Cody Johnson is the last cowboy in Nashville

Emerging from the ranchlands of Texas, Johnson’s path wasn’t about quick success but rather about laying a solid foundation through hard work and authenticity.

With a career built on grassroots support and a refusal to sacrifice his artistic integrity, Johnson is poised to redefine what country music can achieve on a global scale. As he brings traditional sounds to new audiences worldwide, Johnson embraces his role as a modern bridge for a genre steeped in history yet open to new frontiers.

His most recent album, Leather, won Album of the Year at the Country Music Awards 2024, cementing him as one of the key players in country music as it wrestles with pop music's influence. As the world’s gaze turns to country, trying to make sense of a genre it’s not taken seriously on an international stage until now, Cody Johnson represents the values that bore what it’s all about—family, storytelling, tradition, and community.

Johnson’s original dream was to become a rodeo star. After years of training, competitions, and some tough battles that left him questioning what his purpose was, he found himself at a crossroads: keep chasing this dream or admit there’s another dream chasing him back. He shortly started his first band with his father and brother called The Cody Johnson Band, established his own record label, and hit the road ready to risk it all.

Rather than taking shortcuts or compromising his style to secure a swift climb, Johnson built his career on a foundation of perseverance and tenacity. "I chose the long road, the one that comes with its scars and stories," he acknowledges. For years, Johnson was an independent artist, stacking small victories amid larger challenges. He recalls how local radio stations in Texas initially refused to play his tracks: "They wouldn't play me on the radio because I didn’t have a really good quality record."

Undeterred, Johnson took matters into his own hands, enduring countless miles on the road and personally reaching out to radio stations, venues, and fans. "We traveled all over the country, doing the same grassroots approach; it was club by club, bar by bar," he shares. His tenacity was fueled by a commitment to his music and his values, proven to the world when opportunity came knocking for that first time.

After releasing his first couple of records independently, he found himself mixed in with the Nashville music scene and meeting with big shot music execs. But they weren’t interested in what Johnson had to say, just his following. “They were like, ‘The cowboy hat doesn't work and you need to change your sound and you're gonna have to play the game.’ Basically, you're gonna have to sign your life away if you want a record deal. And I wasn't willing to do that.”

After saying no to his big break, it’d have been easy to feel deterred and even question whether he’d get a chance like that again. But he stayed steadfast, focussed, and more determined than ever: "I'd rather go to bed with my integrity than with millions of dollars." For Johnson, authenticity has always been paramount—a steadfast commitment that endeared him to a growing legion of fans and ultimately captured Nashville's attention.

Elsewhere, country music was having its renaissance. Johnson’s dream to take country music to new audiences was happening thanks to songs like “Old Town Road” and artists like Post Malone and Beyonce reimagining themselves as country artists.

"There were times I thought, 'Why hasn’t that happened for me yet?'," he reflects. Yet, in hindsight, Johnson is grateful for the timing of his success, recognizing that it arrived when he was mature enough to handle it. "If I would have made it back then, I probably would have screwed it up."

Johnson stands at the forefront of the ‘Back to Country’ movement—a legion of artists working to bring the genre back to its traditional roots—a mission that has guided his artistic endeavors from the very beginning. While many artists have gravitated towards a pop-infused sound in the pursuit of broader appeal, Johnson remains dedicated to honoring the core elements of the genre. “What real country music sounds like” is a mantra that articulates his desire to preserve the narratives and authenticity that can too often be overshadowed by commercial trends.

He was adamant about staying true to his identity as an artist, even when Nashville's mainstream pressured him to conform. "I wasn’t willing to sacrifice who I am," he insists. Instead of shying away from his cowboy roots, Johnson fully embraces them, making his cultural heritage an integral part of his music.

In the UK, we romanticise country artists as these rope-swinging, buckled up ranch hands riding off into the sunset flying the American flag and kissing a cross hung around their neck. The truth is that’s just good marketing. But country is more than a genre for some, it really is a lifestyle. If you’re looking for an artist to satisfy this over-the-top and slightly comical archetype, Johnson is that cowboy riding a horse into the distance.

In an era where advertising trucks and parties are the focal point of many country songs, Johnson offers an alternative narrative steeped in reality and emotional complexity. He explains, “For a long time, country music got into a funk where the only way to draw in fans was to make our music sound more pop.” Johnson seeks to strike a balance, creating a space for stories that resonate on a deeper level, relatable both to traditional listeners and to those discovering country for the first time.

His song, "‘Til You Can’t," plays with this ethos, framing dreams and aspirations within the more profound context of life’s fleeting moments. "Take your chance. Call your mom. Say you're sorry to somebody. Chase your dreams. It's inspirational. It's something that’s upbeat and it's fun and you can party to it, but it has a message. It has something that says more than just, ‘hey, girl, hop up in my truck and we're going to take a four-wheel drive to the bonfire.’ There's a place for that kind of music. And I'm not saying that that's bad. I'm just saying it's not a direct representation of the genre as a whole.”

Johnson’s dedication to authenticity is not solely about maintaining the past; it’s also about evolving within it. He strives to ensure that the genre has something to say, moving beyond clichés and superficial themes. “You have to be ready to speak to all emotions—happy, sad, or angry—because that’s what storytelling is all about in country music,” he notes.

His mission to revitalize traditional country music has not only made waves in the United States. During a tour in Australia supporting his friend Luke Combs, Johnson experienced an eye-opening moment that made him re-evaluate the potential of what he was doing. “When I walked out on stage, I thought nobody would really know who I was,” he recalls. "But the response was tremendous; they went mad, singing every word to my songs.”

Last year they played at Festa do Peão de Barretos in Brazil, the world’s largest rodeo but paradoxically a world away from what he knows. “Well, I'm thinking, rodeo, I'm a cowboy, you know, I used to rodeo, so maybe that's my crowd.” You don’t have to be from the United States to feel the heartache, joy, or introspection embedded in its lyrics. “I saw 60,000 people who didn’t even speak English singing my songs.”

Johnson acknowledges that this international exposure is vital for the future of country music, comparing it to the path that earlier icons forged. “Elvis Presley never toured outside the United States,” he points out. “But as artists, we have the chance to promote country music on the world stage.” His friends, such as Luke Combs, share this vision, recognizing the importance of reaching global audiences. “Country music isn’t just America’s anymore; it’s worldwide.”

Amidst the whirlwind of touring, fame, and expanding his musical reach, when Johnson returns home, the transformation is palpable, embodying the duality of his existence as both an artist and a rootin' tootin' Cowboy. “When I go home, I turn the switch off and I’m just a dad,” he states with a smile that radiates pride for his family life.

“You won’t catch Cody Johnson running around my ranch,” he chuckles. Whether it’s tagging calves or spending time with his children, these everyday moments remind him of the roots that ground him amid the demands of a budding career.

But like any exploding genre, it has its growing pains. Country is all about authenticity and not everyone is a cowboy like Cody. But so what? Cody doesn’t want to gatekeep and only sees new eyes on the culture as a good thing. "When I was a kid, I had a Michael Jordan jersey and I had Michael Jordan tennis shoes. Michael Jordan's my favorite athlete of all time, arguably the greatest athlete of all time. I remember watching the McDonald's commercials and being like, ‘I want to be like Mike’.” He sings the melody from the advert and laughs. “I'm the worst basketball player in the world, bro. The worst."

Johnson’s point is that identity isn’t connected to experience so concretely. When we encounter a song, culture or piece of art that moves us, we do whatever we can to connect to it as deeply as possible. "Cowboys have a tendency to be like, well, they don't need a cowboy hat on. He's not a real cowboy. But what's the difference between that and me wearing my Michael Jordan jersey? When I see other people wearing their hats, I'm like, that means that I'm doing something right.”

For Johnson, being the only real cowboy in Nashville is important. “Success changes you, they say, but I’m still the same person. This job is something that I've worked for my entire life, and I truly don’t feel like I could live without it,” Johnson admits. It is this dichotomy—of being both a celebrated star and a devoted family man—that fuels his songwriting and adds authenticity to his legacy.

“My job is to bring stories, and we’re gonna have a damn good time doing it. When they hear me, if they fall in love with that sound, I want them to say, 'That guy Cody Johnson represents country music.”