For more than 50 years, the Salem Civic Center has been propelling young artists into the big time.
Fast-rising country singer Cody Johnson will join a long list of performers who have experienced the arena’s launching pad when he visits Salem this fall. Having already drawn comparisons to Garth Brooks for his style of music and rowdy concerts, Johnson will make his Salem debut on September 14, as he looks to build on what is already an impressive resume.
Before signing with Warner Music Nashville, he put two albums from his own independent label on the Billboard Country Music Top 10 chart. He also managed to sell nearly 74,000 tickets in his home state of Texas for one show. Johnson sold out NRG Stadium, where the NFL’s Texans play, for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.
His musical influences include the likes of Johnny Cash and George Strait, along with Jackson Browne and Bruce Springsteen and you can hear them all when he sings and plays. His first major label release “Ain’t Nothin’ To It” debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Country Albums chart and his music is some of the most watched and downloaded, with millions of streams and views. His song “On My Way To You” has been viewed nearly six million times on YouTube.
“I don’t sing nothing, if you can’t see my soul,” says Johnson. “If it’s ‘Long Haired Country Boy,’ when you see me, you know I can walk that walk, but when we’re playing a gospel song, I want you to know that I feel that, too. I do want you to feel the sadness in ‘Husbands and Wives.’ It’s a weird thing to want to show your soul to people and still want privacy in your life.”
Tickets for Cody Johnson and Friends at the Salem Civic Center go on sale Friday, April 5, at 10 a.m. Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 the day of the show. VIP packages are $80 and preferred parking is available for $5. Tickets can be purchased at the Salem Civic Center Box Office Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. and on Saturday from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. They also can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com. Presale tickets will be available through Ticketmaster.com this Thursday, April 4 at 10 a.m. for those who are part of the Salem Civic Center email club.
- Submitted by Mike Stevens, City of Salem Communications Director