Cody Johnson Enlists “25,000 Americans” To “Protest the Protests” With Impromptu ‘God Bless America’ Sing-Along

Cody Johnson is country music’s poster child for hard work. Building a following organically as he self-released his first six albums, the Texan made his major label debut in 2019 with Ain’t Nothin’ to It. In the past two years, he has picked up trophies for the CMA’s 2024 Album of the Year (Leather) and the ACM’s 2025 Song of the Year (“Dirt Cheap.”) In addition to all their favorite hits, CoJo concertgoers can often count on impassioned speeches about patriotism during his live shows. And the “Til’ You Can’t” crooner did not disappoint during Saturday’s (June 14) stop at the Tailgate N Tallboys festival in Bloomington, Illinois.

Cody Johnson Pays Respects to the Military

As Cody Johnson took the stage at the Bloomington Interstate Center, Americans in nearly 2,000 locations nationwide took to the streets to protest following recent unrest over federal immigration raids.

Pausing his concert, the former prison guard made his feelings crystal clear. “Five years watching television—which you probably should be careful about watching the news, just so you know,” Johnson said in video footage captured by TikTok user @hailey2penn. “All I’ve seen is division… But tonight, at my show here tonight, we’re going to talk about unity.”

Next, the “Human” singer named three commonalities shared by everyone in the venue. “Those three things are as simple as this. They are red, white, and blue,” Johnson said to raucous applause. “Do you know why it is okay to disagree with somebody in this country? Do you realize why it’s okay to be different? To live differently, to believe differently, to walk differently, to act differently? Do you know why that’s okay and why we should all still get along? Because before most of us were born, an American soldier gave their life for the right to be different in this country and be free.”

He continued, “I’m going to say something tonight that might get me in trouble. I saw on the news today that there was a lot of protests for one reason or another. All across the country, people were protesting something. But you know what I have? I have a microphone and 25,000 Americans. So tonight, we are going to protest the protests.”

Asking the men in the audience to remove their hats, Johnson led the crowd in an acapella rendition of “God Bless America.”

“Cody Johnson just moved up on my favorites list,” one TikTok user remarked.