2006–2014: Career beginnings In 2006, Johnson formed the Cody Johnson Band with his father, Carl, and drummer Nathan Reedy. Together they recorded and released an album,
Black and White Label on January 6, 2006 through his own CoJo label. In 2006, the band added Matt Rogers on lead guitar and recorded a live album,
Live and Rocking in 2007, at Shenanigans and Confetti's Club in Huntsville. After the release of the album, Johnson's father quit the band. and three singles from the album reached the top 10 of the Texas music charts, including "Texas Kind of Way." After the album's release, the band added Chris Whitten on fiddle and Jeff Smith on lead guitar. Johnson won the 2011 Texas Regional Music Award for New Male Vocalist of the Year. Also in 2012, Johnson's band, now composed of Reedy, Smith, Bartula, and bassist Joey Pruski changed their name to the Rockin' CJB. It was his second album to be produced by Trent Willmon. The deep cut "Me and My Kind" later went viral on TikTok in 2020, becoming a concert staple and one of his most popular songs. As of 2014, Johnson's band comprised Smith, Bartula, Pruski, and drummer Miles Stone. His sixth album,
Gotta Be Me, was released on August 5, 2016. The album debuted at No. 11 on the Billboard 200, and at No. 2 on the Top Country Albums chart, selling 23,000 copies in the US in its first week. It was Johnson's most successful release to date, achieved without major label support or widespread radio play. His seventh album, ''
Ain't Nothin' to It, was released on January 18, 2019. It includes the single "On My Way to You", which was his first Top 20 hit on Country Airplay. The album and single were both released via Warner Records Nashville. In 2019, he collaborated with Brooks & Dunn on a new version of their hit song "Red Dirt Road", which appears on their album Reboot''.
2021–2025: Human: The Double Album and Leather Johnson released his most popular hit to date "
'Til You Can't" in June 2021, debuting at number 42 on the
Billboard Hot Country Songs chart dated June 26, 2021. Johnson's eighth album,
Human: The Double Album, was released on October 8, 2021. The song went on to become his first Country radio chart-topper, earned him his first
Grammy Award for Best Country Song, peaked at No. 18 on the
Billboard Hot 100, and was certified
six-times Platinum. It was notably covered by
Kid Rock during the
All-American Halftime Show in 2026. "
Human" was chosen as the follow-up single, sent to Country radio on June 6, 2022. Johnson announced "
The Painter" in an interview with
iHeartRadio's Spencer Graves in July 2023, which was set to be sent to country radio on August 14 as the lead single for his ninth album. It was a major success, becoming his second chart-topper, being certified triple Platinum, and peaked at No. 25 on the
Billboard Hot 100. The album went Platinum, had a sold-out tour in promotion, won the
CMA Album of the Year award, and released the
Leather Deluxe Edition in November 2024, adding 12 new tracks. That year, he also collaborated with
Terri Clark on a new version of her song "
I Just Wanna Be Mad" for her album
Take Two. In 2025, he won
ACM Song of the Year for "Dirt Cheap" and CMA Male Vocalist of the Year. On November 7, 2025, Johnson released his highly anticipated viral cover of
The Chicks' ''
Travelin' Soldier" in honor of the Veterans Day holiday. Upon its official release, the studio version debuted at No. 12 on the
Billboard Hot 100, making it the highest-charting song of his career.
2026–present: Banks of the Trinity Johnson announced his tenth studio album is titled
Banks of the Trinity, officially scheduled for release on June 26, 2026. The lead single "I Want You" was released on April 17, 2026. == Artistry ==