (Montreal, QC) Blaumilchkanal (Berlin, DE), Kaffibarinn (Reykjavik, IS), Barbara Ann Bar (Barcelona ES) and many more.