Country music fans in Montgomery County have supported Cody Johnson and Parker McCollum for years. After all, this is where their winding roads to fame began.
Cody Johnson went to school just up the way in Groveton, where he learned to rodeo and play music. Parker McCullum graduated from The Woodlands College Park High School and played his guitar for locals long before heading out to Austin to pursue his musical career. Now they are both Country Music Television (CMT) award winners.
Upon winning his first-ever CMT Award for Breakthrough Video of the Year, Parker McCullum said, “I try to write real country songs from the heart that mean something, and I appreciate it being recognized.” His fan-favorite “To Be Loved by You” earned him the coveted trophy to announce his arrival on the national country music stage as well as earning him the prestigious title of "New Male Artist of the Year" by ACM .
After pumping up the crowd on the streets of Nashville with a rousing live performance, Cody Johnson took to the CMT stage twice more to accept his awards. The first was in the Digital-First Performance of the Year category for his rendition of “Dear Rodeo” during the CMT Campfire Sessions. The second statue was for the prestigious Male Video of the Year. His first chart-topping Billboard single, “Til You Can’t,” scored him the second accolade.
“I honestly didn’t expect this to be as big of a victory as it was until you really start thinking about it,” Johnson said after leaving the stage. CoJo, as Johnson is known, has two distinct fan bases, the ones who have been with him from the beginning as an independent artist and the new fans he has gained since signing a record deal with Warner Music Nashville. “We have an opportunity right now to get all those fans together and to vote on one thing – they did tonight. I am so honored. I was very taken back.”
McCullum and Johnson are both amid serious glow-ups. McCullum headlined a sold-out performance at The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in October of 2021, setting a record for the most paid tickets for a country artist in The Pavilion’s 31-year history. It also marked a triumphant return to the stage he walked across to receive his high school diploma. A new announcement just revealed he’ll be back for an encore performance on Oct 22, 2022.
Meanwhile, both our favorites , Johnson and Parker made history earlier this year by becoming part of the small prestigious group to sell out at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Not to mention, Cody, one of three musician's to sell out opening night. He is in the same company as Garth Brooks (2018) and George Strait (2017), the last hitmakers to kick off the legendary event to a sold-out crowd.
“This means the brand of country music I’ve been working on for 15 years is starting to work,” says Johnson.
Despite their recent successes, Johnson and McCullum are not stories of overnight success. Neither has forgotten that there is a whole lot of Texas dust on their boots from the roads that originate here and lead to the national stage they now command.
Both of these wonderfully talented guys are actively touring. Get their tour dates at www.parkermccollum.com and www.codyjohnsonmusic.com.
