Athens native Colt Ford in ICU after heart attack following performance in Arizona

Athens native Colt Ford suffered a medical emergency after a performance Thursday.

Ford, 53, performed at Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row on Thursday evening in Gilbert, Arizona. After the show, he suffered a heart attack and is now in the Intensive Care Unit at the Banner Desert Medical Center in Mesa, Arizona, according to a release from Average Joes Entertainment.

Ford, best known for co-writing and singing "Dirt Road Anthem," later re-recorded by Jason Aldean, was nominated for an ACM Award in 2011. Ford was also a professional golfer.

Average Joes Entertainment, co-founded by Colt Ford, also previously represented northeast Georgia natives Brantley Gilbert and Corey Smith, as well a Bubba Sparxxx, who lived in Athens briefly.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Colt Ford, country singer and Athens, Ga. native, suffers heart attack