Born in Texas 39 Years Ago Today, the Ex-Prison Guard Who Went From Unsigned Artist to Entertainer of the Year

For an artist who signed with a major label under a decade ago, Cody Johnson has much to show for it. However, that path to the Academy of Country Music’s reigning Entertainer of the Year has stretched across two decades, beginning in 2006 when he released his debut album with the Cody Johnson Band, Black and White Label, through his own CoJo record label. Born on this day (May 21) in 1987 in the tiny Texas town of Sebastopol, Johnson has reaped the benefits of his early grassroots efforts.

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Cody Johnson’s Unassuming Beginnings

Reared on traditional country stalwarts—Merle Haggard, George Strait, Loretta Lynn, Hank Williams, Willie Nelson—”CoJo” learned music from his father. Through performances at school and local bars, he discovered he had a knack for entertaining.

Johnson’s other passion was riding bulls, and he initially hoped to join the professional rodeo circuit. At the same time, he worked alongside his father for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice in Huntsville.

In 2006, the “Dirt Cheap” crooner formed the Cody Johnson Band with his father, Carl, and drummer Nathan Reedy. Adding Matt Rogers on guitar, they released one studio album and a live album before Carl quit the band.

With the addition of bassist Danny Salinas, Johnson released Six Strings One Dream in September 2009. Building a dedicated following in his home state, he quit his day job to focus on music full time in 2011.

His 2014 Breakthrough

Unable to rely on support from radio airplay or a major label, Cody Johnson nonetheless found mainstream success with his 2014 album Cowboy Like Me, which reached number seven on the country albums chart.

His following gained attention from Nashville, but meetings with major-label executives always seemed to end the same.

“They were like, ‘The cowboy hat doesn’t work and you need to change your sound and you’re gonna have to play the game,’” Johnson said in a March 2025 interview. “Basically, you’re gonna have to sign your life away if you want a record deal. And I wasn’t willing to do that.”

After self-releasing six albums, the “‘Til You Can’t” singer signed with Warner Music Nashville in June 2018. To date, he has notched five number-one singles, most recently with his latest song, “The Fall”. Just this past weekend, he took home both Male Vocalist and Entertainer of the Year honors at the 61st annual ACM Awards.

“Every time I step on that stage, all I’m looking for is that connection with y’all out in the crowd,” Johnson wrote in a May 17 Instagram post. “Thank you for letting me use this gift God gave me to share those moments together.”

Featured image by John Shearer/Getty Images for ACM