Throughout the groovy sixties and early seventies, singer, songwriter, and musician Dean Ford led the band Marmalade and made music history. In January of 1969, Marmalade became the first Scottish band to score a number-one hit in the UK, with a cover of The Beatles’ ‘Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da,’ in 1969. The band appeared in Kilts on ‘Top of the Pops’ to celebrate and drew praise from Paul McCartney for their version of the song. By the end of the year, the band would achieve a worldwide hit with ‘Reflections of My Life,’ written by Ford and lead guitarist Junior Campbell.
Born in Airdrie, Scotland, Ford joined The Gaylords in 1963 after members of the group saw him perform with The Monarchs at the Barrowland Ballroom in Glasgow. Subsequently, the band became Dean Ford & The Gaylords and relocated to London in 1965. The band changed its name to “The Marmalade” in 1966, and Jimi Hendrix called their song ‘I See The Rain’ “the best cut of 1967.” Marmalade went on to achieve six top-ten hits before breaking up in 1975.
Ford released his self-titled solo album produced by Alan Parsons in 1975 featuring the single ‘Hey My Love.’ He made a guest appearance on Parsons’ album ‘Pyramid’ released in 1978 and did some recording with his former bandmate Hugh Nicholson.
BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc.) honored Ford and Junior Campbell with a Special Citation of Achievement in 1998 for reaching over one million radio broadcast performances in the United States. In 2003, he appeared with The Sensational Alex Harvey Band for an album tribute to Glaswegian Frankie Miller. In 2012, he collaborated with former Badfinger Guitarist Joe Tansin on an album, ‘Paradise Cove.’
Music industry veteran/record producer/engineer Dan Matovina began working with Ford in 2015 and assisted him with moving his solo career forward. Matovina restored and re-issued his debut album and helped Ford put together his 2017 release ‘Feel My Heartbeat,’ with Producer Fernando Perdomo. Ford recorded one last album, ‘This Scottish Heart,’ Produced by Matovina, and released two months before he passed away in 2018.
Post-humously, Matovina gathered a group of musicians including Grant Maloy Smith, Kirk ‘Jelly Roll’ Johnson, and David Williams, to create backing tracks for the unfinished recording of ‘Darlin’ Oh Darlin.” Ford had only recorded a scratch track. ‘Darlin’ Oh Darlin” was released on February 22, 2022.
Dean Ford was a true original who left an enduring music legacy that continues to engage fans worldwide.
