Colton Ford

Growing up in Mission Viejo California, Ford listened to mix of R&B (Rufus and Chaka Khan, Marvin Gaye, Teddy Pendergrass, the Commodores, Anita Baker, Sarah Vaughn, Smokey Robinson, Al Green) pop (Olivia Newton- John, Cyndi Lauper, Tom Tom Club, Thompson Twins) and rock (Boston, the Police, Pat Benatar, Fleetwood Mac). He also managed to find time for Manhattan Transfer. Ford's fondness for words and melodies and singing paved the way to a young Ford participating in dinner theater revues while still in college. A short stint with Jon St. James' production company (responsible for pop-dance hits by Stacy Q and others) in the mid-'80s provided Ford with the necessary tools to take a giant step forward. By the late-'80s, Ford had signed a production deal with the company co-owned by hit-making songwriter Denise Rich. In the early-'90s, Ford was confirmed to be the featured male vocalist on Frankie Knuckles' second studio album, 1995's "Welcome to the Real World." In the end, conflicts at the label (Virgin Records) prevented this from happening, and female singer Adeva became the album's featured singer. Virgin then offered Ford a solo album deal. Unfortunately, this album never saw the light of day.
Through the twists and turns—and ups and downs—of his recording career, Ford never stopped writing songs. In 2002, filming began for the documentary "Naked Fame," which followed Ford's transition from porn star to singer. Ford's dance track, "Everything," anchored the film, offering viewers the ins and outs of a one-time porn star making the jump—or in Ford's case, returning—to the world of music. Ford's single with Pepper MaShay, "Signed, Sealed, Delivered," also became a Billboard Top 10 hit.
Ford's non-X rated acting skills also made their way to TV. Playing the role of Sheriff Trout, Ford appears in all three seasons of here! TV's on-going campy gay vampire show, "The Lair." Ford has also had cameos in the films "Another Gay Sequel" and Madonna and Rupert Everett's "The Next Big Thing." And in addition to his own numerous music videos, Ford starred in the video of Cyndi Lauper's "Into the Nightlife" also performing on select dates of the Lauper-helmed True Colors 2008 Tour.
Now, with two full length albums (2008's "Tug Of War" and 2009's "Under the Covers") complete, several hit songs and thousands of devoted fans around the globe; for those who remain unable to get beyond Ford's porn star past to focus on his singing present Ford has a few words: "I can't control how people feel about me, my past and my music. I have always sung and created music, so I just continue to do what I've always done. My main concern is to make music that I feel and that I'm proud of. The rest is out of my control. I know that there are some people who aren't going to be able to see beyond my porn persona, and that's ok." Pausing for a moment, he adds, "I feel, however, that there are far more people out there who are interested in hearing what I can do musically, and are able to look beyond that part of my past. Those are the people I'm looking to reach. I'm doing what I love to do, so at the end of the day, I can say I'm following my heart and living my dream. Isn't that what we all want for ourselves?"