Former Gay Porn Actor, Singer Colton Ford: Not Just a Pretty Voice

Colton Ford may have spent ten months in the adult film industry, but he has been performing music for decades.

The singer and sometimes actor-"The Lair" and "Another Gay Movie"-has a new CD coming out entitled "The Way I Am." It's a strong mix of music with songs ranging in style from electronica and house to pop and jazz. (Fun Fact: Ford was once in a Jazz Quartet called "High Society").

Meeting in a Starbucks in New York City, Ford is impressive in person. A big, beefy guy who is sporting some gray, he is muscular and masculine but lisps for effect at various times during the interview. What Ford projects-other than some pretty serious sex appeal-is confidence and pride. Maybe that is why he called his CD "The Way I Am." The CD is a reflection of who he is.

Given how arresting Ford's body is his instrument-talking about his voice, of course-is not what folks might expect. It breaks out high and croons before the bass line kicks in on the first track, "First in Line." The album's single, "Let Me Live Again," is a catchy tune that lets Ford show his vocal range, and the title track, "Just the Way I Am," features the singer performing in a deeper register. Two of the album's best songs are "Alone," which has a jazzy vibe to it, and "Realize (Our Love Is Hear to Stay)," an upbeat delight.

While the album was supposed to come out a year ago, that long road is nothing compared to the trials and tribulations the singer has endured in the music industry. Back in the early 90s, Ford was looking for his big break. He was paired up with Frankie Knuckles at Virgin Records. However, midway through making the album, someone at Virgin wanted a diva, and Ford-who is no diva-was replaced. He recalled wistfully, "We were talking about a tour, and doing a duet for the album... I was living the fantasy of what I had dreamed about... Two days after I was replaced, I was temping at a bank."

Other deals with Virgin plus one at another record company also fell through. Such devastating setbacks only make Ford's successes that much sweeter. He acknowledged, "Artists are survivors, otherwise you go mad," and explained that finding happiness in the entertainment industry is hard, but gratifying. "When you're artistically and creatively satisfied, and doing it in a way that is marketable, you can make an impact. That's another balance that artists have to figure out."

The singer not only survived, he thrived. After his porn career, he met Michael Alago, who had been at Geffen and Electra records. "He saw me and believed in me and brought me into Outsider Music, and did the 'Tug of War' album." Ford recalled. "We had a Top 10 single on Billboard with 'Signed, Sealed, Delivered.'"

Next, Bill Coleman came in and eventually became Ford's manager.

"He started pulling me in to background sessions with Nervo and Ultra Nat�, and we hit it off," the singer admitted. "We did a song, and then WAWA had done some remixes, so I got a track from them, and started writing with them, and Razor + Guido...."

Ford mentioned the names of these collaborators with justifiable pride. All of these musicians appear on "The Way I Am," and contribute to the CD's energetic groove. It's the perfect album to play on the way to the beach, in a nightclub, at home, or at the gym.

And for Ford, that makes it all worthwhile.