Clarence Joseph Ford, Sr. (December 16, 1929 – August 9, 1994) was an American saxophonist and clarinetist, who played and recorded with many of New Orleans’ leading R&B and jazz artists in a career spanning more than 40 years. Clarence Ford had his initial professional job at age 15 with the Eureka Brass Band in 1945 when he played E-flat clarinet at a Mardi Gras gig. He said in an interview that at the time he only knew three songs– “The Saints”, “Lady Be Good”, and “Panama”. In 1948 Ford joined Wallace Davenport’s Bebop Jockeys after switching to alto saxophone. He bought his first alto sax at Werlein’s for Music in New Orleans, and his idol was Charlie Parker. Ford joined the Johnson Brothers band in 1949. The Johnson brothers Ray and Plas, Jr. were from a musical family and had been professionals since they played their first gig at ages 13 and 12 years old respectively. Ford recorded for the first time on the Johnson Brothers’ De Luxe Records release “Mellow Mama” in August 1949. The session was supervised by De Luxe A&R man Paul Gayten, and, in addition to Ford, featured Harold Battisteon baritone sax, Lloyd Lambert on bass, Reynold Richards on piano, and Ed Blackwell on drums. Clarence Ford also worked as an orderly at Charity Hospital for $20 a week, in addition to his music dates, to support his wife and two children. The Johnson Brothers band broke up when Plas went on the road with Charles Brown’s band in 1951. Ford left New Orleans for Detroit to stay with his uncle Percy Gabriel. He got a job at the Ford Motor plant but was laid off after two months. When he returned to New Orleans he went to work recording with Dave Bartholomew, whose band included Bartholomew on trumpet, Earl Palmer on drums, Red Tyler, Clarence Hall and Meyer Kennedy on saxophones, Salvador Doucette on piano, and Frank Fields on bass. Ford played on recordings by Dave Bartholomew’s band, and other artists he produced. He worked a day job with Joe Jones at a New Orleans paper company. Ford worked with the Lloyd Lambert Orchestra, including a month-long stay at the Dew Drop Inn in May 1953. In 1954 he and friend trumpeter Dalton “Red” Rousseau were hired by manager Hosea Hill to play in Guitar Slim’s band. Ford was recruited as a baritone sax player and, since he did not own a baritone sax, borrowed one from friend Ellis Marsalis, who had switched to piano. On the road Slim rode ahead in his Cadillac, and the band rode behind with the equipment in a station wagon. Ford stayed with Guitar Slim until 1956, then returned home to New Orleans. He played around New Orleans, often sitting in at the Dew Drop Inn, playing tenor sax for $10 a night with Earl King on guitar and James Booker on piano. He worked days at the Dixie Beer brewery making $6 a day. Tenor sax man Herb Hardesty approached Ford in January 1957 about joining Fats Domino’s band. Ford came aboard to play baritone sax.