Country singer Colt Ford suffers heart attack after Arizona show

Country singer Colt Ford was in critical but stable condition after suffering a heart attack following a performance in Arizona on Thursday night.

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Ford, 54, a rapper and former professional golfer from Athens, Georgia, who was born Jason Farris Brown, was taken to a Mesa hospital after his performance in Gilbert, The Arizona Republic reported. Ford had just finished his show at Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row, according to the newspaper.

According to a news release, Ford is “currently under care in the Intensive Care Unit at the Banner Desert Medical Center in Mesa, Arizona.”

No other information has been released.

According to his website, Ford had been scheduled to play on Friday at the Primm Valley Casino Resorts in Nevada before returning to Arizona for the Wake the Lake Country Festival 2024 in Lake Havasu City on Saturday.

Ford has had health issues before. In May 2023 he told Taste of Country about his autoimmune disease diagnosis of Myasthenia gravis. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, the disease occurs when antibodies destroy the communication between nerves and muscle, resulting in weakness of the skeletal muscles.

Ford has also battled eye cancer, according to Taste of Country. He made that announcement in May 2021, People reported.

Ford released his first album, “Ride Through the Country,” in 2008, according to People. He collaborated with John Michael Montgomery, Jamey Johnson and Brantley Gilbert.

Ford is best known for his writing credits on Jason Aldean’s No. 1 country hit “Dirt Road Anthem,” WKRN-TV reported. The song also reached No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100, according to People.

Ford earned five consecutive Top 10 debuts on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. His 2012 album, “Declaration of Independence,” debuted at No. 1, according to Billboard. Two years later, “Thanks for Listening” cracked the top 10 on the Billboard 200 and was No. 1 on the Billboard Rap & Independent chart.

He has also collaborated with Toby Keith, Brad Paisley, Keith Urban, No Doubt, Lady Antebellum and Jermaine Dupri, according to USA Today.

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