In the words of Cody Johnson himself, “Are y’all ready for some country music?”
If you’re here, I’ll assume the answer is ‘yes,’ and Cody Johnson is dishing out over 25 tracks on his new live album, Cody Johnson & The Rockin’ CJB Live.
Not all live albums give you a full cut of what a concert would be like, but this one is like having Cody and his band right in your living room.
The live album features many fan favorites off of his Human: The Double Album project from 2021, including “Honky Tonk Hardwood Floors,” “Son of a Ramblin’ Man” and the title track, “Human.”
He throws in a few of his biggest hits, as well as some of his emotion-tinged love songs including, “Stronger” which was written for his wife.
If you’ve never seen Cody Johnson perform live, you are in for a treat. He’s certified country, no fireworks or gimmicks, and his vocal range and band sound just as good live as they do in studio cuts. In addition to so many favorites on the live album, Cody also gives you a taste of the concert experience with some live introductions, as well as my favorite part, the Rockin’ CJB Solos.
The middle of the album was the sweet spot for me, where Cody slowed things down to discuss his debilitating nerve pain in the “Human (Intro)” track, before introducing the full song. He does a live rendition of his popular love song, “’Til You Can’t,” in the next track before picking up the tempo again with a cover of Charlie Daniels’ “Long Haired Country Boy.”
He introduces the cover with a special salute to servicemen, law enforcement, first responders, and medical personnel, asking them to raise their hands:
“I want you to look at the people who have their hands raised in this arena.
If you do not have your hand in the air tonight, I would like to remind you of a very simple fact that they’re not gonna tell you on the news… these people keep you free.”
Fiddle player and band leader, Jody Bartula, really shines through on this outlaw-style cover, and in his personal solo on the new track (1:29) where Cody introduces his band.
He wraps up with the downbeat, slower tracks “On My Way to You” and “Dear Rodeo.”
If you’ve got an hour and a half, Cody Johnson and his band will give you a full panorama of their concert environment, and it’s definitely something to hear.
“Longer Than She Did”
