Cody Johnson longs to be instrumental in country music's future, a goal he is well on his way to achieving, but that's a million miles from where he started. Cody began playing music in small town honky tonks across Texas, including a few right here in Montgomery County. Now that he is topping the charts, winning awards, and performing worldwide, he hopes others will recognize the roads he has traveled to achieve such heights.
This year alone, the Multi-Platinum Artist received seven nominations for the 60th Academy of Country Music Awards, including Entertainer of the Year, Male Artist of the Year, and both Song and Single of the Year. He has also earned 44 Gold and Platinum Certifications, 9 billion Global Streams, and four #1 Singles, all achieved on his terms by prioritizing meaningful storytelling in his music.
Johnson is currently touring to promote his Leather Deluxe Edition album, his ninth studio album and third major-label release with COJO Music/Warner Music Nashville. Yet, despite his fame, this country music cowboy strives to remain the relatable neighbor from down the road in Huntsville, while spreading his brand of authentic country music worldwide.
The Honky Tonk Circuit
Success in music like honky tonks is hard won and can be fleeting, but unlike most of the venues where Johnson first played in our area, he is not only still standing but has danced passed even his initial expectations.
"When I first started playing music, it was really acoustic nights around Huntsville, Texas, playing at Humpery's - [Them saying] we'll give you 100 bucks and a bar tab, you need to play for four hours - I was like yes, I've made it!" laughs the artist who grew up listening to Merle Haggard.
"One of my first gigs moving down to Montgomery County, I think, was in New Waverly at Borski's [Tavern], God rest its soul, they tore it down - I should have bought that little honky tonk," reminiscences Johnson. "Then we would play on Lake Conroe at Grampy Larry's. I don't even know if that's still there." In truth, there is a Shell gas station where it once stood and the parking lot of what, until recently, was GuadalaHARRY's Bar and Grill.
"Then we'd play County Line BBQ and then all the way down to Spring, Texas, to Big Texas North when it was still around, then we'd run over to College Station and play Big Willies and Texas Hall of Fame and Hurricane Harry's - Basically the name of the game was play as much as you can." says the musician who recognized that change was on the horizon for the music industry.
Johnson famously remained independent longer than most artists dare, passing on initial record deals for an entire decade so that he would have a more significant say in his own fate. On his own, Johnson gained traction through talent and tireless effort. He established well-worn trails across the state to perform, recorded independent records, and started getting play on Texas Radio. Then, he took the same approach and applied it to the entire country, having his band drive a van cross-country to play 250 shows a year before ever accepting the backing of a record label.
Building COJO Music
Initially, Cody's support came from family, friends, and a feverish fan base, the COJO Nation. "Especially starting out with my very first independent album, you're talking about the same core group of 200 to 500 people who'd travel around, you got kind of familiar with the people you were playing for," says Johnson. "Those people feel like they have ownership." This deep connection with his fans has been a driving force in Johnson's career.
Protective of fan investment and their belief that his music was something the rest of the world didn't have, or at least had lost, Johnson wasn't willing to give it up for a run-of-the-mill record deal. He wanted control. In Johnson's world, authenticity, like being a cowboy, is something you can't fake; either you live the life or you don't. It's in your DNA, and it shows in your craft. The emotional truth fans heard in songs like 'Dear Rodeo' would not be there if he had not lived it. He says, "You can tell when you sit in your car if a song is manufactured or real." Cody is all about being real.
Johnson firmly believes that artists should be allowed to be themselves, not repackaged by labels to capitalize on a watered-down, broader appeal. He stayed independent because he didn't want his sound, style, or values compromised. This unwavering commitment to his authenticity has resonated with his fans and set him apart in the music industry.
The following year, Johnson returned to the Rodeo, this time for opening night. Over 74-thousand people came for the show, making him the first unsigned artist in history to sell out NRG Stadium. Only Garth Brooks and George Strait had ever done it before.
Between his success and the advent of music streaming, Cody's moment finally arrived. He went to Nashville and signed a groundbreaking record deal. The agreement signing Cody Johnson to COJO Music/Warner Music Nashville occurred in June 2018. The deal meant Johnson was now part of one of country music's most prominent label groups. However, he retained creative control under his long-standing, completely independent, and personally owned record label, COJO Music.
This agreement opened the gates for other artists to follow. No longer must they get pushed around in LA and Nashville by the business side of music, signing over all rights to their music for a chance to be heard. Johnson's success and his ability to retain creative control under his long-standing, independently owned, and personally managed record label, COJO Music, set a new standard in the industry.
"[To] have people see that nothing changed - holy cow, he's still the same; he didn't change his look; he didn't change his sound," Johnson told CCL while out on tour. "Then you get new fans that want to be a part of this thing called COJO Nation, cause we are changing Country Music now! It went from little bars in Texas to literally the entire world; my last interview was a guy sitting in Spain talking about Ireland and Scotland."
Johnson has just returned from the leg of the tour that visited England, Ireland, Scotland, New Zealand, and Australia. The sell-out crowds knew the lyrics to every song and bought up all the merchandise. "That's the power of Country Radio; that's one of the reasons why I held out for so long. I wasn't going to sacrifice who I am on the radio. If I maintain my authenticity, then when I get to that, even though I had to wait longer, it will be well worth it," says the CMA-nominated Artist of the Year.
Finding Balance
Johnson's career initially required him to sacrifice everything. At points, he says he became so worn down that he didn't know who he was. He starved and bled for his career out of love and desire, but ultimately, he learned balance.
"My favorite thing in the world is to go on stage and captivate people. And some nights, it's not easy. Some nights, I call it manufactured adrenaline. The crowd has a weird vibe. They're participating and there's 18-thousand people, its sold out, but there's not that electricity, so I've got to work double to get them in the palm of my hand and those nights are tougher than when other nights, when I could go out there and sing the ABC's and they'd go crazy. Each night is different, but you're right; I love going out and entertaining people."
Expending that kind of energy on stage every night doesn't always leave much for home, but as with most things, with time and experience comes temperance. Married with two daughters, Johnson finds refuge at home on his ranch, near family. He says balance is something you choose, but achieving it still takes effort.
"I'm very balanced. I'll be at home Monday through Thursday most of the time. Yesterday, I was out working on the ranch with my family, bottle-feeding calves and tagging calves. This morning, I got on a jet and flew to Buffalo, New York, and turned that guy off and turned on Cody Johnson. Ya know, it is what it is."
Resurgence of Authenticity
Johnson believes country music is experiencing a resurgence of authenticity, where it's cool again to be country, and that suits him just fine. Yet he'll stay the course even if the latest fade passes like Urban Cowboy.
To him, the heart of an authentic country song is a well-written story. He says it doesn't matter if it's a fun, tongue-in-cheek drinking song like 'Beer Never Broke My Heart' by Luke Combs or something more serious; if it echoes real-life sentiments, you're on your way to having something special.
"When you hear songs about 'Til You Can't,' that's a part of who I am," says Johnson. "I think that country songs should make you laugh, they should make you cry, they should make you pissed off, they should make you sad, they should make you want to go wave and American flag around. Make you want to hug your kids and reevaluate your life, all those things."
He brought his commitment to being authentically country to his shows overseas. "This is what we stand for, and this is the kind of music you're going to get, and they eat that up, and they are so thankful." Johnson says, "They have such a hunger for Country Music."
Now, back in the States, Johnson is amplifying his messages. Growing up in Texas, he enjoyed singing about his home state, but he feels that some talented artists were sidelined by this scenario in the past, often referred to as "Texas Guys." Cody didn't want that to happen to him, so for a while, as he knocked on the door to success, he stopped playing songs about his home state. Now that he is hosting the party, that sentiment has changed. With the resurgence of traditional country music and his rising popularity, Texas is back, too.
"Tonight when I open up the show in New York, I'm going to sing a song called 'That's Texas,'" says Johnson, enjoying his success. "Now the tables are turned, and I get to say, by God, I'm from Texas. In the beginning, it pigeonholeed my career, and now I'm going to Belfast, Ireland, and say'n I'm from Texas!"
Cody is at the top of his career and shows no signs of stopping. Still, when it does wane, he says it would make him proud to think that his sacrifices helped open the door to an open-mindedness in the industry that allows artists to be more creative.
"I think about me being old and gray and still putting out country music and still going to play shows and people still relating to it," muses Johnson. "Having that longevity, of someday when I'm gone to have someone say Cody Johnson changed country music for the better, country music wouldn't be what it is today if he hadn't done what he did. To me, that is more important than a platinum record, or a number one, or a sell-out show."
Due to demand, dates for the Leather Deluxe Tour continue to be added; however, at the time this article went to press, none of them were within a couple of hundred miles of Houston. Adding fuel to the rumors that Cody Johnson will be closing out the Rodeo next year with a full concert performance at NRG Stadium, but don't take our word for it; visit www.codyjohnsonmusic.com for the latest.
"I'm very balanced," says Johnson. "Yesterday, I was out working on the ranch with my family...This morning, I got on a jet and flew to Buffalo, NY."
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