Ford does country with a hip hop flair

Colt Ford considers himself a country musician. He never intended to be known as a country rapper.

“I didn’t do it on purpose,” the 40-year-old Athens, Ga., native said. “It wasn’t like I was sitting there trying to create a master plan. I truly consider myself a country musician ... People have to put a label on it. I’m a country artist; that’s what I do. I just am what I am.”

But Ford is getting a reputation as a country singer who raps. Just listen to “Buck ‘Em” — a song adopted by the Professional Bull Riders Inc. — or “Huntin’ the World” and “Left You in the Dust” and you’ll understand why. The topics may be country — bull riding, hunting, NASCAR — but Ford performs them with a definite hip hop style.

Whatever you call it, Ford will bring his musical style to Country Crossing’s Party Pavilion. He’ll be in concert on Saturday, Feb. 27, at 7:30 p.m. The concert was set prior to Country Crossing’s closing to avoid raids by a governor’s task force on illegal gambling.

Born Jason Farris Brown, the musician adopted the stage name of Colt Ford at the suggestion of his wife, who he credits with encouraging him to pursue his music dream. A former college golfer, Ford spent seven years in the world of professional golf as an instructor and even played on one Nationwide Tour. As a youth, he played in the Future Masters tournament in Dothan.

He grew up listening to country music and was drawn to rap and hip hop while in high school. He liked to write lyrics, and after leaving the golf world, Ford focused on music. For 25 years, he kept that focus inspired by country artists like Charlie Daniels, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard and Waylon Jennings — musicians, he said, who personified the lyrics they sang. And that’s something the self-described regular guy strives to do.

“I guarantee you Colt has been stuck in the mud in a four-wheel drive,” Ford said.

Ford released his first album, “Ride through the Country,” in December 2008. His latest album, titled “Chicken and Biscuits” is set to be released in April. He’s developed an Internet following with an average of 45,000 plays per day on MySpace, according to publicist Essential Broadcast Media.

And he’s worked with a diverse group of artists — country musicians like Jamey Johnson and John Michael Montgomery, hip hop artists Attitude, Bonecrusher and Sunny Ledford, guitarist Jeremy Popoff of the alternative rock band Lit and No Doubt drummer Adrian Young.

“I really just like all kinds of music,” Ford said. “I just like music in general. I think you can find something cool in a lot of things.”

A father of a 14-year-old daughter and a 10-year-old son, Ford said fans like the fact they might see him shopping at a WalMart or eating at a Waffle House. He’s on Twitter, Facebook and MySpace corresponding with fans and keeping them updated.

“I enjoy the fans,” Ford said. “ ... To them, I’m kind of a man of the people. I’m a regular old dude to them, and that’s what I want to be.”
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If you go ...
What: Colt Ford in concert with opening act Matt Stillwell
Where: Country Crossing Party Pavilion
When: Saturday, Feb. 27, 7:30 p.m.; gates open at 6:30 p.m.
Cost: Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at www.countrycrossing.net. Seating is first come first serve.