Stud Ford Returns to the North Mississippi Hill Country Picnic as Campground Stage Headliner Friday, June 27, 2025 at 3 pm

by Davis Coen

One of many awaited returns to the North Mississippi Hill Country Picnic this year is Stud Ford, who will close out Friday’s live music at the Campground Stage, starting at 3 pm along with Will Coppage.

Even though Stud has been on the Main Stage in the past, mostly as a drummer with grandfather T-Model Ford and others, he will have a different role in 2025 as the Campground headliner for Friday, since relocating to Colorado and shifting focus to guitar.

“I’m looking forward to it,” he said. “I’m going to tear it down.”

Stud Ford shares a unique journey through his music and is deep rooted in the Delta and Hill Country traditions. Growing up in Greenville, Mississippi, he was introduced to a life of music at an early age by his grandfather and quickly found comfort and identity on stage through percussion.

Stud is deeply influenced by T-Model and artists like R.L. Burnside, Junior Kimbrough, and Cedric Burnside—who also played drums with his legendary grandfather.

He cut his teeth playing with blues notables such as Robert Belfour, Jimmy Duck Holmes, Kenny Brown, Lightnin’ Malcolm, and Duwayne Burnside.

He recalled his first time on the Picnic stage at the original site in Potts Camp, Mississippi, as a child hitting a stick against a ride cymbal along with the great Paul Wine Jones, who told him to hit a tom, but young Stud was confused about exactly what piece to hit.

As a teenager he got inspired by watching some of the successful new generation of musicians in action, like Luther and Cody Dickinson of the North Mississippi Allstars, and was also able to go on a tour with them.

“Last time I saw those guys, I was about 15 years old. I remember just asking them questions about everything,” he said with a laugh.

But I’ve grown as an artist, and I’m eager to show my peers and colleagues,” said Stud. “And of course, now I have way more stories to tell.”

It will also be the first time for Coppage on the Picnic lineup, as the duo continues their Mississippi Shake Tour, promoting their debut EP Ain’t No Love. Stud’s experience with the Allstars along with his deep blues heritage have made his collaboration with Coppage a fresh, energetic sound.

Also from Greenville, Coppage knows Stud from the past but they weren’t reintroduced until recently by a mutual friend; they then began blending their diverse backgrounds into one unique sound.

He describes their style as a mix of traditional blues, hip hop, rock, jam band, and singer-songwriter influences, although he’s reluctant to use the word blues and stresses that music should transcend labels.

“Blues is just life,” he said.

Besides the title track, “Ain’t No Love,” Stud called the track “Shake” another highlight of the EP, and also of the duo’s live set.

“It’s going to be very interesting, being back,” he said. “I’m just ready to show them what I got. I hope they’re proud of me.”

Although it’s been a while, Stud is ready to embrace the spirit of the Picnic. “It’s just a sacred place. You can feel the blues and the soul.”