BREAKING: Colt Ford Suffers Heart Attack
This took place after his concert at Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row in Arizona.
Colt Ford; Photo by Goldy
Colt Ford suffered a heart attack on Thursday, April 24 following a show at Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row in Gilbert, Arizona, according to a statement from his team.
The 53-year-old is currently under doctor’s care at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Banner Desert Medical Center in Mesa, Arizona.
Further details are not available at this time.
Hailing from Athens, Georgia, Colt Ford is a multi-platinum singer/songwriter who is best known for the original recording of Jason Aldean’s “Dirt Road Anthem.” Ford co-wrote the platinum-selling hit with Brantley Gilbert.
The Georgia native has suffered several health issues in recent years, including eye cancer. He initially noticed a spot on his eye in 2021 and sought out medical help after it didn’t go away for a few weeks.
“I went to a doctor in Georgia that specialized in cataracts and all that stuff, and I remember them saying, ‘This ain’t good’ and ‘You gotta get this out,’” the country rapper told People in 2021. “They wanted me to go see a cornea specialist, Dr. Uyen Tran, in Nashville, and that’s when I started getting really nervous.”
It turns out, he caught it just in time. “The doctor told me I was a week to 10 days from having to go on full chemo,” he revealed.
He underwent surgery to remove the spot and eventually was able to return to the road and treat the spot with chemo drops.
Another health obstacle came the following year when he was diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis, an autoimmune disease.
He elaborated on the diagnosis with Taste of Country, explaining that it “affects the muscles in your face, your eyes, and your throat.”
He admitted that it “hadn’t really” affected his throat but it had an impact on his eye. “I had no control over my right eye. It really messes with your vision. I could see perfectly out of either eye, but then I would look together and I’d see three of you and you would be melting together like a lava lamp,” he explained.
This disease has impacted his ability to perform and take part in his hobbies, such as golf. Thankfully, he was able to control some of the side effects.
“There is a terrible fatigue factor that comes from it. They say there’s no cure, but this doctor has me on these supplements that are really helping me. I’m in a dang better place than I was,” he told the outlet in 2023.
In recent social media posts, including one shared just two weeks ago, Ford has been teasing new music and promised to share it with fans soon. “Y’all better get ready,” he said.
Colt Ford has a slew of tour dates on the calendar, including one set for Friday, April 5. It’s unclear when he will be able to return to the road.
Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.
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