Cody Johnson

Reflecting the rigors of his upbringing, Cody Johnson's unadorned country approach draws directly from those origins. Long before earning awards and platinum status as a country performer, he embodied that existence by entering rodeo circuits as a bull rider throughout his teenage years, then taking a supervisory role at a prison during his early twenties while still developing his music, which led to the 2006 self-release of his debut album through the independent CoJo imprint. A decade on, the sixth LP Gotta Be Me gained traction through grassroots momentum, landing at number two on Billboard's Country Albums chart and clearing the path for a major-label move via the 2019 chart-topping Ain't Nothin' to It, an album that preserved his Texas country foundations. Human: The Double Album, the expansive 2021 release, once more placed him inside the country chart's Top Ten, with both Leather in 2023 and its deluxe 2024 edition matching that achievement.

Born May 21, 1987, in the small East Texas community of Sebastopol, Johnson grew up surrounded by music. He took up guitar at age 12 and performed with groups during high school, yet bull riding held stronger appeal. After pursuing it professionally for a period, he accepted a position as a prison supervisor for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice in Huntsville once opportunities there faded.

Johnson turned his focus to country music in 2006 by assembling the Cody Johnson Band. With his father participating, the group recorded and issued Black and White Label on the CoJo label that same year. Following the addition of guitarist Matt Rogers, they delivered the live set Live and Rocking in 2007, which marked the elder Johnson's final appearance with the group. Bassist Danny Salinas joined next, enabling the September 2009 release of Six Strings One Dream, an album that soon advanced his standing within Texas country circles. Completing the lineup with guitarist Jeff Smith and fiddler Jody Bartula, Johnson put out A Different Day in 2011. The project raised his profile across the Lone Star State, earning him the Texas Regional Music Awards' New Male Vocalist of the Year and freeing him from his prison supervisor duties.

Reuniting with producer Trent Willmon, who had helmed A Different Day, Johnson issued Cowboy Like Me in January 2014. The album marked his entry into broader country recognition, reaching number seven on Billboard's Country Albums chart and number 33 on the Top 200. Gotta Be Me surpassed that performance in 2016 by hitting number two on the Country Albums chart and number 11 on the Top 200. Those results secured a deal with Warner Music Nashville, which issued the 2018 single "On My Way to You," peaking at number 24 on the Country Airplay chart, followed by the gold-certified Ain't Nothin' to It that debuted at number one on Billboard's Top Country Albums chart in January 2019. Johnson returned two years later with Human: The Double Album, an eighteen-track collection divided into two sides that featured interpretations of material by Willie Nelson, Vince Gill, and Conway Twitty alongside the chart-topping single "Til You Can't." He followed with the live recording Cody Johnson & the Rockin' CJB Live in 2022.

August 2023 brought the release of the reflective love song "The Painter," serving as the lead single for the double-LP Leather. "Work Boots" and "That's Texas" appeared ahead of the November launch of Leather's initial portion, which incorporated appearances by Jelly Roll and Brooks & Dunn. The project climbed to number five on the Top Country Albums chart and entered the Top 20 of the Billboard 200. September 2024 saw the arrival of two further singles, the Carrie Underwood duet "I'm Gonna Love You" and the introspective "How Do You Sleep at Night," both included on an expanded deluxe edition of Leather issued that November.