Cody Johnson Recalls Walking Away From Nashville Record Labels That Wanted to Change Him
“It was the, ‘You’re great, but once we change you, you’ll make it.’”
Cody Johnson; Photo by Jay Trevino
Cody Johnson is reflecting on his rise to fame in a new interview with CBS Mornings, where he revealed that when he initially tried to sign with a Nashville record label, executives wanted to change him and turn him into someone he wasn’t.
“They wanted a baseball cap, which I have nothing against, but it was the approach,” Johnson explained to CBS’ Jan Crawford in the interview. “It was the, ‘You’re great, but once we change you, you’ll make it.’”
Johnson admitted the experience “pissed me off,” prompting him to walk away from the opportunity.
“And I tipped my hat and said, ‘Thank you for your time.’”
After those initial meetings in Nashville, Johnson returned to his home state of Texas, where he continued working as an independent artist and selling CDs out of his car.
“Had to go out and play bars and honky-tonks and cut my teeth doing it the hard way,” he recalled. “The pressure of knowing that you don’t know how to pay your water bill and you’ve just been on the road for a month and haven’t seen your wife or your child, and you have nothing to show for it. That’s tough to look in the mirror.”
The Texas native recalled feeling a new sense of pressure but ultimately deciding he would never stop chasing his dreams.
“I think that I just had decided at that point that no matter what, no matter how hard, no matter how high the mountain, I will not back down. I will not quit,” he remembered thinking.
A few years later, the same Nashville record labels that had once turned him down or tried to change him began to recognize that Johnson was going to stay true to himself. Eventually, he found a path forward without having to compromise who he was as an artist.
Johnson signed with Warner Music Nashville and eventually brought his music to country radio, earning his first No. 1 hit in 2018 with “’Til You Can’t” and later scoring hits with “Human,” “The Painter” and “I’m Gonna Love You” with Carrie Underwood.
Today, Johnson is a bona fide superstar, selling out arenas across the country and around the world.
While this was something he had dreamed about for years, Johnson admitted he never imagined his career would reach these heights.
“Truthfully, in my core, I didn’t feel I was capable of attaining a goal that big, to be a huge country music star, to own a cattle ranch. I felt like there was a ceiling of like, ‘Well, I’m only allowed to go to here.’”
Heading into this year’s 60th Annual CMA Awards, Johnson has earned four nominations, including the evening’s top honor, Entertainer of the Year.
Johnson has built his career by staying true to himself, and it’s safe to say we’re glad he didn’t sacrifice who he was during those early meetings in Nashville.
Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.
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