As part of a recent episode of “The Charlie Rymer Golf Show” on CBS Sports Network, host Charlie Rymer caught up with country music star Colt Ford to chat it up on golf, music and more. Check it out!
Charlie Rymer:
I’m off to the studio. I’m taken to the airwaves to catch up with another old friend. Welcome into the Charlie Rymer Podcast. If you got a 9:00 tee time around here, we’re teeing up at 9:00. We talk about golf, life, and anything else that comes to mind, and today I’m thrilled to be joined by my good buddy, country music artist, Colt Ford. He don’t look like much, folks, but he can play some golf. Colt, how you doing today?
Colt Ford:
Good, Charles. How are you, sir?
Charlie Rymer:
I’m doing good. How long have you and I known each other? We were 12?
Colt Ford:
12, yeah, somewhere early teens. Long enough that we can’t tell stories on each other because we’d both go to jail.
Charlie Rymer:
Yeah, we were both a lot prettier back then too. Most of the time when you see a celebrity, an artist, or a singer, they got into golf after being an artist or an actor. You’re the opposite. You were a golfer, and then you got into being an artist.
Colt Ford:
It’s been an amazing, amazing ride. Music is really my first true love. Golf was… I knew I could pay the bills for a while, and I did for a while, obviously as a player and then as a teacher. I taught a little while, and then just decided to go back to music. And you and everybody else at the time honestly thought, “You’ve lost your mind.”
Charlie Rymer:
Yeah, we did.
Colt Ford:
And I probably had. Yeah, I know. It was like, “You’re crazy.” And making that change in the middle of your life with kids and stuff on the line, I just could never turn it off. Here I am with seven albums and almost 15 years later I got real lucky, and we’re still playing music and you and I are still talking about golf and giving each other a lot of grief, so that’s great.
Charlie Rymer:
That’s a good idea. Yeah, that’s a good idea. My all-time favorite Colt Ford song, you know, is “Chicken and Biscuits.” And what was the song that let you know that you got a chance in music?
Colt Ford:
I’ve spent a lot of time in music chasing other fads, if that makes sense. And so I chased a lot of things. Then when I tried to be really honest with myself, “Ride Through the Country,” I wrote that record and recorded it in about a week or so. I remember even playing some stuff for you at my dad’s little old used car lot. At first you thought I was nuts. Then you were like, “Wow, okay. Maybe you may have something here.”
Charlie Rymer:
That was “Dirt Road Anthem.” Yeah. Yeah.
Colt Ford:
Yeah, that was “Dirt Road Anthem,” and I-
Charlie Rymer:
How many downloads? 40 million?
Colt Ford:
It’s a platinum single. It’s almost a diamond, which is over 10 million sold so there’s more downloads, but it’s over 10 million sold. I’ve been lucky, and it’s worked. Here I am, seven albums, getting ready to put out eighth album. Yeah.
Charlie Rymer:
Let’s switch gears a little bit, and we can’t wait for more music, by the way, but let’s switch gears a bit.
Colt Ford:
It’s coming.
Charlie Rymer:
You’re now playing in some PGA Tour Champions events, and you’re not playing as a celebrity, you’re playing as a professional. You’re not playing the Pro Am, you’re playing in the tournaments themselves. What has that experience been like?
Colt Ford:
Having chased that dream for so long in my life and had some success and won some tournaments and then to go a different direction but still have golf be part of my life and to come back around now and get these opportunities to play in a few Champions events with guys, some of them I’ve grown up playing with my whole life, which is fun and some of them legends that I’ve never gotten to spend a lot of time with. I mean, to go out and compete and play with guys that are the best in the world, that have been the best in the world, that are Hall of Famers… And Ernie Els and Fred Couples walking around here and Colin Montgomerie and just guys that have won Majors. Now Phil’s out playing some, and him and I are still friends. Jim Furyk, who I grew up with, like you, still buddies. He’s out here. It’s just unbelievably humbling. The tour’s been really good to me. I hope I get to play some more, but I think I played a lot better than the majority of people thought I would.
Charlie Rymer:
Well, Colt, it’s fun to see you, as you say, out doing your thing, which is-
Colt Ford:
That’s it.
Charlie Rymer:
… making music, making people smile, and playing some great golf. We appreciate you joining us right here on the Charlie Rymer Podcast. Buddy, I can’t wait to see you again soon.
Colt Ford:
I appreciate you continuing to entertain the world with your jokes and laughter and quick wit and golf, and I love you, brother. I’m proud of you, and I’m proud to be on this show with you.
Charlie Rymer:
Love you too, buddy. See you down the road. Keep having fun.
Colt Ford:
Take care, pal.
Charlie Rymer:
Colt Ford, ladies and gentlemen, he is the best!