Ashley McBryde was spot on when she predicted “this is gonna be the one we talk about,” during her opening set for Cody Johnson’s second of two back-to-back headlining shows in Nashville, TN. Between the star-studded lineup of surprise guests, out-of-this-world performances and emotional moments with the sold-out crowd, the night was nothing short of unforgettable.
On Saturday, Feb. 15, Johnson brought his Texas spirit to Music City as part of his Leather Deluxe Tour, marking the second of two sold-out shows in Nashville, where he performed for a combined audience of over 30,000 fans across both nights. It’s safe to say he far exceeded expectations of his fans with the epic conclusion of his two-night stand in Nashville. The show kicked off as usual, with the country star bringing his electric energy to the stage with a rowdy delivery of “That’s Texas,” setting the tone for all the pure passion and award-winning storytelling set to be on display throughout the evening.
It’s nearly impossible to compare Johnson’s performance level to any other artist, and he proved this over the course of the 90-minute show. Fans from all over made their way to Bridgestone Arena to experience his concert, and showed their support by cheering so loud, it’s likely they could be heard down the street to Nashville’s Lower Broadway scene. The crowd sang along to the entire 20-song setlist stacked with fan-favorites including “My and My Kind,” “Human,” “Dirt Cheap,” “The Painter,” and “Til You Can’t,” to name a few.
There are so many reasons why this show will go down as one of Nashville’s most talked about nights, but if we had to narrow it down, these are the top five moments that stood out.
1. Uniting With Ian Munsick For “Long Live Cowgirls”
About seven songs into the show, Cody Johnson welcomed his first surprise guest of the night, his former tourmate, Ian Munsick. He signaled his fiddle player that it was his time to shine, prompting the musician to strum his string instrument while Johnson plucked his acoustic guitar and delivered the opening lyrics to “Long Live Cowgirls.”
Originally released in 2022, the song, co-penned by Munsick with Aby Gutierrez and Phil O’Donnell, aims to celebrate the western way of life, a culture both Johnson and Munsick proudly embody. Once the chorus hit, the screams of excitement intensified as the crowd saw Munsick making his way onto the stage to help finish out the tune. They took turns lending their vocals to the heartwarming song before wrapping up with a collective coyote cry.
2. Singing “I’m Gonna Love You” With Carrie Underwood
Cody Johnson’s latest contribution to country radio is “I’m Gonna Love You,” is a stunning duet with eight-time GRAMMY winner, Carrie Underwood. With the tune heating up airwaves and appearing on the deluxe edition of his Leather album, it was only fitting for Johnson to include it in his set list. So when the singer/songwriter stepped onto the platform with a single spotlight illuminating him and the delicate hum of the piano filling the arena, a round of hopeful screams thundered through the audience. Seconds later, fans’ dreams became a reality as Underwood made her grand entrance beside Johnson in her cheetah-print denim skirt, black stiletto boots and a bedazzled COJO t-shirt.
@countrynow.com it wouldn’t be Nashville without surprises! @Carrie Underwood joins @Cody Johnson ♬ original sound – CountryNow.com
He flashed a knowing smile to the crowd before flawlessly intertwining his voice with the American Idol alum’s silky tone and singing their hearts out to the narrative that centers around a couple’s promise to stand by each other through life’s highs and lows. Together, the artists created a powerhouse moment that sent chills through the arena and left fans buzzing well beyond the final note.
“I don’t know how we’re gonna follow that,” Johnson admitted as Underwood made her exit. He then added, “I thought it was pretty cool.”
3. “’Til You Can’t” Spawns Tearful Moment
“’Til You Can’t” emerged in 2021 and quickly became a life-changing track for Johnson. Each time he sings it, no matter the setting, he manages to exude the same power and raw emotions as the day it was recorded. The overwhelming feeling of gratitude Johnson feels for his fans as a result of this song’s success came alive in full force on Saturday when he stepped up to the mic and sang the tune’s hook without a single instrument accompanying his gritty vocals. A few notes in, his voice audibly cracked from the wave of emotions that washed over him, causing him to step back and take it all in.
He signaled to his band to keep playing while he attempted to compose himself and dry the tears filling his eyes. “Literally said it takes a lot to get me to cry and y’all did it tonight,” Johnson admitted.
The artist encouraged the audience to “sing at the top of your lungs” in celebration of the song that will always be a massive part of his musical journey as was his first No. 1 on the country Billboard charts. He finished out the performance with that same passion in his heart and his fans happily fulfilled his request by turning the show into a massive sing-along.
4. Luke Combs’ Surprise Encore Appearance
Before wrapping up the night, Johnson had one more trick up his sleeve. “Now the question is, do you want more” he asked, earning a resounding “yes” from the crowd. The “Dirt Cheap” singer proceeded to tease his next and final song by asking a team member to remove the cups from the stage as he noted, “we aren’t gonna need this for the next song either” because it’s “about beer.”
@countrynow.com not sure if it’s ever been louder inside Bridgestone Arena 🤯 #codyjohnson #lukecombs ♬ original sound – CountryNow.com
To fans’ surprise, Luke Combs emerged to join Johnson for a high-energy rendition of “Beer Never Broke My Heart.” The pair of country music stars don’t have an official duet recorded together; however, Johnson found a way to incorporate him into the show by swapping out one of his own originals for Combs’ smash hit as his grand finale. The second the well-known opening of the track played, the crowd knew what was about to happen. So, Johnson tapped his boot, delivered the first verse and then belted out the remainder of the song with his unexpected guest. In true Luke Combs fashion, he challenged Johnson to a shot-gunning challenge (which he won by a landslide) and gave his fellow artist one final hug before waving farewell to the arena.
5. A No Frills Approach
Among all the surprises and emotional moments that took place, by far the most important thing to emphasize about a Cody Johnson show is the fact that he doesn’t need flashy production or eye-catching elements to leave a lasting impact on his fans. There are no over-the-top spectacles, like fire shooting out of the stage or massive screens with moving graphics. Instead, Johnson leans solely on his entertaining skills, allowing him to place the focus on the music and celebrate the journey that led him to this point.
With every performance, he reminds fans why they fell in love with country music and proves that a great show isn’t measured by the level of production, but by the raw passion and authenticity of the artist. Stripping the production elements down also allows him the space to share the stories behind his songs and celebrate the sense of unity that makes his concerts so special.
Cody Johnson’s Leather Deluxe Tour launched three weeks ago and has already delivered seven sold-out shows. The trek is set to run through August 15, with special guests varying by date.
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