Colt Ford Talks Jake Owen, Jason Aldean, And 'Back'--'That Song Is My Life'
Colt Ford’s next album, Declaration of Independence, is set to hit stores August 7, and it features some of his very good friends and great artists. Most importantly, though, the album is all about the music. The lead single “Back” (which features Jake Owen) tells a story many listeners will relate to, and in the process you get to know the man behind the song in a very intimate way.
In an exclusive interview with Steve Grunwald of Detroit station WYCD, Colt talks about the album, the collaborators, and the song “Back.”
“It’s just so personal for me," he says of "Back." "Really, that song is my life right there in front of you. Everything in that story is real.”
It's so personal, in fact, that when the music video directors talked about hiring actors, Colt adamantly said no. “No, man, this is my life, I can’t put an actor in that that’s gonna play my mom.” So what you will see in the touching video below is Colt Ford’s family--his wife, his kids, his dad and mom--and the grave he is standing over is that of his closest childhood friend.
Watch the video for “Back”:
When artists from different labels come together on a song, what many listeners may not realize is how difficult it can be to make that happen. As Colt explains, there are many people and politics involved.
“If it was just the artists, it would be pretty easy," he says. He speaks respectfully of Jake recording this song with him, saying how Jake had to come in and fight for him. “He [Jake] came in and said, 'I love this song, this is a hit song, it means something to me and I want to be a part of it.'” Seeing how passionate Jake was about recording it, the label supported his decision.
Colt Ford ‘Declaration of Independence' Among those also featured on the album are Jason Aldean, Kix Brooks, Darius Rucker, Laura Bell Bundy and Montgomery Gentry.
The close friendship that Colt speaks of with Jason Aldean is the reason we have songs like “Dirt Road Anthem” (written by Colt Ford and Brantley Gilbert) and the upcoming “Drivin’ Around Song,” which he says is kind of like a “Dirt Road Anthem” part two.
Though Ford admits he could never afford to pay Jason to come in the studio and record with him, “he (Jason) is humble...gave up his time to go into the studio and record this for me.” Jason is a “music guy, first and foremost--the song has to mean something to him.”
Colt is thankful to have friends like Jason who believe in him and believe in the songs. After all, “it’s not about us - we’ll go away as artists and new ones will come in, but the songs are what live on.” As artists, he believes that it’s all about the music and creating emotion, and giving the fans something they can relate to. “Everybody has their own story they can relate to, that makes you want to go back to that simpler time.”
Declaration of Independence Track List:
1. "Answer To No One" (feat. JJ Lawhorn)
2. "Drivin' Around Song" (feat. Jason Aldean)
3. "All In" (feat. Kix Brooks)
4. "Ain't Out of the Woods Yet" (feat. Montgomery Gentry)
5. "Lucky" (feat. Jonathan Singleton)
6. "Back" (feat. Jake Owen)
7. "Dancin' While Intoxicated (DWI)" (feat. LoCash Cowboys & Redneck Social Club)
8. "It's All" (feat. Jeffrey Steele)
9. "Hugh Damn Right" (feat. Laura Bell Bundy)
10. "Room at the Bar" (feat. Corey Smith)
11. "All of My Tomorrows" (feat. Russell Dickerson)
12. "Happy In Hell" (feat. Wayne Morris)
13. "50/50"
14. "Way Too Early" (feat. Darius Rucker)
15. "Angels & Demons" (feat. Lamar Williams Jr.)
Pre-order Declaration of Independence on iTunes. You can also hear a preview of Declaration of Independence on AOL.
- Nanci Haskin / 99.5 WYCD Detroit
