Jason Aldean gives off a very in-your-face vibe at his high-energy live shows, but in a new interview, his friend Colt Ford shares a surprising fact that fans don’t know about the country superstar.

Talking to FOX News Digital, the pioneering country rapper says that despite his somewhat brash and outspoken public persona, Aldean is actually rather quiet in person — especially at first.

“Hell, Jason Aldean’s shy,” Ford states. “I mean, he’s a great guy, but he’s shy if he doesn’t know you, and people don’t understand that because they just see the stage side, you know.”

Aldean isn’t the only country star who’s different in person, Ford adds. He calls Toby Keith “larger than life,” but says he was still “just a regular guy.”

“People get confused with the whole artist thing,” Ford observes. “These artists … they’re just regular dudes, too.”

Ford has been out making the media rounds since returning to the spotlight after a devastating heart attack in April of 2024 that nearly took his life. The cardiac event was so serious, in fact, that Ford flatlined twice on the way to the hospital.

In addition to his heart attack, he’s battled eye cancer and an autoimmune condition called Myasthenia Gravis in recent years. He’d already been actively losing weight before his heart attack, but the health crisis has made Ford get much more serious about getting into better shape.

Ford recently resumed his musical career, releasing a new single titled “Hell Out of It” with Michael Ray. He kicked off a 2025 tour in Bloomington, Ill., on March 13, with shows scheduled out intermittently through October.