It’s tough to follow up previous duet partners like Carrie Underwood and Jelly Roll, but as he works on his next musical chapter, Cody Johnson is teasing a new collaborator who might be one of his biggest yet.
During a conversation with Audacy‘s Katie Neal this month, Johnson was asked if he’d ever think about duetting with Luke Combs. And — well, he certainly didn’t say no.
“I mean, it could be in the works,” Johnson hinted. “I can neither confirm nor deny.”
The two country powerhouses appeared onstage together during Johnson’s Nashville show in mid-February. Combs came out at the very end of the night, during the second encore, and they sang a barn-burning version of Combs’ “Beer Never Broke My Heart” to close down the show.
Read More: Cody Johnson Closes His Show With a Raucous Luke Combs Surprise
He wasn’t the only unannounced guest during that show, but he was the most out-of-left-field artist to join Johnson onstage, since he was the only one that night who hadn’t (yet) released a duet with Johnson.
But Johnson’s conversation with Audacy sure makes it sounds like a Luke Combs collab is a strong possibility.
“Maybe I’m going in this year to record a new album,” the singer said. “And there’s a certain song that I’m pretty certain..we’re just, we’re kind of playing with it, we’re going back and forth.”
He also had nothing but praise for Combs’ live presence, especially his signature trick of shotgunning a beer onstage during “Beer Never Broke My Heart.”
“When he shotguns a beer, it, like, defies science and physics to me. I’m like, ‘Where does the liquid go?'” Johnson joked.
Read More: Cody Johnson Reveals His Secret Pre-Show Routine
Johnson’s most recent album is the deluxe edition of Leather, which he released in November. That follows the original Leather project, which came out in 2023. He typically gets back in the studio after an album at a pretty rapid clip. Normally, he averages an album release (and sometimes a double album) every two years.
So if Johnson continues that pace, fans could certainly expect to see the fruits of his newest studio sessions — including a potential Combs duet — within a year or so.
The Top 40 Country Songs of 2024, Ranked
New country artists and traditionalists rule this Top Country Songs of 2024 list.
Airplay charts, sales data and streaming numbers helped make this list of country music’s Top 40 songs of 2024, but staff and Taste of Country reader opinion were also influential.
Songs included on our previous Top Country Songs lists were not eligible.
Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes
