He just took home one of country music’s biggest singing awards, even though he was recovering from a painful ear injury that kept him off the stage.
At the 59th CMA Awards, Cody took home Male Vocalist of the Year for the very first time. It is the kind of trophy most artists dream about. For Cody, it represents years of grind, sacrifice, and faith in his band and his fans.
Here is the twist: the Male Vocalist of the Year did not sing a single note that night.
Cody’s eardrum had burst so badly that he needed surgery and weeks of recovery. The pain was real. The risk was serious. Doctors told him to stand down, and for the first time, he had to watch the show from the sidelines while others performed on the big stage he loves most.
Luke Combs was on his feet cheering. Chris Stapleton was one of the first to shake his hand. Fellow artists treated his win like their own, proving just how much respect Cody has earned.
Cody Johnson CELEBRATES CMA Awards Win & Gives Update on Ear Drum (Exclusive)
Before Cody ever sat down to talk about his ruptured eardrum and the pain of not performing, he had one unforgettable moment on that stage: hearing his name called as CMA Male Vocalist of the Year. His acceptance speech is where everything in the story really begins to click. You see the mix of shock, gratitude, and quiet pride he later describes, plus the real-time support from Luke Combs, Chris Stapleton, and the rest of the room.
59th CMA Awards (2025) | Male Vocalist of the Year | Cody Johnson
On a night when Cody Johnson could not sing, the moment that hit him hardest was not his own win. It was watching Stephen Wilson Jr. walk onto that huge stage with nothing but an acoustic guitar and a lifetime of emotion. His haunting version of “Stand By Me,” dedicated to his late father, is the kind of performance that explains why Cody believes real talent is “born, not made.” It is quiet, raw, and brave in its own way.