This Week’s Backstage Country Co-Host: Cody Johnson
Cody Johnson is stepping into the radio booth this week as a guest host on Backstage Country, joining Elaina Smith for a week of candid, behind-the-scenes conversations that give fans a…
Cody Johnson is stepping into the radio booth this week as a guest host on Backstage Country, joining Elaina Smith for a week of candid, behind-the-scenes conversations that give fans a peek at the man behind the hits.
Cody Johnson Reveals Wife’s Reaction to his 2023 CMA Performance
While talking about his hits, Smith remembered CoJo’s 2023 CMA Performance of “The Painter” and how his wife, Brandi, was heavily featured with a giant painting of her face in the background. Johnson chuckled, “I told Robert Deaton when he came to me with this idea, obviously the producer of the show, he said, ‘Here's what I want to do.’ And I said, ‘Robert, she's either gonna cuss me or kill me. And he goes ‘So it's not good.’ I was like, ‘Hey, we're doing it anyway.’”
Johnson was right about Brandi’s reaction. “Afterwards, she’s like, I’m obviously paraphrasing, she said, ‘I could freaking kill you for that.’ I was like, ‘I thought it was romantic.’ She said, ‘Oh, it was very romantic. But I'm not used to that many cameras being pointed at me and Nicole Kidman’s tapping me on the leg!”
On Singing with Carrie Underwood
Johnson and Carrie Underwood’s duet “I’m Gonna Love You” was released in 2024. Since his performances are spontaneous and authentic, every time he sings their duet, the music video is playing on the screen. “Everything about my show has to be organic, has to be authentic,” Johnson explains. So, the very first track that we ever agreed to run was Carrie Underwood on the big, huge image screen because it's obvious that she's not there. But how do you play that song without Carrie? I mean, you just don't once it gets to that level.”
He added, “You don't play it without her, and she was very gracious when we filmed the music video to do that part of her singing and being filmed to be put on the image screen. So, most of the time, whenever I play it, Carrie’s on the screen. She's obviously way more attractive than I am. Most people are doing this; they're all looking at Carrie.”
Catch Backstage Country all week long for more of Cody Johnson’s stories on what it’s like living the life of a country music star.
