Cody Johnson is so excited about his inaugural role as a host of the three-hour CMA Fest TV special. For Johnson, the chance to show the world the power of country music is important for the genre’s future, and for him as an artist.

“This is not just a festival that there are a certain, select few acts,” Johnson tells The Tennessean. “This is pretty much the who’s who in country music. So getting to be seen, hosting, and I’m getting to perform too, it’s really cool. It’s a big honor. And I think every artist you talk to probably says something similar.”

Fortunately, Johnson isn’t hosting the show solo. The Texan will be joined by Ashley McBryde, who also hosted last year, alongside Jelly Roll.

“CMA Fest is a big deal. But I’ve got Ashley McBryde by my side, so it makes me feel a little more confident. She’s already been here. This is her second time.”

Fortunately, Johnson and McBryde aren’t strangers. McBryde served as the opening act on Johnson’s Leather Tour last fall.

 

Johnson will certainly have plenty of this to choose from when he takes the stage at CMA Fest on Friday, June 6. Johnson is back at radio with “The Fall,” after having a multi-week, No. 1 hit, “I’m Gonna Love You,” with Carrie Underwood.

“’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.”

Prior to “I’m Gonna Love You,” Johnson released “Dirt Cheap,” a song that recently won an ACM Award, for Song of the Year. It also became Johnson’s third chart-topping single.

“I personally relate to this song because I have a ranch at home that I have memories with my daughters growing up with,  memories with my wife and my horses and my dogs and my cows and things that mean a lot to a guy like me,” the Texan tells his record label. “So, when you hear that, know that that one comes from the bottom of my heart.”

Although Johnson didn’t write “Dirt Cheap,” the father of two (with one on the way), resonated with the song as if he had written it himself.

“That’s one of my favorites,” Johnson tells Yahoo. “The first time I heard it I cried because I’m a cattle rancher. I breed roping horses and we work on a ranch in Texas and it is a lot. I’ve made a joke ever since we bought this ranch. I told my wife, ‘I hope you love this house because I’m never moving. I’ve already got the oak tree picked out where I’m going to be buried.’

“Being on that cattle ranch and having those places you hold dearly, to have the memories of your kids and your horses and dogs and your wife, that’s a big deal,” he continued. “So I really related to that song. I took that song to the first five toughest guys I know and played it for them, and they all cried, so I said, “Well we’ve got a winner here.”

The three-hour CMA Fest TV special will air on June 26 on ABC. Find all of Johnson’s music and upcoming shows at CodyJohnsonMusic.com.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of the CMA / Chris Douglas