Cody Johnson shocked fans earlier this year when he and his wife walked the ACM Awards red carpet and she was sporting a baby bump.
The couple will soon welcome their third child, but first son.
The hitmaker admits he’s been thoughtful about what the future will look like for his little boy.
“He’s going to get to grow up differently than I did,” Johnson told Taste of Country during a small media roundtable. “I grew up going catfishing a lot and hunting a lot.”
However, those weren’t leisure activities for the singer like many might enjoy them.
“A lot of that was out of necessity,” he says. “Not that we necessarily couldn’t afford certain things, but it just made life a lot easier whenever you go out and catch 24 catfish and you clean them and then you have meat in the freezer.”
“We were told trophy hunting is for rich guys, so if you went hunting and it was a doe, you killed the doe and all the meat was used,” he explains.
Johnson has come a long way since growing up in Sebastopol, Texas. Professionally, he has charted No. 1 singles, earned serval ACM and CMA Awards, been on successful tours and so much more.
It’s the fruit of his labor that has allowed his family to not struggle like he sometimes did as a kid. He’s aware of how he provides for them, and he’s proud of that.
“For him [future son], he’s going to get to grow up and not worry about any of that,” he admits.
“So now he’s just going to get to go hunting for fun and fish because he likes it.”
“He’s going to get to grow up with the opportunity of being a cowboy, and growing up actually working dad’s actual functioning ranch,” he says, smiling.
The Johnsons have 350 acres of horse and cattle ranch. The singer is a former bull rider.
“Riding bulls is a far cry from being a successful cattle rancher and horse breeder,” he says.
Related: Cody Johnson: ‘I Was Not a Good Kid’ Until This [Secret History]
The property is a work in progress — they’re building there — and Johnson hopes it will be in the family long beyond his time on earth.
“This is a legacy for Cody Johnson what we’re doing right now,” he states. “For the Johnson family, that legacy is going to be all those acres of land and that is instilled.”
“I paid with a guitar, but it will live long after I’m not playing guitar.”
As for whether he’d let his son follow in his bull-riding footsteps? His answer was quick and to the point.
“Hell yeah,” he says, smiling. “Now, Brandi is going to disagree, but I’m not going to say no.”
When baby boy arrives, he’ll join big sisters Clara Mae and Cori.
Country Stars Who Are Having Babies in 2025
The country music family is expanding in 2025. These country singers are all making space for new bundles of joy this year. Some are first-time parents, while others are already experts at this “parenting” thing, but every new arrival is sure to be equally sweet. Keep scrolling to see photos of all the stars who will become parents in 2025.
Gallery Credit: Carena Liptak
