‘Declaration Of Independence’ Colt Ford

Colt Ford’s new album proves that his breakthrough success doesn’t mean he’ll start playing by contemporary country music’s rules. The title not only emphasizes that he records for an independent label, it underscores he has the freedom to speak his mind in ways many corporate-groomed country stars are too cautious to do.

Ford isn’t the first to blend country with rap and hard rock, a reflection of what can be found on the iPods of young, rural Americans these days. But Ford flaunts this style more seamlessly and more entertainingly than others.

Ford not only illustrates that country music can continue to draw on other contemporary musical styles, he also shows that modern-era rednecks can mix with the rest of the world, too.