Country singer Cody Johnson rejected early Nashville demand to drop cowboy hat

Country music singer Cody Johnson walked away from an early record deal in Nashville after executives requested that he stop wearing his signature cowboy hat, Fox News reported. Johnson stated in an interview with CBS Mornings that executives suggested he wear a baseball cap instead. He turned down the deal because he viewed the request as a demand to change his identity before finding success in the music industry. [1]

Johnson spent a decade building his career independently after rejecting the offer, according to Fox News. He self-released six albums between 2006 and 2017 while establishing a fan base in the Texas music scene. His independent album Gotta Be Me debuted at number two on the Billboard Country Albums chart and sold more than one million copies. [1][2][5]

Johnson later signed a joint venture deal with Warner Music Nashville and Cojo Music in 2018. He released his first major-label album, Ain't Nothin' to It, in January 2019. His hit single 'Til You Can't reached number one on the Billboard Country Airplay chart, won a Grammy Award for Best Country Song, and earned two awards at the Country Music Association Awards in 2022. [2][5]

The artist has released additional works including the double album Human: The Double Album in October 2021. His album Leather won the CMA Album of the Year award on November 20, 2024. Johnson has accumulated more than nine billion global streams throughout his career. [2][5]