We now know what Cody Johnson‘s next single will be. The Texan will release “The Fall,” coming on the heels of his multi-week, No. 1 hit, “I’m Gonna Love You,” with Carrie Underwood. “The Fall,” also from his Leather Deluxe Edition album, was written by Bobby Pinson, Ray Fulcher and Jeremy Stover.
“’The Fall’ is one of those songs that I feel like should be on a movie soundtrack,” Johnson says. “It should be on a movie soundtrack because it paints that picture of — you can see the struggle to get to the success. And I think for me, I picture guys like Michael Jordan. You see all the work and all the tired and the angry and the tears and the blood, and you get to the successful moment. And you can even apply that to relationships too, but it has that that overall movie quality about it.”
“I’m Gonna Love You” was Johnson’s fourth song to reach the top of the charts. He knew as soon as he heard it that he only wanted to record it if he could do it with Underwood.
“I get the song and as soon as I hear it, I went ‘Carrie Underwood,’” Johnson recounts. “And they’re like, ‘Well, what about this person, what about this person.’ I’m like, ‘Nope, it’s Carrie Underwood.’ So then, once Carrie and I are in the studio, she’s like, ‘You know, I had this song. This is the second time it’s come into my life’ and I’m like, ‘Well, that’s if that’s not meant to be. I don’t know what is.’”
Johnson ties Morgan Wallen and Lainey Wilson with seven nominations at the upcoming ACM Awards, topped only by Ella Langle, who has eight. “I’m Gonna Love You” is nominated for both Music Event of the Year, and Visual Media of the Year. Johnson is also nominated for Male Artist of the Year and the night’s highest honor, Entertainer of the Year, among other nominations.
Johnson has remained one of country music’s biggest success stories in recent years, but his reign was not without its challenges and hardships.
“I chose the long road, the one that comes with its scars and stories,” Johnson tells The Line of Best Fit. At the time, Johnson unsuccessfully tried to get local radio stations to play his music. Now, he understands that he wasn’t ready, although he couldn’t see it at the time.
“They wouldn’t play me on the radio because I didn’t have a really good quality record,” he admits.
The father of two can now sell out large arenas all over the globe, and has won numerous awards, but he insists he is still the same person he was in the beginning.
“Success changes you, they say, but I’m still the same person,” Johnson maintains. “This job is something that I’ve worked for my entire life, and I truly don’t feel like I could live without it.”
Find “The Fall” and all of Johnson’s music and upcoming shows at CodyJohnsonMusic.com.