Professor Wilbur Belton, Jr & The LADWEC Music Mass Choir
LADWEC Music Ministry, LLC.

The Producer


 

 

Steven Ford

    

When Steven Ford experienced the supernatural power of God while standing on the steps of his family’s Philadelphia home years ago, I’m sure his parents had no idea that it would be the amazing start to a phenomenal career.  I’m sure little Steven, at the time, would not have been able to imagine decades later, that he would become a GRAMMY, Stellar and Dove Award winner and one of the gospel music industry’s finest producers, songwriters and orchestral arrangers.

 

Although a well-versed musician at the age of 5, it wasn’t until a few years later when a God-inspired event occurred that a talent turned into an anointing.  One night when the youngster was coming home from a bible study, he walked up the steps to his bedroom.  As he got to the top of the stairs, an almost unbelievable thing happened.  Ford describes it as “stepping into an oven”.  He felt an overwhelming presence of God and the experience saw the timid youth shouting and yelling and praising God.  Ever since that profound experience, he has what he’s dubbed “instant recall”.  After hearing a musical piece only once, he instantly recalls it.

 

Shortly after this event, Ford was chosen by his father, a pastor, to be chief musician at his church.  With his brother, they led 5 choirs….all before reaching the age of ten!  Years later, he attended Temple University in Philadelphia where he received a degree in Music Composition & Orchestration.   He began his musical career as a studio musician, performing on numerous recordings, television and radio commercials. His first recording gospel recording found him playing the organ on the Mighty Clouds Of Joy’s Catching On in 1972.  For Ford, it was just the beginning.  Steven’s infatuation with recording and musical arranging soon became the driving force behind his maturity into a consummate musician, writer and producer.

 

Since that time, he’s written, performed and produced for artists such as Bishop T.D. Jakes, Richard Smallwood & Vision, Vickie Winans, Donnie McClurkin & The McClurkin Family, The Winans, Shirley Caesar, Maurette Brown-Clark, The Mighty Clouds Of Joy, The Williams Brothers, John P. Kee, the late Phyllis Hyman, Pieces Of A Dream, The New York Voices, Bishop Merritt & The Straight Gate Mass Choir, The Dallas Ft. Worth Mass Choir, The Potter's House Mass Choir, and many others.

 

In the past few years, Ford has been the producer of numerous projects including Woman To Woman: Songs Of Life by Vickie Winans, My Destiny by Stephen Hurd, Richard Smallwood’s Journey: Live In New York and Professor Wilbur Belton & LADWEC’s Great & Mighty.  In addition, he’s a musical consultant, a respected musician, a lecturer, and an award-winning producer who has been recognized with 2 GRAMMY Awards, 10 GRAMMY Nominations, 5 Dove Awards, and 10 Stellar Awards.

 

With a strong desire to mentor, he’s taught many symposiums and workshops on music ministry in the African-American Church and in the music industry as a whole.  He’s authored a book, Can I Take Your Order?, an in-depth study of the levitical order in the bible.  Targeted specifically to ministers of music and worship leaders, the book provides a blueprint on God’s design for the Church’s music departments.

 

He’s also CEO of S. Ford Music Productions and is the musical consultant of the music departments at The Redeemed Church in Baltimore, Maryland and The Ford Memorial Church of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.   Having contributed to the success of over 50 projects, there’s no stopping this incredibly anointed and talented man of God.

 

LADWEC Music Ministry