Cody Johnson Makes His Home State Proud With ‘That’s Texas’ Performance At CMT Music Awards
Johnson opened the show with a standout performance.
Cody Johnson; Photo by Rick Kern/Getty Images for CMT
Texas native Cody Johnson made the Lone Star State proud when he opened the 2024 CMT Music Awards with the television debut of his rowdy barn burner, “That’s Texas.”
The song, written by Erik Dylan, Wyatt McCubbin, and Andy Sheridan, serves as a tribute to Johnson’s home state as he sings, “That’s Texas, home of George Strait the king/ Ain’t no such thing as chili with beans/ That’s Texas, hot as a flattop griddle/ Ain’t got a band if ya ain’t got a fiddle/ That’s Texas with a capital T/ If I can’t go to Heaven, I got a plan B/ And that’s Texas/ Yeah, that’s Texas.”
Transforming the Moody Center in Austin, Texas into a full-on two-stepping Texas honky-tonk for about three minutes, Johnson delivered one of the most authentic performances of the night, complete with fiddle and steel guitar, while shouting out the likes of George Strait and Robert Earl Keen.
“That’s Texas” is featured on the platinum-selling star’s latest album, Leather. The project dropped on November 3, 2023, and also includes the chart-topping single, “The Painter,” his brand new single, “Dirt Cheap,” plus collaborations with Jelly Roll and Brooks & Dunn. Johnson is expected to release a deluxe version of the album later this year.
Heading into the show, Johnson was a three-time CMT Music Awards winner and also one of this year’s top nominees. He earned three nods in 2024, including Video of the Year and Male Video of the Year for “The Painter” and CMT Performance of the Year for “Human” from the 2023 CMT Music Awards.
In addition to Cody Johnson, the lineup of performers includes Bailey Zimmerman, Parker McCollum, Dasha, Jason Aldean, Jelly Roll, Keith Urban, Kelsea Ballerini, Lainey Wilson, Little Big Town + Sugarland, Megan Moroney, NEEDTOBREATHE + Jordan Davis, Old Dominion ft. Megan Moroney, Sam Hunt and Trisha Yearwood.
Plus, during the show, Brooks & Dunn, Lainey Wilson, and Sammy Hagar will join forces with Toby Keith’s longtime band to honor the late country music icon with a musical tribute. Lukas Nelson and Roger Clemens will also be on hand to honor Toby.
The all-star presenter lineup includes: Amber Riley, Billy Bob Thornton (Landman), Carly Pearce, Cody Alan, Cody Johnson, Emily Osment (Young Sheldon), Emma Roberts, Gayle King (CBS Mornings), James Van Der Beek, Jane Seymour, Jelly Roll, Max Theriot (Fire Country), Megan Moroney, Melissa Etheridge, Mickey Guyton, Minnie Driver, Montana Jordan (Young Sheldon), Parmalee and Paul Walter Hauser.
Hosted by Kelsea Ballerini, the 2024 CMT Music Awards will air LIVE from Austin, Texas’ Moody Center on Sunday, April 7th (8:00-11:00 PM ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. The show will be available to stream live and on-demand on Paramount+.*
Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.
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