Playing an eclectic blend of crowd-pleasing singalongs, smooth folk americana covers, and toe-tapping rhythm and blues, Ford Heinz is a one-of-a-kind act in Central New York. Ford plays blues and bluegrass romps, plaintive heartfelt dirges, and the kind of music that you’d listen to while you’re sitting on a lakeside dock alone by candlelight at 3 a.m. searching for the Pleiades in the night sky.
Ford Heinz’s songs have been called relatable and heartfelt, with lyrics that are unexpected looks at everyday life. His music is a love letter to the true spirit of Americana – mournful of the bad times, nostalgic for the good ones, compassionate for fellow travelers, and hopeful for the future.
With influences from acts like Doc Watson, Leadbelly, Rhiannon Giddens, Sly Stone, The Talking Heads, Joanna Newsom, Jason Isbell, The Beatles, Neil Young, A Tribe Called Quest, and the Flatbush Zombies Heinz keeps the good vibes rolling with an eclectic blend of songs.
Ford is a lifelong Central New Yorker who at the age of 17, opened for Aretha Franklin at the Syracuse M&T Jazzfest (technically) and he was awarded a certificate for “Best Electric Bass Solo”. He plays bass and sings with Central New York Rock Band Zefram. He’s played with gospel acts like Kevin Stephens & Free Spirit, and was the lead guitarist for the meteorically popular Syracuse punk band K9-13.
Drawn to the forgotten byways of the United States, he has lived in the high desert of Northern Utah and the farmland of Western Pennsylvania.
May 2026
Wednesday 13 - Al's Wine and Whiskey Lounge, Syracuse, NY (With Zefram)9-12 PM
Saturday May 16 - Rocky's Pub Liverpool NY 7-10 PM, Opening for Revival. (With Zefram)
Sunday May 17 - Rochester Lilac Festival 4-4:45 PM On the Busker Stage
June 2026
Saturday June 20 - Westcott Art Trail 1:30 - 3:30 PM at Petit Library
July 2026
Friday July 3 - Rocky's Pub Liverpool NY 7-10 PM (With Zefram)
August 2026
Saturday August 8 - Something Wicked Festival, Rome NY (With Zefram) 1-2 PM
Wednesday August 12 - Al's Wine and Whiskey Lounge, Syracuse NY (With Zefram) 9-12 PM
Saturday August 15 - Syracuse Ceramics Guild Pottery and Hot Arts Festival, Dewitt Community Church 12-3 PM
November 2026
Wednesday November 18 - Al's Wine and Whiskey Lounge, Syracuse NY (With Zefram) 9-12 PM
Pop
American Pie - Don Mclean
Better Than - Lake Street Dive
Blinding Lights - The Weeknd
Can You Get To That - Funkadelic
Colors of the Wind - Vanessa Williams
Come Together - The Beatles
Crazy - Gnarls Barkley
Dear Prudence - The Beatles
Don't Let Me Down - The Beatles
Defying Gravity - Idina Menzel
Drift Away - Dobie Gray
Fast Car - Tracy Chapman
Hallelujah - Leonard Cohen / Jeff Buckley
Hey Jude - The Beatles
If You Want Me To Stay - Sly and the Family Stone
Is This Love? - Bob Marley
I Feel Fine - The Beatles
I Will Survive - Gloria Gaynor / CAKE
I'll Make A Man Out of You - Donny Osmond
Jealous Guy - John Lennon
Kiss From A Rose - Seal
Let It Go - Idina Menzel
Movin' Out (Anthony's Song) - Billy Joel
Somewhere Only We Know - Keane
Style - Taylor Swift
Valerie - Amy Winehouse / The Zutons
Yesterday - The Beatles
You Can Call Me Al - Paul Simon
Rock
Atlantic City - Bruce Springsteen
Born To Run - Bruce Springsteen
The Boys Of Summer - Don Henley
Candy - Paolo Nutini
Can't Stop - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Can't You See - Marshall Tucker Band
Comfortably Numb - Pink Floyd
Creep - Radiohead
Dancing In the Dark - Bruce Springsteen
Dirty Work - Steely Dan
Don't Look Back In Anger - Oasis
Dreams - Fleetwood Mac
Feel Like Making Love - Bad Company
For What It's Worth - Buffalo Springfield
Friend Of The Devil - Grateful Dead
Furr - Blitzen Trapper
Girl U Want - Devo
Gypsy - Fleetwood Mac
Heart In A Cage - The Strokes / Chris Thile
Hey Jealousy - Gin Blossoms
Hold On Loosely - .38 Special
In Bloom - Nirvana
Jackie And Wilson - Hozier
The Joker - Steve Miller Band
Just Can't Get Enough - Sheer Mag
Landslide - Fleetwood Mac
Lawyers, Guns, and Money - Warren Zevon
Lights - Journey
Like A Rolling Stone - Bob Dylan
Mary Jane's Last Dance - Tom Petty
Moonage Daydream - David Bowie
Mr. Tambourine Man - Bob Dylan
My Own Worst Enemy - Lit
Not - Big Thief
One Headlight - The Wallflowers
The Promised Land - Bruce Springsteen
Ripple - The Grateful Dead
Rock 'n' Roll Suicide - David Bowie
Running On Empty - Jackson Browne
Say It Ain't So - Weezer
Shelter From The Storm - Bob Dylan
Soulshine - Allman Brothers Band
Subterranean Homesick Alien - Radiohead
Take It Easy - The Eagles
Tell Me Why - Neil Young
Total Eclipse Of The Heart - Bonnie Tyler
Time - Pink Floyd
The Weight - The Band
The Wind Cries Mary - Jimi Hendrix
Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd
Wonderwall - Oasis
You Can't Always Get What You Want - The Rolling Stones
You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go - Bob Dylan
Country/Folk/ Traditional
500 Miles - Peter, Paul and Mary
Angel From Montgomery - John Prine
City Of New Orleans - Steve Goodman / Arlo Guthrie
Cod Liver Oil And Orange Juice - Hamish Imlach
Guantanamera - Traditional
Have A Little Faith In Me - John Hiatt
Lorena - Traditional
Maple Tears - The Band of Heathens
The Midnight Special - Leadbelly / Creedence Clearwater Revival
Oh My Sweet Carolina - Ryan Adams
Parachute - Chris Stapleton
Pancho and Lefty - Townes Van Zandt
Tennessee Whiskey - Chris Stapleton
Traveller - Chris Stapleton
Wagon Wheel - Old Crow Medicine Show
Wildflowers - Dolly Parton / Linda Ronstadt / Emmylou Harris
Wild World - Cat Stevens
Alternative
Archie Marry Me - Alvvays
Funeral Singers - Califone
Honeybee - Steam Powered Giraffe
Old Friends - Pinegrove
Sadie - Joanna Newsom
Jazz
Autumn Leaves - Traditional
Anything Goes - Cole Porter
Blue Skies - Irving Berlin
The Frim Fram Sauce - Nat King Cole
Listening to great music may bring you inner peace. Preliminary data and mathematical simulations suggest that for Highly Sophisticated listeners, only 20 hours of listening to Ford Heinz music can lead to exponential gains in Inner Peace as measured by number of smiles per day (see chart left). Listeners of Moderate Sophistication can expect linear increases in inner peace as they continue to listen to more Ford Heinz music. Disclaimer: no data was collected to support or refute these claims.