While making his latest album, Cody Johnson returned to his roots, drumming up inspiration from his childhood in the small town of Sebastopol, Texas, on the winding Trinity River. “Banks of the Trinity” will debut June 26, with a 16-song track list that is unmistakably personal. Anchored by traditional country and bluegrass stylings, the award-winning artist reflects on his younger days spent fishing for dinner, playing his first live show, and working summer jobs.
Johnson began working on “Banks of the Trinity” right after winning Album of the Year for “Leather” at the 2024 Country Music Association Awards. “The day we won … I said, ‘Okay, it’s time to get back to work,’” Johnson shared with Billboard. He views this album as a “journey back” to his roots, which aided his recovery after a health setback.
“It feels like it’s about time to start the next chapter,” he said.
‘Different From Anything I’ve Ever Done’
“When I heard the song ‘Banks of the Trinity’ for the first time, it was like a portrait flashed in my head of memories I thought I’d forgotten,” Johnson recently shared on social media. “It took me straight back home to Sebastopol.”
Penned by Nashville songwriters Rodney Clawson, Chris Tompkins, and Josh Kear, the song became the catalyst for Johnson’s full-length album and the title track.
The country musician made a name for himself with cowboy-inspired hits from his rodeo days, but before becoming a professional bull rider, he was a young boy shaped by time on the water. “My Dad and Mom worked very hard for the things we had, but we were not rich by any means. A lot of times, to make things stretch out a bit more, we would go down to the Trinity River, cast a net, run jug lines, and go catfishing,” he shared with Billboard.
Johnson is as clean-cut a cowboy as they come. Yet, as a teenager, he pulled a rebellious stunt or two for his love of music. At 15, he broke a cardinal rule and snuck out of the house to play his first live show at a venue along the Trinity River. That performance solidified his dedication to music. Little did he know, decades later, that he would break a concert attendance record in Texas at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. In March, 80,203 fans attended his performance, setting a concert-only attendance record for NRG Stadium previously held by the king of contemporary singing cowboys, George Strait.
The “Banks of the Trinity” album features a striking cover: a vintage photo of the former Lawrence’s Grocery Store in his hometown. He grew up riding his bicycle there for cattle market updates from shoppers. “The man that owned the store, Hootie Lawrence—his name was Harold, but everybody called him Hootie—I wound up working two summers for him, working cows and baling hay,” he explained. “He taught me a lot about just being a good human being. It gives me a chance to honor what I learned there. The cover is different from anything I’ve ever done.”
Turning a Negative Into a Positive
While working on the project, Johnson had a health scare. Recovering from an upper respiratory and sinus infection, he ruptured his eardrum, which required surgery. Not only did he have to cancel tour dates, but he also had to delay the album’s release. Like many artists, Johnson found it difficult to stay away from his craft during recovery. So, he made the most of the situation by searching for more tracks to add to the album. “When I busted my eardrum and had to take three months off, that’s when I got some of the best songs on the album,” he reflected, turning a negative into a positive.
Johnson covers a wide range of topics on the lengthy record. “Thank Somebody Country” pays tribute to blue-collar workers who keep America running. “Time Bomb” reflects on his career, expressing thanks for how both good and hard times have shaped him as a person and artist. “I Have” offers an olive branch to listeners facing their own hard times, and “Horseback,” one of his favorites, puts a fresh spin on the classic country theme of lost love.
His good friend, fellow country musician Luke Combs, is set to make a guest appearance on the album. Johnson also features a solo-written track, “Yippy Ty Oh Hey Hey,” described as “off the beaten path” and steeped in cowboy vernacular.
“I recorded [that track] in my tack room and my barn, on my phone. We were trying to work cattle and it rained us out. I was in the barn and had my grandpa’s 1943 J45 [guitar],” he said of the song’s origin. “It’s just a cowboy story that has no agenda. … It’s probably one of the most proud things I’ve ever written.”
“Banks of the Trinity” will premiere in June via his own label, COJO Music, in partnership with Warner Records Nashville. The lead single, a tender ballad titled “I Want You,” is out now.
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