Cody Johnson Admits He Has Spent Several Nights in Jail and Reflects on the Personal Challenges He Faces Every Day

Johnson’s newest studio album, Banks of the Trinity, was released on Friday, June 26.

Cody Johnson is opening up about difficult moments from his past, including spending time behind bars.

While promoting his newly released album, Banks of the Trinity, the 39-year-old country singer appeared on Apple Music’s The Kelleigh Bannen Show, where he discussed the personal experiences that inspired his song “Time Bomb.”

During the interview, Johnson revealed that he has been arrested and spent several nights in jail, though he clarified that the incidents only resulted in overnight stays and not prison sentences.

“I’ve been to jail, stuff like that. People don’t know that. I’ve been locked up a few times in jail. Just overnight. I didn’t get sentenced or anything,” he said. Johnson explained that many fans view him as someone who has always done everything right, but he doesn’t see himself that way.

He went on to say that he faces the same everyday struggles as anyone else and works constantly to move beyond the mistakes of his younger years.

“I have daily struggles with things that you do too. I have to really work up here a lot to get my brain disciplined to where I don’t think like that guy,” he shared. “Let’s be a better version of that guy. That kid’s got to grow up eventually.”

Johnson, who previously worked as a corrections officer in Texas before finding success in country music, references those experiences in “Time Bomb,” singing about having “been through hell” and being “locked up in jail.”

The track also reflects on how his life has changed, as he expresses gratitude for his wife and their three children, acknowledging that they continue to stand by him despite his past.

Elsewhere in the conversation, Johnson discussed another song from the album, “I Have,” explaining that it was written with aspiring musicians in mind who may look at his career and hope to achieve similar success.

He said people often see only the highlights of his journey without realizing the hardships that came first, including financial struggles, rundown hotel rooms, battles with alcohol or drugs, and anger issues.

Johnson added that he never wants fans to place him on a pedestal, saying he is still learning and growing like everyone else. While he has overcome many obstacles, he acknowledged there are still areas of his life he continues to work on.

Johnson released his sixth studio album, Banks of the Trinity, on Friday, June 26. In a statement announcing the project, he said the record was inspired by memories of his childhood.

He explained that hearing the title track immediately transported him back to Sebastopol, Texas, where he grew up near the Trinity River. The memories were so vivid, he said, that they brought tears to his eyes.