Johnson made dads everywhere cry with the track “C’mon Cowgirl.”

Last Friday (November 1), Cody Johnson released the deluxe edition of his 2023 album Leather. The new release featured 13 new songs including his long-awaited duet with Carrie Underwood. However, that wasn’t the most emotionally impactful song on the new album.

As a dad of two daughters, the Texas native isn’t immune to the song’s emotional impact. In fact, before the song wetted the eyes of listeners everywhere, it made the Johnson family weep together. The “Til You Can’t” singer opened up about the first time his family heard the song in a round-robin press event ahead of the album’s release.

Cody Johnson on the Emotional Impact of “C’mon Cowgirl”

During the press event, Cody Johnson recalled the first time he played the song for his daughters—Clara Mae, 9, and Cari, 7—and his wife. Johnson recalled practicing the song in the barn office on his Texas ranch when his daughters popped in to pay him a visit. “I was like, ‘Y’all sit down. I want to play this song,’” he recalled.

He played the song for his daughters while avoiding eye contact with them. Then, Brandi, his wife of 16 years walked into the office. So, he started over. “I’m reading the lyrics and I’ve got tears just pouring down my cheeks,” he recalled. “I look up and they’re all crying and smiling at me,” he added.

At that point, Johnson couldn’t continue playing the song. Instead, he put down his guitar and wrapped his wife and daughters in a group hug as they all shed happy tears. Up until that moment, he didn’t know if the song would go on his new album. But, as he held his family, he thought “How do you not cut that song?”

Written by Aby Gutierrez, Adam James, and Jonathan Stark, “C’mon Cowgirl” traces the relationship between a father and daughter. It touches on major moments like the first day of school, the child’s first heartbreak, and her first car. The song ends with the father becoming a grandfather which, in theory, starts the cycle over again.