Bryce Leatherwood Covers His ‘Favorite’ Cody Johnson Song, ‘The Painter’
The rising star felt inspired to cover this tune after seeing Johnson take the stage at the CMA Awards.

Bryce Leatherwood; Photos via Instagram
Cody Johnson recently brought an unforgettable rendition of his current single “The Painter” to the stage of the 57th CMA Awards. It seems The Voice winner Bryce Leatherwood felt especially inspired by this performance as he recently took to social media to showcase his rendition of the heartfelt country tune, which he dubs his “favorite” Cody Johnson song.
Sitting in front of the camera with his black Stetson, wrangler t-shirt, black denim jacket, and his guitar, Leatherwood made the song his own. He plucked the acoustic guitar and let his baritone vocals shine among the narrative that soulfully honors the woman who shows the utmost support for the man she loves.
His caption read, “Here’s my cover of The Painter which is of my favorite @codyjohnson songs. What a performance he had last week at the @cma awards and what an incredible song.”
Co-written by Benjy Davis, Kat Higgins and Ryan Larkins and produced by Trent Willmon, “The Painter” appears on the Texas native’s just-released Leather album.
During his recent CMA performance, Johnson made it significantly clear that while he didn’t have a hand in writing this song, he holds a deep connection to it as it reminds him of his wife, Brandi. While on stage, he delivered the heart-pounding lyrics as an image of his wife and muse was brushed onto the background, creating a stunning piece of artwork.

Leatherwood Enters A New Chapter With Debut Single, “The Finger”
Leatherwood recently embarked on a new chapter of his budding career as he dropped his debut single, “The Finger” on October 27.
Co-written by Randy Montana, Jeremy Spillman, and Brett Sheroky and produced by Will Bundy, the envy-filled breakup anthem depicts the painful narrative of seeing an ex start a life with someone new and leaving the former relationship in “a cloud of dust.”
“As I’ve spent time in Nashville doing a lot of writing, I’ve also had the opportunity to hear a lot of great songs that have been written by other writers. The second I heard this song it caught my ear. ‘The Finger’ was a song I wish I’d written,” said Leatherwood.

While the hard-hitting country tune is based on the reality of an emotionally charged situation, it also offers a comical approach. Throughout the chorus, Leatherwood reveals that in the end, all the heartbroken character got was the middle finger while his ex’s new man “got a “Yes” with a big ol’ “I do.”
“Yeah, he got her hand to hold on the long ride / I got a cloud of dust and the taillights / He’s got his best days comin’, mine ain’t comin’ back / Yeah, he got the gold mine, I got the shaft / He got a “Yes” with a big ol’ “I do” / I got them hand grenades and horseshoes / He got the honey and I got the stinger / She got the ring and I got the finger,” Leatherwood delivers on the upbeat chorus.
First New Music Since Signing A Record Deal

The release of this tune marks the rising star’s first offering of new music since signing his first record deal with Universal Music Group Nashville in alliance with Republic Records. The announcement was made on Monday (Oct. 23), nearly a year from when Leatherwood was crowned winner of Season 22 of NBC’s The Voice.
A lot has changed for Leatherwood in that time. He has gotten the chance to put his music on display in front of countless country fans as he continues to perform a mix of headlining and opening sets for artists like Dwight Yoakam.
The next show on the books for Bryce Leatherwood is the Cherry Blossom Festival in Macon, GA on March 23.
To stay up to date on all of Leatherwood’s upcoming shows, visit his official website HERE.
Madeleine O’Connell graduated from North Central College with a bachelors degree in Journalism and Broadcast Communications before deciding to pursue her studies further at DePaul University. There, she earned her masters degree in Digital Communication & Media Arts. O’Connell served as a freelance writer for over two years while also interning with the Academy of Country Music, SiriusXM and Circle Media and assisting with Amazon Music’s Country Heat Weekly podcast. In addition to Country Now, she has been published in American Songwriter, Music Mayhem, and Holler.Country. Madeleine O’Connell is a member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.