Cody Johnson says that it wasn’t an immediate “yes” when Kid Rock first asked his permission to record a version of “‘Til You Can’t.”
But when Rock explained why he wanted to record the song — and why it was so important to him to add another verse — Johnson was immediately sold.
READ MORE: Kid Rock Adds a Verse Inspired by Charlie Kirk to Cody Johnson’s “‘Til You Can’t”
Johnson broke down the timeline on how Kid Rock’s version of “‘Til You Can’t” came to be on a recent appearance of Dale Brisby’s Rodeo Time podcast, explaining that Rock had a conversation with him about recording the song soon after he first debuted it at Arizona’s Hondo Rodeo Fest.
How Did Kid Rock Ask For Cody Johnson’s “Blessing” to Record “‘Til You Can’t?”
Johnson said he was as surprised as all the fans watching when Kid Rock covered “‘Til You Can’t” at the Hondo Rodeo last November.
Rock was filling in for Johnson that night after Johnson had to cancel his set, along with several other performances, to undergo surgery for a burst ear drum.
He says he thought it was “really cool” when he realized that Rock had covered his song at the show.
But he knew there was more to the moment when his label head, Cris Lacy, gave him a heads up that Rock was going to call or text him about the song, saying, “He wants your blessing on him releasing this version of the song.”
Why Didn’t Cody Johnson Immediately Say Yes When Kid Rock Asked Permission to Record “‘Til You Can’t”?
His first reaction?
“I actually said, ‘What do Ben Stennis and Matt Rogers think about it? ‘Cause they’re the writers,” Johnson remembers.
Johnson’s label had already gotten the thumbs up from the songwriters, as long as Johnson was okay with it. So when he got on the phone with Rock, Johnson was enthusiastic about the idea.
Even more so when Rock pitched his idea of adding a new verse.
“He said, ‘Here’s the deal…I feel like that Ben and Matt did such a great job writing the song. I don’t want to insinuate that they didn’t write it good enough.'” Rock went on rattle off all the important things that the song brings up, like cherished moments with loved ones and family.
“But they just didn’t include God,” he continued. “I just felt like, you can only ask forgiveness and get to know Jesus until you can’t.”
“I was like, what a great — and coming from Kid Rock!” Johnson says. “It raised the hair on your arms. It was a conversation that I never thought I’d have in my life. And I was like, ‘I 100 percent sign off on it.'”
What Did Cody Johnson Think of Kid Rock’s Performance on the Turning Point USA Halftime Show?
During that same conversation, Rock told Johnson that he was going to sing his version of “‘Til You Can’t” during his headlining set of the Turning Point USA Halftime Show, which aired during the Super Bowl halftime show.
Read More: All About Kid Rock’s Performance of “‘Til You Can’t” at Turning Point USA Halftime
“I watched it. Had tears in my eyes,” Johnson recalls. “I was like, ‘Freaking Kid Rock singing my song, man. That’s cool.'”
“I wish he’d have worn a Cody Johnson hat, but I couldn’t talk him into that,” he jokes.
Rock released his studio version of “‘Til You Can’t” hours after he performed the song on Turning Point USA’s show.
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Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes
