Cody Johnson kicked off the 90th Anniversary of the Houston Livestock and Rodeo Show on Monday evening (Feb. 28) with a sold-out show of 70,554 fans.
The “‘Til You Can’t” singer made history with the performance as he is now only the third performer in history to ever sell out opening night of the event, following Garth Brooks and George Strait. The performance also marked Johnson’s fourth appearance at RodeoHouston, he made his performance debut at the Rodeo in 2017, when he stepped in last minute for Old Dominion.
1. Garth Brooks (Feb. 27, 2018)
2. George Strait (Feb. 27, 2018)
3. Cody Johnson (Feb. 28, 2022)
“Last night was a historical night for myself as well as Rodeo Houston; sold-out opening day!!” Johnson said. “I can’t thank everyone enough for coming out and showing support to me and my band. CAN’T WAIT TO DO IT AGAIN NEXT YEAR!”
“What better way to open the 2022 RODEOHOUSTON and kick off the 90th anniversary of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo than with Cody Johnson,” President and CEO of the Rodeo, Chris Boleman, added. “Cody has quickly become a RODEOHOUSTON fan favorite, ever since he first stepped onto the RODEOHOUSTON stage in 2017. His 2022 opening night performance puts him in great company with George Strait and Garth Brooks.”
Known for his explosive live shows and electrifying stage presence, the Platinum-selling country superstar performed for 70,554 cheering fans at NRG Park in Houston, Texas. The Texas native performed a slew of fan-favorite hits such as “Diamond In My Pocket,” “Dear Rodeo,” “Human,” “With You I Am,” and “Me And My Kind,” as well as his chart-topping single, “‘Til You Can’t” during his fourth appearance at RODEOHOUSTON.
Following his historic performance at the Rodeo, Johnson shared a recap video on social media, which he captioned, “Houston! Thanks for another unforgettable night at @rodeohouston! I truly do have the best fans in the world. #SoldOut #OpeningDay”
Watch the video recap below.
Johnson grew up in Sebastapol, Texas and worked the rodeo circuit as a bull rider before becoming a full time country singer. Proving the circuit is in his DNA, his daughter, Clara Mae, competed in the mutton bustin’ event last night shortly before his set on Monday evening.
On Saturday (Feb. 26), the country hitmaker served as Grand Marshal for the Downtown Rodeo Parade. A tradition since 1938, the annual parade celebrates Western heritage and marks the beginning of the Rodeo season.
Johnson, a true friend of the Rodeo, is the singer of the Rodeo’s theme song, “Welcome to the Show,” which debuted in 2019.
