Country Star Colt Ford Wants to Return to the Stage After Heart Attack, Is a ‘Trouper’: Sources

Country star Colt Ford had a heart attack that laid him low just minutes after finishing a concert for his devoted fans in Arizona.

Ford — who wrote Jason Aldean's Top 10 hit "Dirt Road Anthem" and sang duets with the likes of Willie Nelson and the late Toby Keith — was in critical condition in the days following his April 4 coronary, a medical crisis that once again tests his fighting spirit.

Now sources exclusively tell Closer he's bravely battling back and vowing to return to the stage.

The 54-year-old "Country Thang" singer has a tough road ahead after struggling with health issues for years. In 2021, he successfully battled eye cancer — but faced an even bigger challenge a year later with the diagnosis of myasthenia gravis, an incurable autoimmune disease that attacks the eyes, face and throat.

"Colt is a trouper — he's kept on playing shows but has to sleep 17 hours a day," says a friend. "Other performers would have retired with what he's been facing, but he's only pushed harder — and you fear that's what led to his heart attack!"