Colt Ford tells fans ‘Thanks for Listening’

Country star shows appreciation for NC fans during stop in Monroe

By Jennifer Ferguson
Entertainment review

What do you get when you cross the attitude of artists like Toby Keith and Trace Adkins with the rhythm and lyrical rapping skills of Eminem and Jay-Z? The answer is an up and coming country rapper known as Colt Ford.

Born Jason Farris Brown and hailing from Athens, Ga., Ford was once a professional golfer on the Nationwide Tour before turning his interest to music. He released his debut CD in 2008 on the label he cofounded but this CD didn’t make it onto the Billboard Hot Country Songs list until 2009.

PeeDeePost.com columnist Jennifer Ferguson poses with country music artist Colt Ford. Tuesday night at Walmart in Monroe.

PeeDeePost.com columnist Jennifer Ferguson poses with country music artist Colt Ford. Tuesday night at Walmart in Monroe.

He has been the writing force behind other successful songs including writing Jason Aldean’s song “Dirt Road Anthem” and wrote the theme for Professional Bull Riders association. His next CD “Chicken and Biscuits” (2010) and “Every Chance I Get” (2011) showcased collaborations with popular artists of the time but still didn’t chant in the mainstream. However, that didn’t stop fans from finding his music through social media and word of mouth recommendations from another fan. This fan-based support system led to his third CD “Every Chance I Get” landing him on the charts with its lead single “Country Thang” and praise for “She Likes To Ride In Trucks.”

It wasn’t until his “Declaration Of Independence” CD that he saw a hit in the top 40, “Back” with Jake Owen, and a wider fan case. Now he is releasing his new CD “Thanks For Listening” as a thank you to his fans, both old and new, for sticking with him and supporting his music dream.

As part of the press tour for the new CD, Ford appeared at local Walmart stores including a stop Tuesday night in Monroe. The crowd formed quickly with fans of all ages but they were equally excited to meet the singer. As the crowd waited for the artist to arrive, the question was posed “how were you first introduced to Colt Ford’s music” and the answers were as diverse as the people.

Jennifer Kelly, a 33-year –old from Charlotte, said “my husband is a DJ and was introduced to Colt Ford’s music a few years ago and we’ve been listening ever since.”

Some were introduced to his music through social media like Dillion Furr, 18, and Josh Freeman, 17 of Concord, who discover Ford’s music on YouTube and introduced friends to it as well. Once the artist arrived, fans were granted the chance to meet the singer, as well as take pictures with him and have him autograph items. The artist willingly signed all items given to him and posed for as many pictures as were requested.

As he once stated on his website, “I’m just blessed to be able to play music,” he says. “Every artist who gets to do this for a living should thank their lucky stars; be humble and grateful.” Meaning that he cares about his fans and shows he is grateful for their support through events like this one.

Upon listening to the new CD, there were several tracks that stood out. The title track is a thank you to his fans for their support and how much it means to him. He points out that people could choice any artist to listen to yet they pick him for which his grateful. It is a powerful song with a positive message of belief in ones dreams.

Another favorite “Cut ‘Em All” features the well-known leader of Duck Commander Willie Roberson rapping with Ford about being a success while being true to yourself. These two working together show that you don’t have to compromise who you are in order to be a success.

Many country CDs have a “party song,” one that can be turned up loud for dancing and fun and on Ford’s CD it’s called “Crank it up” Lastly there is the ballad “Sip it slow” a reminder that life is short and occasionally stop and smell the roses, a message many of us could use in this technology fast pace world. Through the album, he shows a strong ability to express strong emotions with his words while applying them to a masterful mix of country and hip hop rhythms.

I was impressed with how nice he was to his fans, how well the meet and greet was handled and with the strong messages he conveyed through his music. If you are interested in learning more about this artist, you can visit his webpage at www.coltford.com or see his show in person on Oct. 4 at the North Carolina Seafood Festival in Morehead City or on Nov. 6 at Coastal Carolina University in Ladson, S.C.

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