Cody Johnson took a break from his normal setlist during a Saturday night (June 14) show to comment on the No Kings rallies taking place across the U.S. that day.
The singer — who frequently delivers impassioned speeches on his patriotism or support for the military during his shows — talked to the crowd about watching the news, and how “All I’ve seen is division.”
“They tried to divide us on politics, race, policy, all these different things, religion, foreign policy — it’s crazy,” he says in a video filmed by someone in the crowd and uploaded to TikTok.
“But tonight, at my show here tonight, we’re gonna talk about unity.”
He goes on to reflect that, despite their differences, the fans at his show all had three big things in common: “They are red, white and blue,” the singer says.
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“Do you know why it’s okay to disagree with somebody in this country? Do you realize why it’s okay to be different? To live differently, to believe differently, to walk differently, to act differently? Do you know why that’s okay and why we should all still get along?” Johnson asked fans.
“Because before most of us were born, an American soldier gave their life for the right to be different in this country and be free.”
Be that as it may, that doesn’t mean that Johnson always has to like the views his fellow Americans are expressing — especially when it comes to the most reason round of protests opposing U.S. president Trump’s policies.
After acknowledging that he was “going to say something tonight that might get me in trouble,” Johnson said he was going to use the night’s show as a chance to “protest the protests,” and he invited his fans to join him.
“I saw on the news today that there was a lot of protests for one reason or another. All across the country, people were protesting something,” Johnson continued. “But you know what I have? I have a microphone and 25,000 Americans.”
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“So tonight, we are going to protest the protests,” he said, launching into a rendition of “God Bless America” as he asked the men in attendance to remove their hats.
What Were the Nationwide “No Kings” Protests on Saturday, June 14 About?
- Held in cities across the U.S., the “No Kings” demonstration was a rejection of authoritarianism, billionaire-first politics and the militarization of our democracy, according to the organization’s website.
- It coincided with president Trump’s birthday, as well as the military parade organized by the Trump administration that took place in Washington, D.C.
- CNN reports that more than 2,000 protests were scheduled across all 50 U.S. states.
Top 20 Cody Johnson Songs Adored by COJO Nation
Cody Johnson has a way of captivating his fans with his heartfelt delivery and powerful, rugged vocals. His ability to get a crowd fired up and also draw them in for a sentimental ballad is unmatched. Although most know him for his hits “Human” and “‘Til You Can’t,” Johnson has been rocking the stage for quite some time. Let’s take a look at his Top 20 songs.
