Colton Ford

Glenn Soukesian (October 12, 1962 – May 19, 2025), known professionally as Colton Ford, was an American singer and pornographic film actor. Ford began his adult film career at age 39, making twelve pornographic videos in ten months before leaving the industry in 2002 to refocus on his music career. Ford became very popular during his brief time in the adult film industry, receiving attention for his muscular physique and winning several awards, including the Grabby Award for Best Group Sex Scene in Conquered and the GayVN Award for Gay Performer of the Year in 2003.

After retiring from the adult film industry, Ford released five studio albums featuring a mix of R&B and dance music elements; he received the most attention for his dance music and related covers. Two of his songs charted on Billboards Dance Club Songs: the cover "Signed, Sealed Delivered" (2004), released in collaboration with Pepper MaShay, and "Let Me Live Again" (2011). Ford embraced his sexual image, often incorporating homoerotic elements in his music videos. Beyond the adult film industry, Ford also featured in the 2005 documentary Naked Fame, which chronicled his transition into mainstream entertainment, and appeared as Sheriff Trout in the gay-themed TV series The Lair (2007–2009). Ford died in 2025 at the age of 62 due to an accidental drug overdose while hiking near his home in Palm Springs.

Early life Ford was born Glenn Soukesian He was of Armenian descent through his father's side, and also had Italian, Swedish, French, and English ancestry. Ford grew up in a conservative community in Mission Viejo. also spent two years moonlighting as a nude model. At the age of 39, he ventured into the adult film industry while dating pornographic film actor Blake Harper. When Harper's scene partner could not travel from New York City to Palm Springs due to the effects of September 11 attacks, Harper asked Ford if he would step in. The surname "Ford" was adopted on the advice of Chi Chi Larue, who suggested a name as strong as a car brand. and made twelve pornographic videos within a 10-month period before retiring the following year. He and Harper also briefly worked as webcam models. Ford's videos made him very popular with audiences, with commentators stating he was "built for porn superstardom", and "took the gay porn world by storm". He asserted that his foray into the adult film industry was nothing to be ashamed of and offered him both a larger audience and unique advantages. In December 2010, Ford was featured on the cover of Attitude magazine's Sex Issue, one of eleven prominent male porn stars to pose for it. In 2021, at 58 years of age, Ford launched an OnlyFans page. By 1990, he signed with Mighty Productions, leading to a collaboration with American DJ Frankie Knuckles. Although Ford was slated to be featured on Knuckles' 1995 album, Welcome to the Real World, the plans were scrapped and Adeva ultimately took his role on the project. Following this, Ford collaborated with singer-songwriter Pepper MaShay on "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" (2004), a house-influenced cover of Stevie Wonder's 1970 single. The single reached number 9 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart in April 2004 and number 25 on the Hot Dance Singles Sales chart the following month.

Ford signed with Outsider Music and released his debut album, Tug of War (2008), featuring house, pop, and R&B influences. The tracks were written and composed by Ford and record producer Quentin Harris. Billboard called the album "a steel-solid second act", while Metro Weekly offered more mixed reviews but stated that "Ford’s voice is actually better than, or at least as good as, many of today’s pop stars". His second studio album, Under the Covers (2009), featured dance covers of songs from a variety of genres. Daniel Villarreal of Queerty and the writers of Dallas Voice dismissed the generic and dated production on Under the Covers.

Released in June 2013, Ford's third album, The Way I Am, incorporated a blend of dance, electronica, and R&B. He collaborated with producers such as Chris Willis and NERVO on the album, which Lopez and Raj Rudolph of EQ Music viewed as an improvement over Ford's previous releases. The album's uptempo lead single, "Let Me Live Again", reached number 41 on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart. Ford subsequently released his EP Next Chapter in 2015. That same year, he released Glenn Soukesian, an R&B and soul album he considered a personal project. Later, Ford's shift from adult film back to music was chronicled in Christopher Long's 2005 film, Naked Fame. The film was screened at various festivals in 2004 followed by a limited theatrical run in 2005. Ford appeared in a cameo role as Butch Hunk, an escort hired for a threesome, in Another Gay Sequel: Gays Gone Wild! (2008).

From 2007 to 2009, Ford featured on the vampire series The Lair, where he played the closeted Sheriff Trout. Fred Olen Ray, the show's creator, intentionally wrote the role to be nonsexual. Sheriff Trout's role was expanded in the second season, with Ford also portraying the character in the series' third and final season in 2009. In 2011, Ford debuted off-Broadway in Little House on the Ferry, a musical centered on a gay love story at the Fire Island summer resort. A year later, Ford participated in the New York production of Match Game Live, a staged version of the popular TV game show. In 2014, Ford starred as a gay partner in the Los Angeles production of Harrison David Rivers' And All The Dead, Lie Down.

Artistry and public image Ford during the video shoot for his single "That's Me" in October 2007. He was known to incorporate homoerotic elements in his music videos. Ford is considered one of the most popular gay pornographic stars of the early 2000s. with Lopez stating that "Ford is to gay porn muscle-daddies what Meryl Streep is to mainstream movie actresses". Cybersocket stated that he "made an indelible imprint in the industry" with his masculine image. Pink TV declared him one of the world's most famous American gay personalities.

Coverage of Ford's subsequent music career frequently mentioned the fame earned from his time in the adult film industry. As a musician, he was most well-known for his dance music, a genre he favored for its resonance with the gay community and being welcoming for artists outside major labels. Several journalists wrote positively of Ford's voice in their reviews, including Doug Rule of Metro Weekly and J. Poet of Gay.com.

A self-proclaimed exhibitionist, The black and white video for "Let Me Live Again" drew inspiration from Tom of Finland's artwork, and "Stay". Ford started dating Blake Harper in 2001, Ford stated that despite public perceptions of pornographic actors, he and Harper were "two down-to-earth, genuine guys who are just trying to figure life out". while Harper returned to Canada. In August 2024, Ford dated his Aftershock: Part 2 co-star, Matthew Rush.

On May 18, 2025, Ford was last seen before embarking on a hike on the Goat Trails in Palm Springs, California. The following day, May 19, Palm Springs police received a report of a missing hiker. The coroner's office ruled out foul play, but no information on the possible cause of death was made available. including LaRue, Steele, and Matthew Rettenmund. In September, it was announced that he died of an accidental drug overdose caused by MDMA intoxication.

Filmography Pornographic Title Year Studio Directors Conquered 2001 All Worlds Video PornStruck 2 Aftershock: Part 1 2002 Mustang Aftershock: Part 2 Head Games Bearing Leather All Worlds Video Bringing Out Brother Colton All Worlds Video Closed Set: The New Crew MSR Videos Prowl 3: Genuine Leather 2003 Gang Bang Café Men of Odyssey Still Untamed All Worlds Video Dallas Steele and Colton Ford: Two Porn Legends Together 2023 RawFuckClub

Non-pornographic Year Title Role Notes 2000 The Next Best Thing Glen Feature film 2007–2009 The Lair Sheriff Trout TV series, 28 episodes

Discography

Albums + List of studio albums Title Album details Tug of War Released: February 19, 2007 Label: Outsider Music Formats: Digital download, CD Under the Covers Released: September 1, 2009 Label: Peace Bisquit Formats: Digital download, CD The Way I Am Released: June 18, 2013 Label: Independent Formats: Digital download, streaming, CD Glenn Soukesian Released: March 30, 2016 Label: Independent Formats: Digital download, streaming Permission Released: June 6, 2023 Label: Independent Formats: Digital download, streaming

Extended plays + List of extended plays Title Album detailsNext Chapter Released: December 4, 2014 Label: Independent Formats: Digital download, streaming Let Me Live Again / The Music Always Gets You Back Released: November 11, 2011 Labels: Peace Bisquit / Woop Woop Formats: Digital download, streaming Unity Released: November 21, 2020 Labels: Independent Formats: Digital download, streaming

Singles + List of singles, showing chart positions and selected albums Title Year Peak chart positions Album USDance (featuring Pepper MaShay) 2004 9 25 "The Way You Love Me" 2007–– Tug of War "Tug of War (My Heart Won't Let Go)" 2008– "That's Me" (featuring Cazwell)–– "Trouble" 2009––Under the Covers "Losing My Religion" –– "Let Me Live Again" 2011 41– "Look My Way" 2014–– The Way I Am "Will I Ever Be" 2017–– "Stronger" 2022–– "Handle It" 2023–– Permission

Theatre 2012: Little House on the Ferry

Grabby Award for Best Group Sex Scene (Shared with Nino Bacci, Blake Harper, Billy Herrington, and Jay Ross.)

Grabby Awards for Best Performer Mr. All Worlds Bear