Background and career
Cody Daniel Johnson (born May 21, 1987) is an American country music singer. He has self-released six albums, including Gotta Be Me, which debuted at number two on Billboard's Country Albums chart, 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. His style is classified as contemporary country and neotraditional country, drawing influences from artists like George Strait and Willie Nelson. His song "'Til You Can't" won two awards at the Country Music Association Awards in 2022. His album Leather won the CMA Album of the Year on November 20, 2024. He toured Australia in 2023 and 2025, with many shows selling out.
Cody Daniel Johnson, also known as "CoJo," was born and raised in Sebastopol, northeast of Huntsville, Texas, to Sheila and Carl Johnson. He began playing music at the age of 12 and learned to play from his father, who performed with their local church. He first taught Johnson the popular gospel song "I'll Fly Away." Johnson learned to sing and play several instruments, such as guitar and drums, and studied how to read musical notation. He performed at schools, churches, and bars, where he discovered that people enjoyed his music. At the same time, he rode bulls professionally at local rodeos and worked alongside his father in the local prison system. At 19, the prison's warden convinced him to commit full time to his music career.
Johnson's agriculture science teacher heard him play an original song and encouraged him to start a band with other Future Farmers of America (FFA) members. In 2006, Johnson formed the Cody Johnson Band with his father, Carl, and drummer Nathan Reedy. Just a few months later, the newly formed band won second place in a major Texas state talent contest. Together they recorded and released an album, Black and White Label on January 6, 2006 through his own CoJo label that paid for travel and radio ads. In 2006, the band added Matt Rogers on lead guitar and recorded a live album, Live and Rocking in 2007, at Shenanigans and Confetti's Club in Huntsville. After the release of the album, Johnson's father quit the band. By 2009, Danny Salinas joined the band on bass guitar. Their first professionally produced album, Six Strings One Dream, was released on September 1, 2009, and three singles from the album reached the top 10 of the Texas music charts, including "Texas Kind of Way." After the album's release, the band added Chris Whitten on fiddle and Jeff Smith on lead guitar. Jody Bartula replaced Whitten on fiddle in 2010. Johnson's third album, A Different Day, produced by Trent Willmon, was released on October 31, 2011. Johnson won the 2011 Texas Regional Music Award for New Male Vocalist of the Year. Then he left his day job with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to focus on music full-time. He teamed with Kyle Park in 2012 for the Dancin' and Drinkin' at Johnson Park Tour. Also in 2012, Johnson's band, now composed of Reedy, Smith, Bartula, and bassist Joey Pruski changed their name to the Rockin' CJB.
Johnson's fifth album, Cowboy Like Me, was released on January 14, 2014. It was his second album to be produced by Trent Willmon. Selling 8,000 copies in its first week of release, it debuted at number 7 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and number 33 on the Billboard 200. The deep cut "Me and My Kind" later went viral on TikTok in 2020, becoming a concert staple and one of his most popular songs. Johnson was a featured artist on the docu-reality television show Troubadour, TX, boosting his TV exposure. As of 2014, Johnson's band comprised Smith, Bartula, Pruski, and drummer Miles Stone. His sixth album, Gotta Be Me, was released on August 5, 2016. The album debuted at No. 11 on the Billboard 200, and at No. 2 on the Top Country Albums chart, selling 23,000 copies in the US in its first week. It was Johnson's most successful release to date, achieved without major label support or widespread radio play. On April 21, 2017, Johnson made his Grand Ole Opry debut. 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. His 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 20 hit on Country Airplay. The album and single were both released via Warner 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 released his most popular hit to date, "'Til You Can't" in June 2021, debuting at number 42 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart dated June 26, 2021. Johnson's eighth album, Human: The Double Album, was released on October 8, 2021. After the album was released, it climbed to number 24 on the chart dated October 23, 2021. The song went on to become his first Country radio chart-topper, earned him his first Grammy Award for Best Country Song, peaked at No. 18 on the Billboard Hot 100, and was certified six-times Platinum. It was notably covered by Kid Rock during the All-American Halftime Show in 2026. "Human" was chosen as the follow-up single, sent to Country radio on June 6, 2022.
Johnson announced "The Painter" in an interview with iHeartRadio's Spencer Graves in July 2023, which was set to be sent to country radio on August 14 as the lead single for his ninth album. It was a major success, becoming his second chart-topper, being certified triple Platinum, and peaked at No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100. His ninth album Leather was released on November 3, 2023, containing three more successful radio hits "Dirt Cheap", a duet with Carrie Underwood "I'm Gonna Love You", and deluxe reissue track "The Fall". The album went Platinum, had a sold-out tour in promotion, won the CMA Album of the Year award, and released the Leather Deluxe Edition in November 2024, adding 12 new tracks. That year, he also collaborated with Terri Clark on a new version of her song "I Just Wanna Be Mad" for her album Take Two. In 2025, he won ACM Song of the Year for "Dirt Cheap" and CMA Male Vocalist of the Year. On November 7, 2025, Johnson released his highly anticipated viral cover of The Chicks' ''Travelin' Soldier" in honor of the Veterans Day holiday. Upon its official release, the studio version debuted at No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it the highest-charting song of his career.
