The end of 2025 brought extreme highs and lows for country singer Cody Johnson. He snagged his first-ever Male Vocalist of the Year trophy at the 59th annual CMA Awards. A month earlier, he welcomed his third child—and first son—with wife Brandi in October. Unfortunately, that same month, the “Dirt Cheap” singer also had to undergo emergency surgery for a ruptured eardrum, which forced him to cancel all remaining 2025 shows.
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Recently, Johnson, 38, sat down with contemporary Christian singer Brandon Lake—his collaborator on the newly released “When a Cowboy Prays”—on the Apple Music podcast Today’s Country Radio. During this interview, the “‘Til You Can’t” crooner revealed some of the best advice he’s received in his career. And of course, it came from the “Queen of Country” herself.
“Reba McEntire told me one time that her favorite word is, ‘Be still,’” Johnson shared. “And I’m like, you know, I’m being still, and I’m not mad about it. I’m happy about it… I have a lot of gratitude for the funny little accidents that happen in your life where God’s like, ‘I just wanted you to slow down for a minute.’”
He continued, “Because here we are in January now, looking at 2026… 2026 is going to be a whirlwind, and I’m really grateful that these things have happened to slow me down before this whirlwind happens.”
How a Burst Eardrum Taught Cody Johnson Patience
When Cody Johnson suffered a ruptured eardrum following a sinus and respiratory infection, the four-time CMA Award winner had no choice but to “sit back, wait and let it heal.” This, he told Taste of Country Nights, was much easier said than done.
“Everything kind of sounds a little funny right now. It has pissed me off, for lack of a better way of saying it,” CoJo admitted. “I’ve been so irritated because I know I wanna hear these things and I wanna be better, but it’s taught me a lot of patience.”
Fortunately, the former prison guard is all healed up and ready to kick off his Leather Deluxe Tour on Feb. 6 at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex in Birmingham, Alabama. He will wrap up on July 18 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio.
Featured image by John Shearer/Getty Images for ACM
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