Photo by Chris Douglas from codyjohnsonmusic.com
by Ryan Stone
Cody Johnson’s road to country music’s biggest stage has plenty of Huntsville in it.
The Texas native picked up four CMA Award nominations this year, including the big one —Entertainer of the Year— along with Male Vocalist of the Year, Single of the Year, and Video of the Year for “The Fall.”
Long before the arenas, awards, and sold-out shows, Cody was grinding it out on the Texas music circuit, playing bars, dance halls, and any stage that would have him. Huntsville was part of that story, too. He performed here in town, and at Shenanigans, he met his future wife, Brandi. The two later married in 2008 and have been together through the climb from small Texas venues to some of the biggest stages in country music.
Cody also spent years working as a prison guard before deciding to chase music full-time, building his career the old-fashioned way — touring hard, growing a loyal Texas fan base, and staying true to the sound that got him there.
Now, the guy who once played Huntsville barrooms is nominated for the biggest honor in country music.
That’s a pretty good reminder that sometimes the road to Nashville runs straight through East Texas.
And of course, you’ll hear plenty of Cody Johnson right here on 101.7 KSAM.
