“Dirt Road Anthem” was written by Colt Ford and Brantley Gilbert, both of whom also recorded their own versions before Jason Aldean made it a hit.

Quick Scoop: Who wrote “Dirt Road Anthem”?

  • The songwriters are Colt Ford and Brantley Gilbert.
  • Both artists are American country performers who were emerging on the country/“country rap” scene when they wrote it.
  • Jason Aldean did not write the song; he recorded the most commercially successful version for his album My Kinda Party.

A bit of backstory

  • Colt Ford and Brantley Gilbert first wrote “Dirt Road Anthem” together at Gilbert’s place in Athens, Georgia, drawing heavily on their own small‑town upbringings.
  • Ford has said they wrote it very quickly (under an hour) because they were basically just writing about their real lives and memories.
  • Ford originally released it on his 2008 album Ride Through the Country , with Gilbert on the chorus, and Gilbert later revisited it on his 2010 album Halfway to Heaven.
  • Jason Aldean’s 2010 cover turned it into a mainstream country hit and helped popularize the country‑rap blend on country radio.

Fast facts (for search/SEO)

  • Main answer to “who wrote dirt road anthem”: Colt Ford & Brantley Gilbert.
  • Style: mid‑tempo country rap, focused on country pride, southern values, and nostalgic back‑road memories.
  • Trending/legacy angle: The song is often cited as one of the key early examples of modern “country rap” crossing into the country charts, and Aldean’s version still gets recurrent play well over a decade later.

TL;DR: “Dirt Road Anthem” was written by Colt Ford and Brantley Gilbert; Jason Aldean made it famous with his hit cover, but he wasn’t the writer.

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