Cody Johnson Talks Upcoming Double Album, Reveals New Surprise Project In The Works
The singer revealed he’s been “recording my butt off” for the past year and a half.
Cody Johnson; Photo by Andrew Wendowski
Cody Johnson is giving his fans a lot to look forward to. He recently teased some very exciting news regarding his upcoming deluxe album titled, Leather, as well as another project he’s already got the works.
While catching up with Justin McKee, host of the Cowboy Channel, the country star revealed his next single called “The Painter” will be impacting radio on August 14 and his Leather album will drop sometime in the fall. Johnson explained that putting this collection together was “a long process” due to its large, 24-song track list.
“Having new music out is fun,” he shared. “It’s like, I’ve worked for a year and a half and I didn’t really tell anybody. Just going into the studio kinda secretly and recording my butt off.”
While previously discussing his next set of music with Audacy’s KMLE Country 107.9, the Texas native beamed with pride as he went on to tack high expectations onto the forthcoming project.
“This round of 24 songs I have to say is the best round of songs I have ever recorded, and I feel like that’s the way it should be,” he continued “Each album should outdo the last one.”
Leather will serve as Johnson’s second consecutive double album, following his October 2021 project, Human, which featured a total of 18 tracks including the chart-topping hit “‘Til You Can’t” and his latest single, “Human.”
“There’s some fun stuff,” he added. “I think the theme of this new album is fun. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a ballad or whether it’s tongue-in-cheek kinda fun. It all has to be fun, it all has to make you kind of want to move around and bob your head a little bit.”
Cody also previously confirmed that he has recorded a duet with fellow country star, Carrie Underwood. While discussing his time working with the “Hate My Heart” singer, Johnson commended her and her team for their professionalism.
“So, getting to know her, man she’s such a pro and everybody that she surrounds herself with are all very professional as well. And I don’t mean this to sound bad, but it’s kind of hard to compete with that,” he said on CMT Hot 20 Countdown with Cody Alan.
During another recent conversation with Spencer Graves, the “Dance Her Home” singer revealed that he has a concept album called The Cowboy Sessions that’s also been brewing behind the scenes.
This project will be something completely different for Johnson as it will be entirely made up of covers that were originally released by country music greats like Marty Robbins, Willie Nelson, Chris LeDoux, George Strait, Tom T. Russell, and more.
“Doing a concept album called ‘The Cowboy Sessions,’ and it’s nothing but old cowboy songs, like Marty Robbins, Willie Nelson, so the entire record is just covers,” he explained.
Cody Johnson isn’t stopping there because as it turns out, he’s got plenty more ideas for how he can branch out and explore his creativity in his future collections.
“In my future, I think a bluegrass album, I think a gospel album…[it’d be] really fun one time to just record a full-blown rock album…”
He explained that while making his Leather album, he noticed he had recorded a few gospel songs as well as some tracks that were included solely so that he could play them in his live shows.
“That’s because I wanted to,” Johnson continued. “That’s because it’s so country I wanted to, that’s because it’s so country nobody else would cut it. These songs right here we’d probably put on the radio. Because that’s what we’re here to do is make country music. And I think that’s what’s gonna separate us from a lot of people.”
In the midst of all his time in the studio and conjuring up new ideas, Cody Johnson has been on the road for his Cody Johnson & Friends Tour. This current trek kicked off on January 20 in Lafayette, LA with Randy Houser and will continue with his run of U.S. dates before wrapping up on August 5 in Sweet Home, OR.
Following this headlining stint of shows, Cody Johnson will join Luke Combs for the international leg of his massive 2023 World Tour. Picking things back up on August 9, this trek will bring Johnson to Australia and New Zealand.
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.
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