More CoJo on the way.
When Cody Johnson announced Leather, he noted that it would be a two-part album, with the first part released last fall.
“This fall, I’m not sure if it will be November or December, the first part of my deluxe album will come out, and I’ve been secretly behind everybody’s back recording a 24-track deluxe album.”
The tracks off the first album, like “The Painter” and “Dirt Cheap,” captured fans’ hearts instantly, making the release of the first part a huge success. Since the release, Johnson hit the road on his Leather tour celebrating the new songs.
And recently, he announced on stage that the album’s second half was done.
“‘Leather: The Deluxe Edition’ is officially done, and you’ll have it this fall.”
On the red carpet of the CMA Awards, Johnson chatted with Canada’s Pure Country Radio, noting that his album felt different from the others he had done. He wanted to take some songs out on the road, see what stuck, and then let fan’s reactions organically create the songs that would be featured.
“There’s a deluxe edition coming next year with 12 more tracks. This body of work is a little bit unique in the fact that I wanted to give the listener, give the fan a little bit of time to get to know these songs.
Let’s not make a plan of that’s the next single, and that’s the next single. Let’s see what happens…see what streams, see what reacts at live shows, and let the songs battle it out for themselves instead of us making a plan based on an algorithm that’s going to work.
There are songs that may show themselves to be a huge hit that we didn’t give much of a chance. As organically as this was created, the freedom to go in and cut a record just because I wanted to…we are just kind of going to let it ride. Let the fans decide, and let the songs decide.”
One track I hope Johnson sees how much the fans already love is “Over Missing You.” He has taken the acoustic track on the road over the last year, and it quickly gained popularity as fans begged it to be released.
“I’m over packing bags
I’m over being gone
And I’m over waking up over 500 miles from home..”
The song wrestles with a theme we have seen recently from many artists about life on the road. While it’s so amazing to see a dream you have been chasing for so long come true, it also stings knowing that you are taking time away from your wife and kids at home. The song’s hook notes that he longs to come home because he knows he will be over missing his loved ones.
I feel this one will be another hit for Johnson, and I can’t wait to hear the studio cut.
