Fan-filmed video of Lita Ford and legendary DEEP PURPLE bassist/vocalist Glenn Hughes performing her classic ballad “Close My Eyes Forever” on April 11 during this year’s “Rock Meets Classic” tour at Big Box in Kempten, Germany can be seen below.
“Rock Meets Classic” features some of the best-known songs in rock history performed by an all-star cast of classic rock artists from the 1970s and 1980s and a large classical orchestra.
Lita recorded “Close My Eyes Forever” as a duet with Ozzy Osbourne for her 1988 album “Lita”. It was Ford‘s highest charting single, peaking at No. 8 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1989.
More than a decade ago, Lita revealed that “Close My Eyes Forever” came about by accident during a night of drinking and getting stoned when she was being managed by Ozzy‘s wife, Sharon. She recalled to Metal Underground: “‘Close My Eyes Forever’ was a mistake. It was just me and Ozzy and Sharon hanging about in the recording studio. They showed up one day and had a housewarming present for me: a life-size duplicate of Koko, the gorilla from the San Diego Zoo. It was freaking huge — I had to strap it in the front seat of my jeep to get it home. Ozzy stayed, Sharon got bored and left, and me and Ozzy had a couple of drinks and we were jamming. We started singing, messing about and we wrote ‘Close My Eyes Forever’. Next thing I knew the sun was coming up. I looked at him and went, ‘Uh-oh, we’re in trouble.’ Sharon had been waiting all night. We were a long way from where Ozzy had to go. He said, ‘Can you drive me home?’ I said, ‘No, I can’t.’ We were stoned out of our minds. He got into a cab and I strapped Koko into my jeep and drove home — just barely made it. And then we had this hit song.”
Lita‘s long-awaited new studio album is tentatively due later this year. Ford‘s upcoming follow-up to 2012’s “Living Like A Runaway” was once again helmed by guitarist/producer Gary Hoey, who contributes some guitar playing to the disc.
In May 2022, bassist Marten Andersson (STEELHEART, LIZZY BORDEN, LYNCH MOB) officially joined Lita‘s touring band. Andersson replaced Marty O’Brien who became the touring bassist for DAUGHTRY.
Ford‘s last release was 2016’s “Time Capsule”, a collection of songs that were recorded by Lita in the past, but never before made available.
Nine years ago, Lita released an autobiography, “Living Like A Runaway: A Memoir”, via Dey Street Books (formerly It Books),an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
Content shared from blabbermouth.net.