Country singer Cody Johnson knew there was a lot of distrust of Nashville's commercial country music industry among his peers in Texas and Oklahoma.
Johnson finally signed to Warner Music Nashville after turning down multiple offers and more than a decade as a successful independent artist.
He needed Warner's help to reach fans on country radio and for global distribution of his records. But he wanted to maintain creative control, from his music to his publishing and even his cowboy hat.
And he hopes to bridge the cultural divide between Texas and Nashville by straddling the traditional and the modern.
Johnson now has his first No. 1 country album and he's proving that there is still an audience for traditional country music.
Copyright AP - Associated Press
