A very special second music video for “The Painter.”
Today, Cody Johnson released another music video for his #1 hit song “The Painter,” which features a painting by a young woman with special needs named Katie McCormick.
Katie’s mom connected with their local station after hearing the song on the radio during a rough morning dropping her daughter off at school, just ahead of Katie’s 18th birthday:
“On Friday August 11, 2023, I had just dropped Katie off at school and headed to work listening to our favorite radio duo Nate and Traci from US 96.3.
I was very much in my head that morning with a thousand swirling thoughts, half listening to the conversation because Katie was turning 18 the next day.”
She says “The Painter” started playing and struck her immediately, especially the line where Cody says “I don’t remember my life before she came into the picture.” Katie has intractable epilepsy, in addition to right sided weakness and a learning delay disability.
Though she certainly hasn’t let that stop her from finding a passion, as Katie discovered a love of painting as a therapeutic outlet through a connection with her dedicated art teacher, Debby Francis. Katie’s mom says she broke down listening to CoJo’s song, tears streaming down her face as she was reminded of how bold and beautiful her daughter is too:
“This mom, having a moment in her car listening to the radio, lost it, tears streaming at this point. Ugly crying. Katie has overcome so many obstacles. Every new verse, I could picture a different phase of life, story or image of her. Through a blur of tears, I reached for my phone and sent a text message to the radio station thanking them for playing that song right at that moment. She is the color to MY life.”
After the story made it’s way to Cody’s label Warner Music Nashville, they partnered with an AI artist to bring Katie’s painting to life in the new video
“While this song is written about a man’s love for his wife and how she colors his world, it allows everyone who hears it to drift away in thought to that person who adds beauty and color to their own life.
Be that a child, a parent, spouse, or friend. This is what country music is all about.”
Amen to that.
“The Painter” was written by Benjy Davis, Kat Higgins and Ryan Larkins and included on Cody’s 2023 Leather album, and it was recently nominated for the ACM Award for Song of the Year.
It’s a super sweet gesture by Cody and his team to make a new video and include Katie’s artwork, and I’m sure the new music video is something that Katie and her mom will treasure forever. Make sure you check it out while you’re here:
And the original music video:
