← The Bobby Bones Show
The Bobby Bones Show
BOBBYCAST (now on Netflix) - Cody Johnson on Ear Injury Recovery, Rodeo Life & What Prison Is Really Like
00:56:45
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- [00:00]
Podcast Host
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- [01:00]
Cody Johnson
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- [01:05]
Podcast Host
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- [01:10]
Cody Johnson
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- [01:30]
Podcast Host
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- [02:13]
Bobby Bones
Cody Good to see you, buddy.
- [02:14]
Cody Johnson
You too, man.
- [02:15]
Bobby Bones
You just had a boy.
- [02:16]
Cody Johnson
Did.
- [02:16]
Bobby Bones
Yeah, he had two girls. Were you wanting a boy? Were you?
- [02:21]
Cody Johnson
I mean, like, I think every dad wants a boy. I mean, I did, but then like 11 years ago we had Clara and it was the coolest thing in the world, you know, having daddy's little girl. And then like two years later we had Corey. And so I've been a girl dad like this whole time. And so when we found out that Brandy was pregnant, it was one of those in the back of your mind, you're like, what if I get my little boy? And I actually got the test results to give to her.
- [02:46]
Bobby Bones
How'd you get those?
- [02:47]
Cody Johnson
We did that blood test thing, and it went into my email, and I'm sitting there just in suspense, and everything turns blue.
- [02:54]
Bobby Bones
Wait, did you open it before she was even around?
- [02:56]
Cody Johnson
She was sitting across from me in the living room.
- [02:58]
Bobby Bones
Oh, she wanted you to. You didn't just get it and.
- [03:00]
Cody Johnson
No, I was like, I want to be the one. And it turned blue, and I went, oh, my gosh, I'm getting my boy. But even then, I was like, it's still probably gonna wind up being a girl. It was just. The test was wrong. But that's awesome. He's three months old.
- [03:12]
Bobby Bones
That's great. My wife's about to have a baby.
- [03:15]
Cody Johnson
Congratulations.
- [03:16]
Bobby Bones
Thank you. Like, what do I need to prepare for, like, day of, like, when it happens? You have any good day of stories?
- [03:21]
Cody Johnson
Okay, so with the girls, it was a little different because I was brand new. Like, I'm a new dad, so it was, like, scary. Everything freaked me out, you know, even getting to the hospital. Why are y' all doing this? Why are you not doing this?
- [03:33]
Bobby Bones
That's how I am right now.
- [03:34]
Cody Johnson
Okay, well, you don't have to be that way. I with. With JC when he was born, she walked into the other room and hollered a few words we won't say on Netflix. And I come running into the room, and she said, my water broke. And I said, are you sure? The reason I said, are you sure? Is because with Corey, she thought her water broke, and she had actually just peed on herself. So I was making sure that we didn't have another accident. No, her broke. And I very calmly got everything together and figured out that her Cadillac Diesel Escalade tops out at 1:24.
- [04:07]
Bobby Bones
Oh, you went hard.
- [04:08]
Cody Johnson
3:00' clock in the morning. Well, there was nobody on the highway, and so we just zoomed over. And you can make it as stressful as you want it to be, but, man, just. My only advice is, like, just have faith in God that everything's going to be good and just be there for her. Like, it's just really not about us as dads. It's about them. It can be about us later. But I think the more calm you are, the more calm she is. Like, get a good playlist. Like, soft.
- [04:33]
Bobby Bones
I was already doing that, and I was building In I was doing like some Counting Crows and she was like, this is not your music.
- [04:40]
Cody Johnson
Yeah.
- [04:40]
Bobby Bones
She was like.
- [04:43]
Cody Johnson
Yeah. Her input would be good on it.
- [04:44]
Bobby Bones
Yeah. Well, man, congratulations. That's great. How's your voice?
- [04:48]
Cody Johnson
Good. I've actually, you know, I know you're probably gonna get into this at some point in this interview, but blew my eardrum last year and it was scary. You know, whenever you make a living with your. Your throat and your ears, that's a really sensitive subject. You know, any vocal trouble at all, you're like, oh, gosh. And any ear trouble at all. But everything happens for a reason, man. I was. I was home for when my son was born, which I probably wouldn't have been. So I was very thankful for that. Had a lot of time off to really just kind of get back to center, get back to getting ready for a huge year and having that time off. I was able to really rest, really hone in. Back on my diet, on my workout program, you know, like, mentally getting really focused and honed in on what's to come. And, you know, really, in all reality, the vocal rest was amazing. I just did a week in the studio doing final vocals on my album that's going to be coming out this year, and I was locked in. I was like, maybe that three months was like the best thing that ever happened to me.
- [05:48]
Bobby Bones
So what happened to your ear? Exactly.
- [05:51]
Cody Johnson
So they call it a divers burst. Because I had water in my ear. It didn't take much. Like, it's more of a suction thing. Less impact. Like they've. It's a lot of what divers do when they get water in their ears and they're trying to come out of the water too quick, it'll just burst. And so I blew like 40% of it. And what made matters worse was I had been up in the mountains in Wyoming, elk hunting, back and forth, going from 10 Sleep Wyoming to Florida, from 10 Sleep Wyoming to Nebraska and back home to Texas. And I had like the worst severe upper respiratory and sinus infection. So, like, my surgeon was like, yeah, there's so much drainage in here, it's a wonder it didn't just burst on its own. Like you were kind of on the line of. You could have just woke up one morning and it did this. Like they drained. She said during surgery, they drained so much sinus stuff out of my head.
- [06:39]
Bobby Bones
So what did that feel like when it happened?
- [06:41]
Cody Johnson
It's just weird. It's just like a pop and then I can't hear anything out of that ear. For a minute. And then, you know, you start to wonder, how bad is it? And so that's when I went to my surgeon. She's like, it's not as bad. She's like, I've seen them blown 100% and still heal themselves without surgery. But given that, you know, your occupation, you should probably go ahead and speed the process up a little bit.
- [07:02]
Bobby Bones
Did you try to sing at all with. Even just at home with your ear messed up to try to see if you could sing? Because the ears are obviously so important.
- [07:10]
Cody Johnson
I waited till kind of like after, after the surgery for like a week. There was like some vertigo, you know, like it was just kind of weird. There was still a lot of packing in the, in, you know, the incision. Like there's, there's stuff that's gonna dissolve over time. And so I didn't push it at first. And then after a while, when I started to feel better, I would like go by myself, get in the ranch truck and drive around and check cows and sing. And I'm like, one day I was singing and I just happened to accidentally just. It just came out. I was singing along with a song on the radio. My brother in law, who's my ranch manager goes, I think you're gonna be fine, bud.
- [07:40]
Bobby Bones
Were you worried though that you may not be? Was that ever a thought?
- [07:43]
Cody Johnson
There's always that thought, man. And you know, it's kind of like back to what I said about, you know, like childbirth and you can worry things into a problem. You really can. I've got faith in my God given ability. I've got faith in my work ethic. And you know, realistically, like I told myself, what if they just said you're never going to hear out of your left ear again? Are you going to stop singing? You're going to stop playing music? No. So get over it. Be patient. Which is the hardest thing in the world for me. Very impatient when it comes to stuff like this. And the longer I've waited, the more I fought, follow the doctor's orders, the better it's gotten to where, Like I said last week or week before last when I did all my vocals, I felt amazing. And it, you know, it's there. I will say, like, I'm more susceptible to like sinus pressure. I feel it more on that side now, which is kind of weird.
- [08:32]
Bobby Bones
But which side is it?
- [08:34]
Cody Johnson
This is this side here.
- [08:35]
Bobby Bones
Yeah, I can tell that ear is huge. It's just like coming out of the hat.
- [08:37]
Cody Johnson
You got the wrestler's gallbladder going you.
- [08:39]
Bobby Bones
Look like Rick Steiner just got the massive ear. Did you watch wrestling as a kid?
- [08:44]
Cody Johnson
No, I didn't.
- [08:45]
Bobby Bones
You weren't a wrestling watcher? No, I say that I was.
- [08:48]
Cody Johnson
I was bull riders, man. I was riding bulls.
- [08:51]
Bobby Bones
How the heck did you start singing then? Because usually singers and rodeo bull, anything tough usually don't match. Like, I wanted to sing because I wasn't that tough. You got both going, man.
- [09:02]
Cody Johnson
I. You know, I think that, like, everybody on my family, like, everybody on both sides of my family, I should say, on my mom and dad's, everybody sang. Everybody played some instrument. And so, like, I still, like, I don't read music. I don't. I can't read, like, Nashville number charts, and I don't read any of that. It's all just ear and just kind of natural ability. But, like, singing and performing, man, it was. It's just something about. It's in my DNA. Like, it's very much a drug for me that I'm very addicted to. It's like, I. It's just in my veins. It's something that I have to get out. I have to. I love performing in front of a crowd and giving them a piece of myself every night for what they give back to me.
- [09:44]
Bobby Bones
Where did you do it first?
- [09:46]
Cody Johnson
Church.
- [09:47]
Bobby Bones
How old?
- [09:47]
Cody Johnson
Oh, man, like four or five. Yeah. Like, I don't even remember.
- [09:50]
Bobby Bones
Like, I would sing in the choir at church. Is that what you did at first? When did you start doing solos?
- [09:56]
Cody Johnson
Like, okay. So my parents made me learn all the harmony parts before they would let me sing the lead part.
- [10:03]
Bobby Bones
Wow. As a kid.
- [10:03]
Cody Johnson
Yeah.
- [10:04]
Bobby Bones
You had to learn how to sing harmony, But I was doing it, like.
- [10:06]
Cody Johnson
Yeah, like, by ear, though. It was one of those things that once you figured out how to be in this part and stay in your lane, then be in this part and stay in your lane, they're like, okay, well, we'll let you sing lead. And that was kind of the turning point of I'm the lead singer.
- [10:20]
Bobby Bones
Do you still have that talent to find harmonies?
- [10:22]
Cody Johnson
Yeah, I love singing harmonies. It's one of them.
- [10:23]
Bobby Bones
Like, if I went.
- [10:24]
Cody Johnson
Who could you.
- [10:26]
Bobby Bones
Could you find the harmony of that?
- [10:27]
Cody Johnson
Oh, yeah. Well, it depends on, like, what you're. I mean, so let me. Let me say this, okay. There are. Yes. I'm really good at it. Okay. But there are people in this town. Nashville. Yeah.
- [10:37]
Podcast Host
Of course.
- [10:38]
Cody Johnson
That's all they do. And I'll go in and cut my own background vocals on something and be like, man, that's really good. And then hear them do it. And I'm like, okay, you're a lot better than I am. I think I've kind of gotten into the. I've really honed in on the lead character enough that.
- [10:53]
Bobby Bones
So you don't want to chase. My bad. My bad lead with the harmony? Is that what you're saying?
- [10:56]
Cody Johnson
I didn't say that. I didn't say that. You just didn't specify what part. That's okay. That's okay.
- [11:01]
Bobby Bones
So you enjoy singing in church. That's the first like real fulfillment you find from performing. When does that start to go? I think I want to do this more than just church.
- [11:10]
Cody Johnson
The night I snuck out of my parents house to a bar.
- [11:13]
Bobby Bones
How old?
- [11:14]
Cody Johnson
I think I was 14. And I snuck out and hopped in a truck with a buddy that was 16. And we went down to the bar and there was like 100 people at this little honky tonk. And the band let me jump up and play with them and they said, we're going to take a break, why don't you play? I was playing by myself and looked in the back of the bar and my dad was standing there. I got. Got whipped pretty good for that. You know, you play in these bars, it's going to lead to a life of destruction and you're going to want to become a drug addict and an alcoholic and but it to me. But I found that you could move people in a bar just like you could church. Like when you're singing in church, your purpose is to lead people to Christ. Right? When you're playing in a bar, it could be to row people up. It could be to make the couples cry about their lost, long lost lover. It could be to maybe help somebody find their new lover. So I, I found that very intriguing. And that was when I really, it hit me like, I love to entertain.
- [12:13]
Bobby Bones
How did your dad find you?
- [12:14]
Cody Johnson
I think he kind of knew I was wanting to do. I don't really know. I never asked.
- [12:19]
Bobby Bones
You just look at. Can you remember it? Like, can you visualize that?
- [12:22]
Cody Johnson
Oh, yeah.
- [12:23]
Bobby Bones
How many songs do you think you got out before you saw you?
- [12:25]
Cody Johnson
I had three. And after I got my whipping. He said you actually sounded really good. Just so you know, I'm like, okay, what'd you sing?
- [12:34]
Bobby Bones
What kind of song? Like covers.
- [12:35]
Cody Johnson
I can't even remember. One of them was like an original. It was horrible, horrible song I'd written.
- [12:39]
Bobby Bones
I'm assuming you grabbed their guitar.
- [12:40]
Cody Johnson
No, I brought my own.
- [12:41]
Bobby Bones
Oh, so you, you snuck out, took your guitar.
- [12:43]
Cody Johnson
Oh yeah.
- [12:44]
Bobby Bones
To the bar.
- [12:45]
Cody Johnson
Yeah, but Then, like, okay, so you leave from that period where my ag teacher, Larry Fortenberry, and my English teacher, who is also the. The theater arts director at the school I went to, they would allow me to bring my guitar to school, and, like, sometimes they'd let me play for the class, you know, and both of them were like, look, you really have a future. We should. You know, we should try to hone in on that. And they have what they call FFA talent team. And we formed a band and went to state. And it just. I'll never forget that crowd because it's state convention, so there's probably, I would say 60,000 kids maybe. And the roar of that crowd, it was like something in my brain just snapped. And it was like, that's what I have to do for the rest of my life. Like, that's what I want.
- [13:29]
Bobby Bones
It's so cool that your ag teacher saw something in you that wasn't exactly agriculture.
- [13:34]
Cody Johnson
Yeah.
- [13:34]
Bobby Bones
And said, hey, I want to, you know, push you to pursue this. And I know a few people that were on FFA performance that were in that. That's also a really cool thing. That, again, is not what you think of. For someone that does ffa, that you create a band and you play and. So were you the lead singer?
- [13:51]
Cody Johnson
Yeah. Yeah. No more harmonies for me. Man.
- [13:54]
Bobby Bones
I was like, you graduated.
- [13:55]
Cody Johnson
I want to be the guy.
- [13:56]
Bobby Bones
How old were you then? 17.
- [13:57]
Cody Johnson
I was like, I think I did it. Yeah. 16, 17 years old.
- [14:01]
Bobby Bones
So then what did you want to be when you grew up in high school? Because you've done all these things. What did you want to be when you were in that age of having decided what you wanted to be?
- [14:09]
Cody Johnson
Man, I had no clue what I wanted to be when I grew up, because, you know, you got to go to college. You got to go to college. Well, man, we didn't have the money for college, and I didn't have any scholarships, and I tried, and I just wasn't a very academic person. Like, even, like, I always tell my kids, like, learn math. Learn math, because I'm horrible at math now when it comes to finances, investments, and how to make $1 into 10 like, that, I wrap my mind around very well. But as far as, like, just math, I was horrible. And I. I was kind of a lazy student. Like, I just as soon as be sweet on a girl and cheat off of her tests and get through the day, then I had actually studied for the test because most of the time I was at home playing my guitar. And, you know, I think growing up. If I'd have grown up in West Virginia, I'd have probably been a coal miner because my dad was a coal miner and his dad was a coal miner. But I grew up near Huntsville, Texas and we have the largest concentration of correctional facilities in the state. And so my dad was a correctional officer. And it was always kind of taught to me like, this is a guaranteed job. You have benefits, you have the potential for housing, there's retirement. And that's like as far as I looked, like I didn't look any further than that. But I still met my first roommate, Nathan, and we formed a band and we started playing bars on the weekends. And we were just a three piece.
- [15:31]
Bobby Bones
While you were working? While I'm working in prison.
- [15:33]
Cody Johnson
And eventually it kind of faded over into my work ethic at work. Calling in a lot of, especially on Mondays because we had just played Sunday night showing to work, maybe a little showing up to work, maybe a little hungover and, you know, just kind of strung out from playing three solid gigs. And these were, these were four and five hour gigs, man. It's not like I'm playing 90 minutes in an arena. And it was a bar life. And it was, you know, my warden, Tom Pierce, sat me down and said, look, man, you're going to regret it for the rest of your life if you don't go pursue this. Like, you can always come back to work here. This is always going to be here. You should go try this. You should at least pursue it and find out whether or not you, you know, you were going to be successful or not. So I did with no plan B and never looked back.
- [16:19]
Bobby Bones
That's the second person that wasn't in music, that had no relationships with anyone in music, that was telling you you need to go do music. That's a really rare thing to find, like somebody who's not, who doesn't understand it but still tells you, I know I don't understand it, but I understand that you have it. You need to not do what you're doing now.
- [16:37]
Cody Johnson
Well, I think that came from, like a lack of arrogance on my part. Like, I wasn't the guy playing. Like, look at me, I'm the baddest dude ever. I just wanted to play. But then once I started singing and playing, everybody around me was like, dude, you're freaking knocking it out of the park. Like, this is insane. Like, do you not hear?
- [16:56]
Bobby Bones
Did you not feel like you were knocking out of the park?
- [16:58]
Cody Johnson
I think it was just new. It was a newness of, you know, it took Me, a lot of years to be the guy now that whenever I walk off my bus and I walk up to the stage, I'm very. It's like a. It's like Conor McGregor walking to the ring. Give them to me. Y' all better watch out, because here I come. That guy. I'm 38 years old. I've been doing this a long time, but I don't think you have that when you start. I think if you have that when you start, you're probably destined to fail in a lot of ways, you know, because this. This industry can eat you alive if you let it.
- [17:28]
Bobby Bones
I just watched this show called the Night of, and it came out back in 2016. So this is not a new show, but it's about a guy goes to prison. It's about what happens in prison. You worked in prison. What happens in prison. Like, as a prison guard, are you scared all the time. Do you make buddies with these guys?
- [17:46]
Cody Johnson
No, and no. You. It's just a different culture. It's a different lifestyle. I mean, you don't worry you're gonna.
- [17:53]
Bobby Bones
Get shanked at some point by.
- [17:54]
Cody Johnson
Yeah, I mean. Yeah, but I mean, I kind of grew up around that environment, too. Like, and my dad, you know, working there, my uncle worked there. I think that's a lot of, like, where my security mind is. Stays today because of that experience, you know? And it's not like you go to work every day and you're knocking heads, and it's a constant riot and fight. Like, they kind of. That's what I feel like produce on tv.
- [18:16]
Bobby Bones
Like, you go in and you're like, here we go. It's Tuesday.
- [18:18]
Cody Johnson
No, it can be very monotonous because these guys are just trying to get through their day, too, you know, like, they don't want to have that, because then it's going to mess up everybody's day, you know? So, I mean, yes, I've been through some. Some things that, you know, I've seen a lot of things, but it wasn't just like, hell week every week, you know, but it did teach me a lot about life, about discernment, about walking into a room and reading a room really quickly and picking out potential threats in a room. And I still have that. I put on a Persona on stage of being a very nice guy. But, you know, at my core, I know that I have that, too. I'm not the guy you can back into the corner.
- [18:55]
Bobby Bones
You're probably pretty intimidated when I'm around then, huh? Yeah, I didn't expect you to Laugh that hard.
- [19:01]
Cody Johnson
Yeah. The aspiring musician who finally gets an interview with Bobby Bones. That's not intimidating at all, huh?
- [19:06]
Bobby Bones
I have a lot of family. It's been in prison. Like, pretty much all my family's been in prison. And what would be crazy to me is when I.
- [19:12]
Cody Johnson
Like, like, in prison.
- [19:13]
Bobby Bones
Oh, yeah.
- [19:14]
Cody Johnson
Yeah, Me too. Oh, yeah.
- [19:15]
Bobby Bones
Like, not worked. Like, I always made the joke.
- [19:18]
Cody Johnson
Half of them work there, the other half are living there.
- [19:19]
Bobby Bones
Yeah. And so. And there's one doing life right now. There's another that just got out pretty recently. A lot of family members have been in and out quickly. But it would always be crazy to me how there would just be a phone from a. Like a call from a phone from somebody in jail and how they would just have freaking cell phones.
- [19:39]
Cody Johnson
Yeah.
- [19:39]
Bobby Bones
In prison.
- [19:40]
Cody Johnson
Dirty bosses, man.
- [19:41]
Bobby Bones
So it's either they snuck it into their butt or somebody did.
- [19:45]
Cody Johnson
Somebody did.
- [19:45]
Bobby Bones
Or like a guard or something.
- [19:47]
Cody Johnson
Your mouth to it. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
- [19:48]
Bobby Bones
Or a guard or somebody took it in.
- [19:50]
Cody Johnson
Yeah.
- [19:50]
Bobby Bones
Like. And it's just. You just know somebody helps their own.
- [19:53]
Cody Johnson
Culture, like, inside the prison does not beat to the drum of the outside world. Like, they're not watching the news and caring about what protests or what riots or what, you know, Covid or anything like that. It's just. It's. They're in their own subculture. And, you know, a lot of it's pretty amazing, actually, to see the ingenuity of some of these people and the talent.
- [20:13]
Bobby Bones
Yeah.
- [20:13]
Cody Johnson
The sheer raw talent that is locked up. And you're like, man, what a waste.
- [20:16]
Bobby Bones
You know, Like a guy makes a full DVD player out a piece of baloney and a hanger, and you're like.
- [20:21]
Cody Johnson
Dude, if you use this out here, yeah. You'd be a millionaire by now.
- [20:24]
Bobby Bones
You'd be Elon Musk.
- [20:26]
Cody Johnson
Yeah. We interrupt this interview to bring you.
- [20:28]
Bobby Bones
A message from our sponsor. And we're back on the Bobbycast. When were you able to pay your bills by doing music, man?
- [20:46]
Cody Johnson
So I took off on a wing and a prayer. I actually still own the truck that I bought. It was the first truck I'd ever bought new and paid off. It was a quad cab GMC and six guys in a truck with a trailer and very minimal gear and went and played anywhere and everywhere. They would let us play for three hours for $100aman. And we counted the truck as one of the band members so we'd have gas.
- [21:11]
Bobby Bones
That man's gotta eat, too.
- [21:13]
Cody Johnson
That man ate a lot. I still have the truck. I put a flatbed on it with a hay fork, and we call it the ranch truck. And I'd drive it most of the time just because spent so many hours in it. But my wife, Brandy, she was my fiance at the time. She was going to school, doing online classes and some classes at a junior college. And she quit going to school and took two really crappy jobs while I went out and played bars and stayed gone for a month. And I have no clue how she stayed married to me, but she did. And eventually it was the first year we were gonna headline what we call the big tent in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, at Music Fest. And I told her before I left, I said, I want you to quit your job. And she's like, are you serious? And I said, yeah, I want you to go with me to Steamboat. Quit your job. Like, I'm making enough now to where we can afford to pay our bills. But that's all we were making, was just enough to pay our bills. So it was kind of another leap of faith. And, you know, really, it wasn't until about 2014, 2015, to where, like, okay, we're getting pretty stable. You know, we're growing our band, we're growing our crew. And in 2017, when I played Houston Rodeo for the first time, that's when the gasoline kind of got thrown on the fire.
- [22:28]
Bobby Bones
That had to be awesome.
- [22:30]
Cody Johnson
Oh, yeah.
- [22:31]
Bobby Bones
Like, really a career high. Like the first. Still. I'm sure it's awesome, me doing it again. You're doing it again because it's such a massive show, but also it's kind of like what you're about.
- [22:41]
Cody Johnson
Yeah.
- [22:42]
Bobby Bones
And to be able to headline that massive show. Tell me about the first time you headline and you play the Houston Rodeo.
- [22:48]
Cody Johnson
Well, it was. It was the day after, or it was two days after, like, the worst day of my life. Like, I'm not going to go into it very deeply, just out of respect, but my brother was in a very precarious situation. You know, I'm sure you can probably relate after hearing some, you know, your perspective on some of your family members and really bad spot. And I was in San Antonio trying to, you know, kind of beg and plead of, please change, you know, your life. And, you know, this is not going to work. And, you know, I'm begging you, please let me help you. And it didn't turn out the way that I wanted it to. And looking back for him, he probably not the way he wanted it to either. So I'm in my truck and I'm just in tears driving home and Howie Edelman my manager, calls and says, hey, we just got the call to replace Old Dominion because they had to bow out for. I think the family member had gotten sick or passed away or something. And I want to know if he's like, here's what they offered us to headline Houston. And I'm again, I'm in. My heart's broken for the situation I have going on with my family. And I'm crying and I'm like, yeah, it sounds good. And he's like, I'm going to counter offer him. And I remember having the phone. And I went like, why would you counter offer? He's like, because I think you're worth more. And they took the counteroffer. And I said, how many days do we have to get ready? He said, Two days. And we sold 68,000 tickets in two days. Wow. And I think that was the moment where I went, bring it on.
- [24:21]
Bobby Bones
Like, that was the Conor McGregor moment.
- [24:23]
Cody Johnson
Let's go. Yeah, let's go. And I remember talking to my band that night before we went on stage, and I said, tonight is the night where we all prove that we are worthy of being here. We prove tonight, this is not a gig, this is not a show. Tonight is proof to the world that me and my band deserve to be on a stage of this caliber. And it was electric. I mean, I rode that horse out at the end. That was back when they had the circle stage. Now it's this big star with the elevated points and all this. And there's so much wiring, you know, cables and stuff you can't ride around. But back then, it was just open arena. And I kicked that horse and both of my feet came out of the stirrups. And he. And I just remember thinking, I'm not bucking off now. I'm not bucking off forever. Like, let's go. And I just started kicking him. And the faster and faster we went, you know, all the way around this thing, and I rode out and I didn't even have my feet in the stirrups. And I thought, you know, that's a pretty good metaphor for looking back for the way things have been ever since.
- [25:19]
Bobby Bones
These guys in your band who's been with you a long time, man, you.
- [25:22]
Cody Johnson
Know, Jody is my longest standing band member. Plays fiddle and guitar, sings harmonies. I think he's going on 16 years. Noe, he's outside, the guy with the big beard, about the same amount of time. Joey, my bass player, about the same amount of time. Miles came along, my drummer after that, working on like 15 years. Jake's been here for over. I think he's close to 12 years my guitar player. And Harrison's getting close to 10 years my steel player. And Seth was actually selling merch for us before we moved him to piano because this asshole didn't tell me how good he was on the piano.
- [25:59]
Bobby Bones
Really?
- [25:59]
Cody Johnson
Yeah. I'm like, dude, you're gonna make a way better salary. And it's a lot cooler than slinging cotton at the merch booth, you know?
- [26:05]
Bobby Bones
How did you find out he could play?
- [26:07]
Cody Johnson
Well, we recorded the Painter and we were overseas opening for Luke Combs on our Australia New Zealand tour. And I was like, man, there's just so much piano in the Painter. Like, we've got to find a piano player. And he just nonchalantly says, I play piano. I'm like, what do you mean you play piano? He's like, well, I don't, like, play, but I can play it. I'm like, show me. And so we go to Luke's keys player and get his keyboard, and he starts playing. And I'm like, when were you gonna bring this up? He's like, I was just trying not to be too intrusive, you know, but I overheard you. And two nights later, he was on stage with us, so. And he's been. He's one of the baddest cats in town.
- [26:48]
Bobby Bones
That's a cool story. I remember when Luke Combs announced that tour. How did it feel? Because again, you're a guy who can do, like you said, 68,000. You're playing all these big shows, and then it's like, hey, come out and be main support. Was that. I don't know. Was that you had to swallow a little bit to do that?
- [27:03]
Cody Johnson
No, no, no, man. I have. I have nothing but respect for Luke. And I've been opening for Luke Combs since he was playing tennis courts.
- [27:09]
Bobby Bones
And, like, what do you mean by that?
- [27:11]
Cody Johnson
Like, he played a tennis court. Where was South Carolina? He played a tennis court. And it was like 6,000 people. Like, it wasn't a huge show. And of course he was blowing up at the time, but I think real respect's real. And whenever I saw Luke for the first time, I went, that's. That's real. The way he handles his camp, the way he handles his finances, the way he records his records, the content that he's putting out had a lot of respect. And so you just tip your hat and say, I. I can get with that, buddy. And he's opened a lot of doors for me. Like I said, we went from opening from him or opening for him from tennis courts and pavilions to stadiums, you know, and I'm not a coattail rider, but whenever a good friend of that many years says, hey, do you want to go be direct support for me overseas? You say, hell, yes, I do. And what did I do? The very next year, I went back and. Or two years later, I went back and headlined my own tour and sold everything out but Auckland, New Zealand. But Luke didn't sell out Auckland, New Zealand either.
- [28:09]
Bobby Bones
So I feel like whenever you were playing the shows with Luke overseas and did you. You did some football stadiums here, too, right, with him?
- [28:16]
Cody Johnson
Yeah.
- [28:16]
Bobby Bones
I feel like you also gave him credibility.
- [28:19]
Cody Johnson
I can see that.
- [28:20]
Bobby Bones
Like, because I love Luke and have known Luke for a long time, but whenever he's like, hey, Cody Johnson's coming out with me, I went, oh, Cody's playing with Luke. If Cody thinks Luke is legit, then I for sure know. I already knew, but I for sure knew Luke was legit.
- [28:34]
Cody Johnson
But, like, there's two perspect. So, like, and I've told Luke this. I've told this to a lot of people. My job as the opener is to not be seen or heard. Get on the stage, do your job to the tee, and get out of the way.
- [28:46]
Bobby Bones
Because you weren't the opener. I think it's unfair to say opener.
- [28:48]
Cody Johnson
But on that, on that same coin, if you flip it over, my job as the opener is to try to kick your ass.
- [28:52]
Bobby Bones
Yeah, but you weren't the opener. You were main support right before him.
- [28:56]
Cody Johnson
But what you said about Luke matches what I just said for sure. He knows. Yeah, I'm coming out to try to mop the floor. And all it did was elevate their game. And he's like, dude, I love having you open because it just pushes us to a different level of knowing, hey, if we're going to follow that, we better gear it up. And I'm like, that's a very high compliment from him.
- [29:15]
Bobby Bones
I remember when Kenny did some shows and put Zach Brown right before him. This is the last.
- [29:20]
Cody Johnson
That's not scary at all. Right?
- [29:21]
Bobby Bones
It's like you're going to put Zach Brown in front of you. And he's like, yeah, I think it makes me better. And so that also. It just says a lot about both of you guys that he would do that and that you would also do that. I think it shows that both of you respect each other because I remember when you were on the show, I was like, dang. If Cody Johnson respects Luke like, who's not going to respect Luke Combs? If Cody Johnson's like going, that's the dude right there.
- [29:43]
Cody Johnson
That's cool.
- [29:44]
Bobby Bones
Who else do you look at as a live performer? And you go, respect, man.
- [29:48]
Cody Johnson
I'll never forget the first time we played the. Played the Gorge in Washington State. Yeah. And it was like, zach Brown Band. And then it was Brothers Osborne. And then us. And I sat and watched Zach Brown Band. And then I'm watching Brothers Osborne and I like, I pulled my whole band into a room. It was like, did anybody else catch all that? Tonight will either be the best show you've ever played or the last show we've ever played. Like, it's. It's life or death tonight. And we lit it on fire. But it's like you have that. When you see that, you're like, when I say out to kick your ass, it's not what it's about. It's about what you said. It's about respect. But you're always trying to one up. And I think what it really boils down to is trying to one up yourself, knowing that I can step on that stage after that great of a performance and still make that crowd melt in your hand, you know?
- [30:41]
Bobby Bones
Yeah. One of the best concerts I've ever been to is Zach Brown Band. One of the best bands I've ever seen play is freaking Brothers Osborne.
- [30:48]
Cody Johnson
I agree.
- [30:48]
Bobby Bones
Like, both of them in their own ways. Are they light the place on fire?
- [30:54]
Cody Johnson
Yes. And it's like this not tangible thing that's floating around in the air. It just gives you this energy. You're like, wow, this is Matt. We're watching Magic. Yeah.
- [31:04]
Bobby Bones
What's the best concert you think you've ever been to? Like, one that you think back to and it either lit you up in a way to go that's inspiring for what I do, or just something that you're able to take in and go, man, I can appreciate this so much because of, you know, what I do every day.
- [31:20]
Cody Johnson
One of the first concerts I ever witnessed was Billy Joe Shaver played in Huntsville, Texas. And I walked in and he screamed, if you don't love Jesus, you can go to hell. And I thought that was funny because we're in this bar room, you know? And he kicked off into Georgia on a fast train. I've been to Georgia on a fast train Honey I wasn't born no yesterday he's good Christian raising. He's doing all this stuff. And this bar room is just lit up, man. And it is just like there's beer cans flying in the air. And it's. I was like, this is really cool. Like, I just watched this old man at the time throw gasoline on this fire in this bar room. And this place was just electric. And, I mean, I'm like. It influenced me. This is something interesting that I've never really told anybody that you might find interesting. I never saw tapes of Chris Ledoux growing up. I always listened to his music. Being a rodeo guy, that was kind of what we listened to going down the road. I never saw performances of him and. And about. I guess it was four or five years ago. Ned LeDoux, his son, who's become a good friend over the years, says, I want you to watch something. And he pulls out his phone. He said, this is dad playing it wherever. And he pushes play. And I'm watching it, and I go, oh. And I'm watching myself. And he said, did you watch dad growing up? I said, no. He said, that blows my mind. He said, because every time I've watched you perform, I see little bits of my dad on stage with you. And maybe it was because Garth Brooks, I don't want to say, tried to copycat Chris, but he took a lot from Chris. And I saw Garth and somehow made it my own. But my mannerisms on stage leaned more towards Chris Ledoux. And I just always thought that was interesting, the fact that I never saw it, but it just emphatically comes out every night, you know?
- [33:09]
Bobby Bones
Did you listen to Garth much as a kid?
- [33:10]
Cody Johnson
Oh, yeah, man. I listened to everything. Like, I was very eclectic growing up. Everything from rock to rap to RB to blues to gospel. And country was kind of my main thing. Like, I tried. I really wanted to sound like Glen Campbell. I wanted to write songs like Merle Haggard. I wanted to be a cowboy like George Strait, but I wanted to fly in from the rafters like Garth Brooks. And, you know, it was. There was all these different influential people that kind of. I found myself through all of them, figure out, like, where's. Where's Cody in this? You know, where. Does. Where does Cody fit? Yes, I can hang with Boys to Men, and I can sing that style of music, but, like, where does that relate. I can sing like a rocker, but where does that relate to what I am? And I think that through my records, especially this record that I'm working on right now, you hear that, you're like, oh, my God, that was. That was Motown right there. Or that was straight Southern gospel. Or like, whoa, that note right there sounded like it stepped up of an ACDC song, you know. But, like, I'm starting to. I think the older I'm getting and the more wisdom I'm attaining in the studio and on the road with my band, I'm just finding myself more and more every year.
- [34:17]
Bobby Bones
It's got to be hard whenever you're touring so much, from 18, 19, 23, 25, to go to shows, because you've been spending probably every Thursday, Friday, Saturday night, for the most part, doing it, not seeing it so much. Did you ever go to a Garth show?
- [34:33]
Cody Johnson
But I remember being a kid when he played live in Central Park.
- [34:37]
Bobby Bones
Oh, yeah.
- [34:38]
Cody Johnson
And I was 12 inches from the TV, just eyes wide open, watching this concert, and couldn't believe that there were people watching a screen on the other side of the.
- [34:48]
Bobby Bones
Yeah, there were so many people there.
- [34:49]
Cody Johnson
Saw the stage.
- [34:50]
Bobby Bones
Yeah. Over a million people there.
- [34:51]
Cody Johnson
And I was like, that moment in time changed something for me.
- [34:56]
Bobby Bones
I saw him once. No, I've seen him multiple times. I opened for him at a football stadium once. It was the craziest thing. And he was so cool that he plays in the round. And we were. I was main support for Garth, and I was just doing my comedy music, but he was like, come open. Played Razorback Stadium in Arkansas. It was 110,000 people. So it was crazy. Like, I do stand up in theaters. I don't do football stadiums. So that whole thing was crazy.
- [35:19]
Cody Johnson
Different Animal and.
- [35:20]
Bobby Bones
Yeah. And Garth, before we were sound checking, he came out and he said, hey. He said, use the whole stage. Because as a opener, main sport, like you said, they don't want you to have access to what they have because they want it to be bigger and better.
- [35:36]
Cody Johnson
They ask permission to use the thrust. Yes.
- [35:38]
Bobby Bones
So he was like, you're not limited. And he gave us, I think, 35 minutes.
- [35:44]
Cody Johnson
That's a lot.
- [35:44]
Bobby Bones
It's a lot. And then he said this. He said, if you're feeling it, keep going. And I said, I'm not going to feel it. He goes, no, no, no. If you're feeling it, keep going. Use the whole stage. And then he walked off. And Trisha, you're, what is his wife, goes, hey, don't feel it. I said, don't worry, I'm not gonna feel it.
- [35:59]
Cody Johnson
What a nice guy. Cause I'm like, hey, even if you're feeling it, you're up at 9:00'. Clock.
- [36:03]
Bobby Bones
Yeah.
- [36:03]
Cody Johnson
He was like, get off stage.
- [36:04]
Bobby Bones
And then he waited to put us on until it got completely dark because he wanted us to be under the lights. Totally.
- [36:10]
Cody Johnson
Yeah.
- [36:11]
Bobby Bones
And so we did the whole stage, I didn't feel it. I got off at 34, 48. I wanted to be super respectful and. And I watched him, but I watched him control the crowd. And he's saying sometimes late at night, if tomorrow never comes.
- [36:30]
Cody Johnson
Yes.
- [36:31]
Bobby Bones
And he's singing that. Except he never sang a word. He went.
- [36:33]
Cody Johnson
He didn't have to.
- [36:34]
Bobby Bones
He just did the beat on his chest. And they sang every word of the song and then cheered at the end like he had sang. It was unbelievable. I've never seen anything like that before. And I've seen everything. I'm so jaded. It was unbelievable. I would compare that to a moment, and I hope you take this the right way. I was watching you perform. It was in Austin, Texas. It was in an arena, and it almost felt like you had them by the hair of the head because it felt like church a little bit.
- [37:04]
Cody Johnson
I like that.
- [37:05]
Bobby Bones
Yeah. And I hope this is a complimentary.
- [37:06]
Cody Johnson
No, it is.
- [37:07]
Bobby Bones
You were talking to them, and they were with every single word you were saying. And it was in between songs, but you had a second. And I remember the people I was with, I was like, man, that's what he's about. Because obviously you're so good vocally, so no one's gonna question that. You have to have that in order to be as good as you are. But you talk about that thing that je ne sais quoi. You had it in, like, how you were talking to the crowd. So I gotta imagine that's a big part of your shows, the connection.
- [37:35]
Cody Johnson
My daughters. So both my daughters sing incredibly well, but I haven't pushed that on them yet. Like, I tell them, oh, my God, you sing so beautiful. You know, your voice is so incredible. And I'm always about showering, instilling confidence in my young ladies, you know, and letting them know that dad's behind you 100. But I haven't been like, you should become a musician and sing, because, you know, it doesn't always turn out as nice as this. Yeah, it's a weird. Yeah. Like, they've asked, like, why isn't. Why isn't this person playing shows like you? You know, I'm like, I agree they're very talented, but there's a. There's an. There's an it factor. And off stage, I'm not that it. I'm a cowboy and I'm a husband. I'm a father. I'm a normal guy. And I like making fart jokes, you know, I mean, it's just like, I'm just a guy but for some reason, whenever I get on stage that whatever that it is, it takes over. And it is the. It's the most fun. I mean, it's the most fun you can ever have. Because once it takes over, it's like, here we go, man.
- [38:41]
Bobby Bones
They were just in the game. Every word you were saying, I mean, they were just hooked into everything you were saying. You were crushing it. But it was. When you were talking, it's like everybody just paid attention.
- [38:49]
Cody Johnson
I think it's an authenticity thing, though. So, like, if that was fake, like, I don't rehearse what I say. A lot of times it just comes out. And I think that that Back to Real recognizes real. Like when you're. When you're truly authentic with a crowd and you're just pouring your soul into them, they're really authentic back and they. They're really invested. They feel like that they are as much a part of the show as I am. And I love that. I mean, I love that atmosphere of knowing that they're just as important as my craft and what I'm doing. Because without them, we're just a bunch of dudes playing in an empty room.
- [39:24]
Bobby Bones
Yeah. And that doesn't pay as well, I've heard.
- [39:25]
Cody Johnson
Does not. I've done it. I've done it. I would rather do this. Hang tight. The Bobbycast will be right back.
- [39:41]
Bobby Bones
Welcome back to the Bobbycast. When you talk about rodeo, what exactly do you do? So what are your skills?
- [39:50]
Cody Johnson
So when I was in high school, I rode bulls till after I graduated.
- [39:54]
Bobby Bones
It, you know, you rode bulls like eight seconds.
- [39:57]
Cody Johnson
Yeah. Yeah. And it doesn't. You know, when you're a kid with gold buckle dreams, you think you're going to ride bulls and be the best in the world and you're going to be a millionaire. And the best bull riders in the world still didn't become millionaires without proper business handling and guidance. I just love. I love the cowboy way. I love the western way of life. I love going out and feeding cows and raising horses and taking care of my land and being a good steward of it and raising my kids in that atmosphere where they don't see what's on the news. Like, they have no idea anything bad in the world exists because we live on our ranch and it's just a beautiful existence, you know, teaching them.
- [40:38]
Bobby Bones
Where do you ride your first bull, though? Like, where do you just.
- [40:41]
Cody Johnson
I was in somebody's backyard. They had a deal. It was at Mike King's house. He had a little backyard bull riding deal. And it was basically a dare. And the adrenaline is what hooked me. And the adrenaline, I felt that fear mixed with adrenaline, mixed with excitement, and I just instantly was like, just hooked.
- [41:01]
Bobby Bones
Did he have a chute?
- [41:03]
Cody Johnson
Yeah. A full backyard. Like, just a full bull riding arena in the backyard? Yeah, I have a full rodeo arena in my backyard.
- [41:10]
Bobby Bones
Yeah.
- [41:10]
Cody Johnson
Now you're rich, though. Yeah.
- [41:11]
Bobby Bones
You know, you should be able to buy one now.
- [41:13]
Cody Johnson
But, like, we would just get on. Like, it was very, very, like, like, stripped down. Like, no bull fighters, you know, just kind of just doing it. And eventually, you know, gave up bull riding and why I wanted to. I just wasn't good enough, man. It's a lot of broken bones. You're broke.
- [41:30]
Bobby Bones
Did you get hurt?
- [41:31]
Cody Johnson
Oh, yeah. Like, I've broken both the bones in this right leg. Three surgeries on the tendons and the ligaments in that ankle. I've broken my right clavicle, dislocated my right shoulder. I've broken two ribs in my. My. On my back, like, in my left side. Had to have sinus reconstructive surgery.
- [41:49]
Bobby Bones
All from bull riding?
- [41:50]
Cody Johnson
Yeah. And then I had to get my neck fixed because apparently my neck was broken for, like, a long time. And I just put up with the pain. And finally the pain got too bad, and they were like, yeah, you. Have you ever done anything physically, like, active in your life, like play football or rugby? And I was like, riding bulls. They're like, yeah, that's.
- [42:07]
Bobby Bones
That'll be the one.
- [42:08]
Cody Johnson
That's the one right there.
- [42:09]
Bobby Bones
Well, then, in the most pragmatic way ever, my question is, did you have bull riding insurance?
- [42:13]
Cody Johnson
No.
- [42:13]
Bobby Bones
You have insurance at all?
- [42:15]
Cody Johnson
No. You pay to do this?
- [42:16]
Bobby Bones
That's what I'm saying.
- [42:17]
Cody Johnson
No, no.
- [42:18]
Bobby Bones
It's a lot of hospital bills, I hear.
- [42:20]
Cody Johnson
Yeah. Yeah. My parents were kind enough to let me pay that off slowly.
- [42:23]
Bobby Bones
So did you graduate to anything else from bull riding?
- [42:28]
Cody Johnson
So, obviously, being a bull rider, I have a ride really well as far as center of gravity and not being scared of something really big and powerful underneath you with its own mind. So I had roped some. I'd rode cutting horses. Cutting horses, meaning if there's a herd of calves, you pick one out, and it's the horse that, you know, moves with the cow the best and keeps it away from the herd for so long. And it's. It's more like a horse show event. But 2000, end of 2020, early 2021, that's when my wife and I decided that we were going to buy this ranch that we Live on now.
- [43:06]
Bobby Bones
It was that awesome.
- [43:07]
Cody Johnson
Yeah.
- [43:08]
Bobby Bones
This is crazy. Like we're gonna buy a rant. The ranch.
- [43:10]
Cody Johnson
Well, we just said we're getting. Houston is creeping slowly towards our place now. We can get way more for it than we ever thought we would. But we had to sit down and talk about like this is gonna be a lifestyle change. Like this is gonna be. If we're gonna do it, we're gonna become cattle ranchers and we're gonna raise horses and we're gonna rope and own performance horses and I'm gonna compete. And now I just. It's the most fun thing in the world. I've got a barn full of incredible horses. My brother in law does an incre. You know, legged up for me whenever I get to go home. And now I have my own team roping event every year. The Kojo championship event where the best team ropers in the world come rope and earned a lot of street cred and respect in that aspect from those guys. Not only putting on a rope and a team roping, but one of the best team ropings in America. Including women's breakaway and women's only team roping in a juniors day for all the kids and numbered ropings for guys that are numbers mean like your golf handicap. Maybe aren't the best in the world, but still having a rope and where the best in the world can come rope for a truck and trailer and a pile of money and buckles and saddles and all the things. So it's funny, I always thought that bull riding was going to make me a cowboy. And now being a country music star and owning a cattle ranch, I do more cowboy stuff every day than I ever did riding bulls.
- [44:33]
Bobby Bones
I always wanted to be a barrel racer.
- [44:36]
Cody Johnson
Don't tell you that.
- [44:37]
Bobby Bones
Cut that part out.
- [44:38]
Cody Johnson
We're cutting that part out. We don't want to because I go.
- [44:40]
Bobby Bones
To a bunch of rodeos growing up and I was like, that's the only thing that looks like it doesn't hurt.
- [44:44]
Cody Johnson
You hit your knee on a barrel.
- [44:45]
Bobby Bones
Yeah, maybe so. And I never saw a dude do it. Do they have a dude barrel racers?
- [44:49]
Cody Johnson
No.
- [44:50]
Bobby Bones
Yeah, I never saw a dude do it. But I still thought that's the only thing I could do is get on the horse.
- [44:54]
Cody Johnson
And like I think I've seen one and he's like one of the best horse trainers in the world. I can't remember his name, but like, yeah, he rides. But I'm like, I can't do that.
- [45:00]
Bobby Bones
That's more my style.
- [45:01]
Cody Johnson
Yeah, maybe you ever buzz near a barrel horse, you'd change your mind. It's like racing horses. They're all just nuts.
- [45:06]
Bobby Bones
Well, I just never saw anybody get thrown off because we'd go to the rodeo and, you know, every year, sometimes twice a year, when they'd come through.
- [45:12]
Cody Johnson
Arkansas, somebody's getting hurt in every other event. Always.
- [45:14]
Bobby Bones
They'd always have to stop it or. But it was like a double because there'd be rodeo one night, and the next day would be crashed up. Derby.
- [45:21]
Cody Johnson
Yeah.
- [45:22]
Bobby Bones
Like, and my friends don't know what that is. I don't even know what the official name of it is. But everybody. You know, you have these cars and you smash them at each other when you're done. Demolition derby and you break the stick, and that's when you.
- [45:30]
Cody Johnson
I'm out. Yep.
- [45:32]
Bobby Bones
Dude, that was crazy.
- [45:33]
Cody Johnson
Those were cool.
- [45:34]
Bobby Bones
Once I. They said, okay, if you want to, you know, win a prize, whatever, come out, we'll release them. The sheep and our whole church group went. Climbed the fence. It's like 13. I was still one of the oldest kids out there. And they let the sheep go, and I went and I tackled, and I was riding that thing. You're supposed to get the ribbon off of it, not ride it.
- [45:55]
Cody Johnson
I was gonna ask, like, why are you riding it?
- [45:57]
Bobby Bones
No, I thought you're supposed to ride it.
- [45:58]
Cody Johnson
I was like, the bull Riders videos of this for this Netflix.
- [46:02]
Bobby Bones
It was a little. Little pre video there. We ask few of the. We've asked few of the artists the same question. So I'm going to ask you the question that I asked Kenny and Blake from one to five. Give me your best five songs. According to you.
- [46:22]
Cody Johnson
That's a very hard.
- [46:23]
Bobby Bones
Yeah, it should be. It's a hard. It's a tough one. But I'm making you a one first.
- [46:27]
Cody Johnson
I mean, I think the one song that has impacted my career the most would be Till youl Can't. Not just because it's. I think it's like six or seven times platinum at this point. Not because it's my highest streaming dollars and all that, but because of the people that have come to me at meet and greets and told me their stories about how this song changed their lives and very, very impactful ways. I think that's bigger than money, that's bigger than fame, that's bigger than points on a board. Like, that's bigger than accolades. Like, to know that I went in the studio and created a track that kept somebody from divorcing or committing suicide or going back and getting in touch with their family or apologizing to somebody like, that's. That means a lot. Because I think at the basis of it, yes, we like to make a comfortable living for our family, but knowing that you impact somebody like that, that means a lot. That being said, I would probably choose Dear Rodeo for the second one because it was the most personal thing that I'd ever written. Wrote that with Dan Couch, and it was literally my letter to the sport of rodeo because I was so depressed, because I thought, I don't even know if I'm going to make it in the music business, like, let alone go back and chase those dreams that I had when I was a kid. So that was probably the most, like, vulnerable thing I'd ever put on paper to that point. Three would probably be Dirt Cheap just because of how impressive it is that Josh Phillips wrote that song by himself. And it's related to so many people. And it. I mean, I had a friend of mine that he works all across the world, and he was in Uganda pushing a grocery cart, and he text me, and I don't remember what time of the night it was for me in Texas, but Dirt Cheap was on the radio in Uganda. I'm like, how cool is that, man? Like, I don't know, number four and number five. I could easily go with, you know, number one hits.
- [48:26]
Bobby Bones
I'm not gonna let you out of it, though. You got to give me a four and five.
- [48:32]
Cody Johnson
Number four for me would probably be by your grace. Again, a very, very, very vulnerable me on paper. Wrote that 100 myself. And admitting openly the first lines are like, I'm aware of everything that's wrong with me, but still you accept me anyway. And it's like, well, we forget that so much that we all kind of get in this rut of, like, we're not good enough for God because, well, I smoke or I drink or I cuss or I do. Like, dude read the Bible about the people he hung out with. They were all, like, murderers and thieves, and he turned them into apostles. Like, there's hope for us, you know, it's like, we forget that. And it's all because of the grace. Like, you can't give someone grace unless they're screwing up, right? So it's like God's grace. It's not his love, it's his grace for the forgiving us. And for me, when I wrote that song, it was more for me. Like, I was writing it for me to remind myself of, like, hey, just day by day, man, just keep it up. Like, just try to be better today than we were yesterday. And it really gave me a new perspective on life. Number five. I really don't know. I really don't know. I could pick something off this new project I'm doing, but I couldn't tell you.
- [49:49]
Bobby Bones
Cop out.
- [49:50]
Cody Johnson
Cop out.
- [49:50]
Bobby Bones
We don't know it yet. We don't know it yet.
- [49:54]
Cody Johnson
Why don't you pick my number five?
- [49:57]
Bobby Bones
I mean, that you and Carrie, like, that's cool.
- [50:01]
Cody Johnson
I will. Yes. Okay. I will Say I'm gonna love you maybe would be number four instead of number five. It's just in that spot of, like, I always wanted to sing with Carrie Underwood. I mean, like, who wouldn't? But the way that song came about would be the better story of I had it. And then they said, no, Travis Denning is going to use it on his record. So it goes back to Travis. It didn't wind up on his record. And so they pitched it to Carrie. Kerry loved it, but said. And I didn't know this. Kerry said, I love it, but it doesn't fit my project. So it goes back into the abyss. Until I said, I want that song, but I want Carrie on it. And I had no idea that she'd already had it. And so that's why she said yes. She's like, this is the second time this song's coming to my life, so wow. I mean, that's kind of a meant to be scenario, you know? And she was so graceful. I mean, gracious to, like. Even down to, like, volunteering. Do you want me to do some video for your video wall for when you play this live? And we're like, yeah.
- [50:56]
Bobby Bones
Oh, that's cool. Is that what you do? You play her on the video wall?
- [50:58]
Cody Johnson
It's the only track we run. I mean, it's.
- [51:00]
Bobby Bones
Cause obviously, Carrie, she's not there every.
- [51:01]
Cody Johnson
Day, you know, But I mean, she was so awesome to work with. Like, really down to earth. Like, I think people have their vision of rock stars being this big ego, but, like, there's just. There's no ego. She's just a freaking workhorse, man.
- [51:15]
Bobby Bones
When you wanted the CMAs, that's pretty cool.
- [51:19]
Cody Johnson
Yeah.
- [51:20]
Bobby Bones
Because I feel like you came up a different way. You don't live here. I feel like possibly Nashville culture, whatever that is, didn't embrace you. You didn't embrace it at first. This is me saying a story, so if I'm wrong, you let me know.
- [51:33]
Cody Johnson
No, you're right.
- [51:35]
Bobby Bones
That you came here your own way, signed your own deal, your own way. Because you were independent for so long. So you get to set the terms. And it was a respect, not through coming up the traditional way, but a respect that you can't really deny it anymore, as non traditional as it was. Like, I feel like that's your relationship with Nashville. You don't live here then. I feel like when you won, that's everybody just kind of giving up and going, yeah, he's good. Nevermind. Well, you have to admit, he's good. Did you feel that way at all?
- [52:05]
Cody Johnson
Yeah, I mean, I've had a lot of those moments over the years. The last probably three or four years of really walking into the room and everyone in the room goes, there he is. And you're like, you kind of notice the change in vernacular a little bit. You're like, okay, we are the guys that. I'm the guy that just walked in the room and everybody went, he's here.
- [52:25]
Bobby Bones
For whatever reason, right? Yeah.
- [52:26]
Cody Johnson
And it. I don't know when that changed. I never. One of the greatest pieces of advice I ever got was from Corey Morrow. He's an artist down in Texas.
- [52:35]
Bobby Bones
Big Texas artist.
- [52:36]
Cody Johnson
Yeah, huge.
- [52:37]
Bobby Bones
I lived in Texas a long time. I wasn't introduced to Corey till I moved to Texas. And then I was baptized into Cory Morrow.
- [52:42]
Cody Johnson
Corey Morrow, the Barefoot Texan man. He used to have those T shirts that said Nashville sucks. And like, you know, at the time, I would turn on the radio and I hated what was coming. A lot of what was coming on the radio, because I'm like, just doesn't sound. It sounds industrialized. It sounds like we're out to make a dollar, not out to make good country music. And so I had a Nashville sucks T shirt. And as I started to get bigger in Texas and started to really kind of branch out, Corey pulled me aside one night and he said, hey, I'm going to give you a piece of advice. Don't ever say Nashville sucks. He's like, you have the ability to cross this bridge and to leave it open for others. Be the guy who builds that bridge between Texas and Nashville and don't ever look back. And I was like, I kind of made it my mission then, you know, And I'd like to think I had. I had a little bit of a part in building that bridge, you know, for people like Parker McCollum to come skating right across and not be a Texas artist. Cause that's what I got. You're a Texas artist. Artist. You're nothing but a Texas artist. You're just a Texas artist. We're not signing Any Texas acts.
- [53:48]
Bobby Bones
Is that what you would hear early?
- [53:49]
Cody Johnson
Oh, yeah. And so you have two choices there, Bobby. You can either become resentful and resentment is poison. It's poison to your soul. It's poison to your brain. Or you can say, all right, y', all sit back and watch because I'm just going to do it without you. And for years, broke and on my last leg, that's what I did was, I'm going to do this with or without you. And then finally, when we had the long argument with Warner of what do we have to do to sign you, here's my terms. And we've been together ever since. And it was like, now we have to tackle the industry to prove to the industry, I'm here. I'm not going anywhere. I'm going to continue to play. If Eric Church cannot have a radio single in however many years and still sell out stadiums and arenas, that says a lot to me. And so I just pushed and pushed and pushed until finally, yeah, when you win album of the year, you're like, we did that. We made a whole album that was recognized by this industry. And then male vocalist of the of the year. I was like, yeah, you do feel that love and acceptance. And it gives me the opportunity to look at other young artists that maybe even watch this special right now to. It may not be your time. It may be 10 years from now. Like, don't get buried in resentment and what you think the right now is going to fix for you. If you really love this, keep doing it. No matter how many people say no, just keep doing it. And I'm living proof that sometimes it works out pretty well.
- [55:16]
Bobby Bones
Before you came in, we were talking about you going back out on the road. You had a little break. Obviously, by the time this airs, you'll have done a couple shows. So we hope.
- [55:26]
Cody Johnson
Don't jinx it.
- [55:26]
Bobby Bones
We don't want to jinx it. Yeah, yeah. So, like, what's happening on the road? Like, I'm sure you have a ton of stuff planned, like new stuff or. I don't know. You just haven't done it in a minute because you had your ear, like, what's up?
- [55:37]
Cody Johnson
Well, so pre ear rupture. When we found out that Brandy was pregnant, I just started working my tail off. I was like, I want to try to get as much done in prep for him coming, this baby boy to be born, so that if I needed to, I can shut it off. You should probably do that, too. But, yeah, prep. I mean, so much stuff, so much material. In the can. Like we had Traveling Soldier recorded for almost a year before we put it out. Because I just hold it in the can, have all this stuff stored up. Go ahead. And let's approve next year stage plots and let's approve next year's gear upgrade. And yes, we are going to move to one more semi truck. And yes, we're going to hire these people to do this on video and on this. So we're going to need one more bus and get all the logistics out of the way. So tonight, literally, after we get through with this cast, I'm going to go over the rehearsal hall and I'm going to sit down with my band leader. I'm going to sit down with my production manager, my ear monitor engineer. We're going to go through all this stuff in preparations for tomorrow is a big. I call it rehearse at your leisure. Maybe we play four or five songs and take a break. Maybe we play for an hour and take a break. Let's go through set list. Let's dissect every. Everything that we're going to do. Let's. Let's. What are you going to. If we do this, what are you going to do on the lights right there? If I cue the crowd like this, how's that video go? All going to make this match because all this new staging is so big. There's no pyro, there's no smoke, there's no confetti bombs. It's just a big old, beefy, huge, masculine, jagged stage that looks like, whoa, we haven't seen that from Cody yet. Just a little bit of eye candy. Nothing. Nothing crazy. But it's enough to say, this is a new me in 2026 and we're here to take it. We're here to take what's ours. And it's a. You know, and also gearing up, obviously. I'm in. I've told you, I'm in the studio right now. I'm almost finished with a new record. It will be out this year. Don't really have a date on it. I hate setting a date. I hate setting a date and working backwards. So we also have all this new material that we're going to start trying to dig into so that whenever Grat tracks hit and a new single hits after the fall hopefully goes number one, we can have all this new material sitting in the tank. And so for me, I'm excited. Like, I'm excited I get to go back to work and do this thing that I love. After being off for three months. Yes, I've enjoyed being home. Yes, I'm thankful I was there. I need. I need to go play. Like it's time for me to go hit the stage and please some crowds. And enjoyed making music with my bros, man. Like it. Just making music with the dudes. Just like we did when we were 13 and 14 in the garage pissing our parents off, man.
- [58:07]
Bobby Bones
That's awesome. I'm so happy you came by.
- [58:09]
Cody Johnson
Me too.
- [58:10]
Bobby Bones
I obviously really like you even outside of this. You know, we got lights and camera and stuff, but, you know, I think we spend a little time together outside of lights and camera where I just like you as a person. So.
- [58:18]
Cody Johnson
Thank you, man.
- [58:19]
Bobby Bones
Glad you're healthy. Glad you're healthy. Yeah, I can't wait to see the show. You coming? You coming here at all?
- [58:26]
Cody Johnson
I know we're playing Bridgestone, but it's a private event.
- [58:29]
Bobby Bones
You have a private at Bridgestone? That's how you know you're making it when you're doing a private at Bridgestone, the arena. Yeah, things are pretty good.
- [58:35]
Cody Johnson
We made a pretty good deal with Tractor Supply on that deal.
- [58:37]
Bobby Bones
That's awesome. Well, congratulations. Thanks for coming in, man.
- [58:39]
Cody Johnson
Thanks, man.
- [58:40]
Bobby Bones
This has been a Bobbycast production.
- [58:45]
Cody Johnson
Foreign.
- [58:50]
Podcast Host
This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.