Cody Johnson
Cody Daniel Johnson (born May 21, 1987)[1] is an American country music singer-songwriter. He has self-released six albums, including Gotta Be Me, which debuted at number two on Billboard's Country Albums chart,[2] before releasing his first major-label album, Ain't Nothin' to It, in January 2019. He released his second major-label album, Human: The Double Album, in October 2021.[3] Johnson's style is classified as contemporary country and neo-traditionalist country, drawing influences from artists like George Strait and Willie Nelson.[4][5] His song Til You Can't won two awards at the Country Music Association Awards in 2022.[6]
Cody Johnson | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Cody Daniel Johnson |
| Born | May 21, 1987 Sebastopol, Texas, U.S. |
| Origin | Huntsville, Texas, U.S. |
| Genres | Country, country rock |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter |
| Years active | 2006–present |
| Labels | CoJo, Warner Nashville |
| Spouse(s) | Brandi Johnson |
| Website | www |
Early life edit
Cody Daniel Johnson, also known as "CoJo," was born in Sebastopol,[4] Texas, and raised there by his parents, Sheila and Carl Johnson. He began playing music at the age of 12.[7] He learned from his father,[8] who performed in their local church. Cody learned to sing and play several instruments there,[8] and he also learned how to read and understand music.[8] He started to play at school and bars, where he discovered that people enjoyed his music.[8] At the same time, he rode bulls professionally at local rodeos and even worked alongside his father within the local prison system.[8] At the age of 19, the prison warden eventually convinced Cody to commit, full time, to his music career.[4]
Career edit
In 2006, he formed the Cody Johnson Band with his dad, Carl, and drummer Nathan Reedy.[9] Together they recorded an album, Black and White Label.[9] In 2006, the band added Matt Rogers on lead guitar, and recorded a live album, Live and Rocking, at Shenanigans and Confetti's Club in Huntsville.[10][11] Following the release of the album, Johnson's father quit the band.[10]
By 2009, Danny Salinas joined the band on bass guitar.[11] Their first professionally produced album, Six Strings One Dream, was released in September 2009,[10][12] and from the album, three singles reached the top 10 of the Texas music charts.[1] Following the album's release, the band added Chris Whitten on fiddle and Jeff Smith on lead guitar.[10] Jody Bartula replaced Whitten on fiddle in 2010.[11][12]
Johnson's next album, A Different Day, produced by Trent Willmon, was released in 2011.[13] He won the 2011 Texas Regional Music Award for New Male Vocalist of the Year,[9][13] and following this, left his day job with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to focus on music full-time.[1] He teamed with Kyle Park in 2012 for the Dancin' and Drinkin' at Johnson Park Tour.[14] Also in 2012, Johnson's band, now composed of Reedy, Smith, Bartula, and bassist Joey Pruski, changed their name to the Rockin' CJB's.[9]
Johnson's fifth album, Cowboy Like Me, was released on January 14, 2014.[15] It was his second album to be produced by Trent Willmon.[15] Selling 8,000 copies in its first week of release, it debuted at number 25 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and number 33 on the Billboard 200.[16] As of 2014, Johnson's band comprised Smith, Bartula, Pruski, and drummer Miles Stone.[17]
The sixth album, Gotta Be Me, was released on August 5, 2016.[18] The album debuted at No. 11 on the Billboard 200,[19] and at No. 2 on the Top Country Albums chart, selling 23,000 copies in the US in its first week.[20] It was Johnson's most successful release to date, achieved without major label support or widespread radio play.[2]
Johnson made Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo history in March 2018 by becoming the first unsigned/independent artist to play to a sold-out crowd.[21]
Johnson's seventh album, Ain't Nothin' to It, was released on January 18, 2019. It includes the single "On My Way to You", which was his first Top 40 hit on Country Airplay. The album and single were both released via Warner Bros. Records Nashville. In 2019, he collaborated with Brooks & Dunn on a new version of their hit song "Red Dirt Road" which appears on their album Reboot.
Johnson's eighth album, Human: The Double Album, was released in October 2021.[3]
Artistry edit
Musical style edit
Cody Johnson’s music is classified as contemporary country, neo-traditionalist country, or Cowboy.[4] Marcus Dowling of CMT has stated that many view Johnson as a leader within the “back to country” movement in the industry.[4] In an interview with Brett Callwood, Johnson has described his music as drawing on multiple genres: “I’m not sure if you’d call me Texas or red dirt or mainstream or outlaw.[5] I just always say that I’m me. I sound like what I sound like, and I’m not trying to be anything that I’m not.”[5]
Influences edit
Johnson is inspired by many artists who are considered to be from the traditional days of country music: George Strait, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Hank Williams, and Loretta Lynn.[22] In an interview with Andy Langer and Texas Monthly in 2019, he has stated that he is inspired by two artists in particular: “The George Strait type of traditional country music is what I like, and that’s what I stand for. But at the same time, Willie Nelson’s unwillingness to waver on who he is means just as much.”[23] Johnson takes inspiration from his country background of bull riding and working within the prison system, which he has said has influenced his songs such as “Guilty as Can Be”.[5] In an interview with Brett Callwood at Westword, Johnson spoke on the influence of previous job experiences: “It (Guilty as Can Be) was a made-up story about a guy who catches his wife cheating, goes to prison and the whole nine yards. I paid homage to my prison years there.”[5] Additionally, his life experiences of almost being in a plane crash influenced “Til You Can’t” and his barroom brawls influenced the song “Billy’s Brother”.[24]
Discography edit
Albums edit
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Sales | Certifications | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country [25] | US [26] | US Indie [27] | AUS [28] | CAN [29] | ||||
| Black and White Label |
| — | — | — | — | — | ||
| Live and Rocking |
| — | — | — | — | — | ||
| Six Strings One Dream |
| — | — | — | — | — | ||
| A Different Day |
| — | — | — | — | — | ||
| Cowboy Like Me |
| 7 | 33 | 7 | — | — | ||
| Gotta Be Me |
| 2 | 11 | 1 | — | — |
| |
| Ain't Nothin' to It |
| 1 | 9 | — | — | — |
| |
| Human: The Double Album |
| 3 | 19 | — | — | — |
| |
| Leather[35] |
| 5 | 18 | — | 88 | 55 | ||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | ||||||||
Singles edit
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Certification | Album | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [36] | US Country [37] | US Country Airplay [38] | CAN [39] | CAN Country [40] | NZ Hot [41] | WW [42] | |||||
| "Dance Her Home" | 2013 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Cowboy Like Me | |
| "With You I Am" | 2016 | — | 46 | 40 | — | — | — | — |
| Gotta Be Me | |
| "Wild as You" | 2017 | — | — | 53 | — | — | — | — |
| ||
| "On My Way to You" | 2018 | 78 | 13 | 11 | — | 20 | — | — |
| Ain't Nothin' to It | |
| "Nothin' on You" | 2019 | — | 43 | 55 | — | — | — | — |
| ||
| "Dear Rodeo" (featuring Reba McEntire) | 2020 | — | 43 | 34 | — | 49 | — | — |
| ||
| "'Til You Can't" | 2021 | 18 | 1 | 1 | 26 | 1 | — | 141 |
| Human: The Double Album | |
| "By Your Grace"[43] | 2022 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Human" | 61 | 15 | 8 | 72 | 3 | — | — |
| |||
| "The Painter" | 2023 | 55 | 12 | 16 [44] | — | 27 | 27 | — | Leather | ||
| "Long Live Cowgirls" (with Ian Munsick) | — | — | 58 [44] | — | — | — | — | TBA | |||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | |||||||||||
Other charted and certified songs edit
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Bubbling [45] | US Country [37] | CAN Country [40] | NZ Hot [46] | ||||||||
| 2011 | "Diamond in My Pocket" | — | — | — | — |
| A Different Day | ||||
| 2014 | "Me and My Kind" | — | — | — | — |
| Cowboy Like Me | ||||
| 2019 | "Ain't Nothin' to It" | — | 42 | — | — | Ain't Nothin' to It | |||||
| 2022 | "Hat Made of Mistletoe" | — | — | 50 | — | A Cody Johnson Christmas | |||||
| 2023 | "Dirt Cheap" | 5 | 33 | — | — | Leather | |||||
| "Whiskey Bent" (featuring Jelly Roll) | — | 47 | — | — | |||||||
| "Leather" | — | 44 | — | 36 | |||||||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | |||||||||||
Music videos edit
| Year | Video |
|---|---|
| 2016 | "With You I Am" |
| 2018 | "On My Way to You" |
| 2020 | "Dear Rodeo" (with Reba McEntire) |
| 2021 | "'Til You Can't" |
Awards and nominations edit
American Music Awards edit
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Cody Johnson | Favorite Country Male Artist | Nominated |
| Human: The Double Album | Favorite Country Album | Nominated | |
| "'Til You Can't" | Favorite Country Song | Nominated |
CMT Music Awards edit
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | "'Til You Can't" | Male Video of the Year | Won |
| "Dear Rodeo" | CMT Digital-First Performance of the Year | Won | |
| 2023 | "Human" | Male Video of the Year | Nominated |
| "'Til You Can't" (from 2022 CMT Music Awards) | CMT Performance of the Year | Won |
Academy of Country Music Awards edit
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Cody Johnson | New Male Artist of the Year | Nominated |
| 2021 | Nominated | ||
| 2023 | "'Til You Can't" | Single of the Year | Nominated |
| Song of the Year | Nominated | ||
| Visual Media of the Year | Nominated |
Country Music Association Awards edit
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Cody Johnson | New Artist of the Year | Nominated |
| 2022 | Nominated | ||
| "'Til You Can't" | Single of the Year | Won | |
| Music Video of the Year | Won | ||
| Cody Johnson | Male Vocalist of the Year | Nominated | |
| 2023 | Nominated |
References edit
- ^ a b c Leggett, Steven. "Cody Johnson | Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved September 4, 2014.
- ^ a b Parton, Chris (August 16, 2016). "Cody Johnson on Beating Music Row at Its Own Game". Rolling Stone.
- ^ a b Cox, Brady. "Cody Johnson Teases Two New Songs From His Upcoming Double-Album, 'Human'". www.whiskeyriff.com.
- ^ a b c d e "Cody Johnson Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e Callwood, Brett. "Cody Johnson Was a Prison Guard. Now He's an Outlaw Country Singer". Westword. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
- ^ Montesino, David (November 10, 2022). "Cody Johnson leads Texas contingent at CMA Awards, winning single, music video of the year". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
- ^ "Cody Johnson | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
- ^ a b c d e Cody Johnson on the Early Stages of His Career & the Job He Had Before Pursuing Music, retrieved November 30, 2022
- ^ a b c d Griffin, Andrew W. (March 2, 2012). "Up-and-coming Texas musician Cody Johnson talks to Red Dirt Report". Red Dirt Report. Retrieved September 4, 2014.
- ^ a b c d "Cody Johnson Bio". Red 11 Music. Retrieved September 4, 2011.
- ^ a b c Spencer, Haylee (April 15, 2011). "The Cody Johnson Band performs Saturday at the fair". The Courier of Montgomery County. Retrieved September 4, 2014.
- ^ a b Dotson, Maggie (April 7, 2011). . Maroon Weekly. Archived from the original on September 5, 2014. Retrieved September 4, 2014.
- ^ a b Tarradell, Mario (May 30, 2013). "Spotlight on Texas Artists: Cody Johnson builds a country-music career with the right foundation". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved September 4, 2014.
- ^ McDonnell, Brandy (February 29, 2012). "Kyle Park does 'Whatever It Takes'". NewsOK. Retrieved September 4, 2014.
- ^ a b Webb, Penny Lynn (January 14, 2014). "Cody Johnson Brings Back Country With New Album "Cowboy Like Me"". County Life Magazine. Retrieved September 4, 2014.
- ^ Bjorke, Matt (January 22, 2014). . Roughstock. Archived from the original on September 5, 2014. Retrieved September 4, 2014.
- ^ Wilderman, Jill (March 3, 2014). "Spot On: Cody Johnson". Spotlight Country. Retrieved September 4, 2014.
- ^ Betts, Stephen L. (August 5, 2016). "Hear Cody Johnson's Autobiographical 'Gotta Be Me' Album". Rolling Stone.
- ^ "Billboard 200". Billboard. August 27, 2016.
- ^ Asker, Jim (August 16, 2016). "Jon Pardi's 'Boots' Kicks Up First Country Airplay No. 1". Billboard.
- ^ "Cody Johnson Makes Rodeo Houston History". KPRC. March 12, 2018.
- ^ Cody Johnson Shares His Feelings on the State of Country Music, retrieved November 30, 2022
- ^ Andy Langer August 2019 0 (July 23, 2019). "George Strait Comparisons Aside, Cody Johnson Is 100 Percent Cody Johnson". Texas Monthly. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Cody Johnson, 'Til You Can't' + the Near-Death Experience That Inspired It, retrieved November 30, 2022
- ^ "Cody Johnson Chart History: Country Albums". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
- ^ "Cody Johnson Chart History: Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
- ^ "Cody Johnson Chart History: Independent Albums". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
- ^ "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 13 November 2023". The ARIA Report. No. 1758. Australian Recording Industry Association. November 13, 2023. p. 6.
- ^ "Cody Johnson Chart History: Billboard Canadian Albums". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
- ^ Shelburne, Craig (May 27, 2016). "Artist Updates: Eric Paslay, Cody Johnson, Clark Manson, Hannah Ellis". MusicRow. Retrieved May 28, 2016.
- ^ Bjorke, Matt (May 15, 2017). "Top 10 Country Albums Chart: May 15, 2017". Roughstock.
- ^ Stecker, Liv (October 2, 2018). "Everything We Know About Cody Johnson's 'Ain't Nothin' to It'". The Boot. Retrieved November 6, 2018.
- ^ Bjorke, Matt (March 10, 2020). "Top 10 Country Albums Pure Sales Chart: March 9, 2020". RoughStock. Retrieved March 22, 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "American certifications – Cody Johnson". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
- ^ Casey Young (July 25, 2023). "Cody Johnson Announces New Single "The Painter" Is Dropping Next Month, Confirms Deluxe Album 'Leather' Coming This Fall". Whiskey Riff. Retrieved July 25, 2023.
- ^ "Cody Johnson Chart History: Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
- ^ a b "Cody Johnson Chart History: Hot Country Songs". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
- ^ "Cody Johnson Chart History: Country Airplay". Billboard. Retrieved December 2, 2023.
- ^ "Cody Johnson Chart History: Canadian Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved May 23, 2023.
- ^ a b "Cody Johnson Chart History: Canada Country". Billboard. Retrieved December 2, 2023.
- ^ "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. August 21, 2023. Retrieved August 19, 2023.
- ^ "Cody Johnson Chart History: Global 200". Billboard. Retrieved March 22, 2022.
- ^ "Future Releases for Christian Radio Stations | Free New Songs from Music Artists".
- ^ a b "Billboard Country Update" (PDF). Billboard. December 1, 2023. Retrieved December 2, 2023.
- ^ "Cody Johnson Chart History: Bubbling Under Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
- ^ "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. November 13, 2023. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
External links edit
- Official website
- Catalog record for Cody Johnson Band at the United States Library of Congress