Ford surpasses 250,000 in album sales
Ford’s sophomore studio album, Chicken and Biscuits, resides in Top 15 Billboard Country Albums chart for fourth consecutive week
NASHVILLE, TN (May 19, 2010) – In 2008, Average Joes Entertainment Group launched with flagship artist Colt Ford, and today, nearly two years later, the label has surpassed 500,000 in digital single sales and 253,969 albums sold on Ford according to Nielsen SoundScan.
“When we first began marketing Colt Ford, 99 percent our industry peers said it was impossible,” says Shannon Houchins, CEO of Average Joes Entertainment. “It’s just an uphill battle that I got to keep fighting,” Ford echoes, acknowledging his underdog status to Billboard’s Tom Roland. “I’m sure the people who didn’t get it, they figured the first record we got lucky. But I feel like I followed it up with a record that’s as good or better.”
Critics certainly agree with New York Times’ Jon Caramanica touting, “The heartland themes here [on Chicken and Biscuits] will be familiar to those who follow Nashville, and the crossover gestures (and sometimes clunky cadences) familiar to anyone who’s listened to Kid Rock.” Caramanica went on to point out, “Mr. Ford is best when he brings hip-hop’s keen eye for class struggle to country… there’s at least one good ol’ boy with an ear for 2 Live Crew.” The Village Voice’s Chuck Eddy referred to Ford as a “Renaissance Man” and Country Weekly attributes his “guttural voice and well-rendered rhymes” to his all-ages, passionate fan following.
It’s hard to ignore other important numbers when referring to Colt Ford. For instance, 17,711,286, the number of plays he has received on MySpace; 3,549,134, the number of MySpace profile views; 672,254, the Nielsen Audience Ford has reached with media appearances in support of Chicken and Biscuits; 529,002, total number of streams Ford has received through outlets like Rhapsody; 167,000, total copies of Ride Through The Country Ford has sold; 59,799, the number of Facebook fans he communicates with daily; 38,292, total copies of Chicken and Biscuits Ford has sold since April 20, 2010; 28,252, total copies of WalMart exclusive DVD/EPCountry Is As Country Does Ford has sold; 19,925, total copies of Live From Suwannee River Jam album memento's Ford has sold; or 250, the number of live shows he will perform in 2010.
“I am just thankful to all my fans because without them, none of these numbers would be possible,” Ford adds. “Ain't America a great place where a boy like me still has a chance to make music and do this for a living?”
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