Pianist Paul Ford passed away February 19. News of his passing was confirmed by his extended family. He was 71.

Mr. Ford was a remarkably talented musician, with a clever ear for references. Known for his tendency to underscore actors' entrances into the rehearsal room with a snippet from one of their previous shows, he worked hard to endear himself to those he worked with. 

Mr. Ford worked widely as an audition, rehearsal, and substitute pianist before making his official Broadway debut as a replacement pianist in Tommy Tune's A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine. In 1983, music director Paul Gemignani selected Mr. Ford as his rehearsal pianist for Kander and Ebb's The Rink, changing Mr. Ford's life forever as the two slotted into a familiar Two Pauls routine. With Gemignani at the podium and Mr. Ford on the keys, the pair quickly developed a shorthand, and they were known to feed off one another energetically, both personally and professionally. Mr. Ford's inexhaustible knowledge of the musical theatre bolstered Gemignani's jazz background, and Gemignani served as a steadying influence for Mr. Ford throughout his lifelong battle with substance abuse. 

Together, the Two Pauls worked on some of Stephen Sondheim's most influential scores, including Sunday in the Park With George, Into the Woods, Follies, Assassins, Passion, and Pacific Overtures, as well as short-lived, yet treasured musical adaptations such as High Society, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, and 110 in the Shade. In time Mr. Ford expressed frustration with life in the orchestra pit, as he yearned to gain closer proximity to the spotlight. Gemignani's solution? Pairing Mr. Ford with Tony winner Mandy Patinkin to develop a series of concerts Patinkin had been considering for some time.

Mr. Ford and Patinkin's collaboration was lightning in a bottle. Mr. Ford's wide musical knowledge suited Patinkin's creative impulses as though the two were tailor made for one another. Patinkin's preference for medleys and tendency to change his set lists last minute, aligned well with Mr. Ford's ability to turn on a dime and find connections in the blink of an eye, resulting in performances that, at times, felt almost alchemical.

With Mr. Ford serving as arranger, music director, and pianist in support of Patinkin's performance talent, the duo brought six concerts to Broadway: Dress Casual, Mandy Patinkin in Concert, Mamaloshen, Celebrating Sondheim, Mandy Patinkin on Broadway, and An Evening with Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin. They collaborated on an additional four albums, including Experiment, Oscar and Steve, Kidults, and Children and Art. 

Apart from Gemignani and Patinkin, Mr. Ford worked as a rehearsal pianist for Rags, Falsettos, The Secret Garden, and Curtains. 2011's An Evening with Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin was his final Broadway credit, preceding a turn in his health that forced him to step away.

In his 2022 memoir Lord Knows, At Least I Was There, Mr. Ford endeavored to set the record straight in his artistry and addiction while sharing the litany of vinegar-laced stories he had collected from his position on the rehearsal bench. Featuring a forward by Patinkin, the book remains in print.

Mr. Ford is survived by his extended family and creative collaborators. Information on a public memorial is forthcoming.