Throwing it back to the early days of his career.
Cody Johnson knows the grind it takes to make your dream come true in country music. The “C’mon Cowgirl” singer comes from a strong work ethic, growing up as a bull rider before deciding to leave his job as a prison guard to play music full-time. Johnson also knows that traveling the nation singing for anyone who would listen is not for the faint of heart. It’s emotionally and financially draining to make this dream a reality.
During a recent conversation with RFD-TV for an episode of On The Record, Cody got very candid about the financial struggles that came with this dream, recalling a time when he was driving from Mount Rushmore to Omaha, Nebraska, to play another gig, and he had only $100 until the next gig. He had to choose between eating and putting gas in the tank for the drive, and he chose the latter. He pointed out that it was a reflection of how much he loved country music, adding that he would “do it again in a minute”:
“We drove from Mount Rushmore to Omaha, Nebraska, to make the next gig. And I had $100 leftover from what we had been doing. I had a choice: either put the $100 in the gas tank or get something to eat. So I chose the gas tank. That’s how much I love country music.
From the very beginning, I wanted to be in front of people playing and sharing that piece of my soul. I’d do it again in a minute. I’d do it a hundred times over. It’s all about the getting there.”
Those tough choices paid off because Johnson is now a household name. But long before Johnson scored his first number one hit with “‘Til You Can’t,” he was humbly performing for radio stations all around Texas, trying to push his name and music that he had released independently.
One song that Johnson struck gold with while he was independent was his 2011 release “Diamond In My Pocket.”
Penned by Johnson, Trent Willmon, and Thomas Daniel Green, “Diamond In My Pocket” appears on Johnson’s self-released 2011 record A Different Day. The track highlights a man who is wrestling with his own anxieties about what the future holds, yet despite the world’s chaos, he has never felt more certain that he can make the ultimate commitment to the woman he loves and ask her to marry him.
“Baby, there’s a shooting starThat ones for me and youSo, hold me tight, make that wish, and pray that it comes trueNow I ain’t sure of muchBut this I knowI got a diamond in my pocket and my baby’s got a heart of gold”
The song is now a staple in his catalog, and at the time of its release, it showcased the artistry Johnson possessed early in his career. On top of that, as one of his breakout songs, it showed that independent artists could find success without a major-label push. While Johnson’s vocals have matured somewhat since the release of “Diamond In My Pocket,” at the core, this song still embodies the songwriting that made many fall in love with his style.
Back in 2012, following the song’s release, a young Cody Johnson stopped by the Texas Music Chart for an episode of the Cluttered Corner, which has a very similar feel to NPR’s Tiny Desk concert series. In the studio, Johnson performs “Diamond In My Pocket” acoustically, showcasing his unbridled talent.
Revisiting videos like this, which are over a decade old, not only showcase how far Johnson’s determination has taken him in his career, but also highlight that he’s still the same man with a burning passion for music. As Johnson performs, you can see that he’s entirely in the moment, living every word that leaves his mouth.
All attributes that make him such a stellar performer today.
While Johnson has come a long way from deciding whether to feed himself or pay for gas, revisiting moments from his early career, like this video, proves that we made the right person famous. God bless Cody Johnson.
Turn this one all the way up.
