Gretchen Wilson Reveals Past “Blowout” With Cody Johnson

Gretchen Wilson is getting candid about her rocky start with one of today’s biggest country stars. During a chat with Evan Paul on Taste of Country Nights, the “Redneck Woman” singer revealed she once had a huge blowout with 2025 CMA Entertainer of the Year nominee Cody Johnson.

After the premiere of The Road on CBS (Oct. 19), Wilson was asked who her favorite current country artist is — and her answer may surprise some fans.

“Cody Johnson is probably way up there for me,” she said. “He’s very authentic and true to who he is.”

But their relationship didn’t start that way. “What’s funny is, we didn’t really, um, we didn’t start out too good,” Wilson admitted. “Me and Cody, we had a little show together many years ago, and he was still really well-known in Texas, but not as well-known as I was.”

So, where’s the beef?

“We had to share a stage, and there were little arguments over who was gonna get to use the entirety of the stage and stuff,” Wilson explained with a laugh.

Wilson said she held onto that moment for years, convinced Johnson must have disliked her because of it. But one recent performance put those worries to rest.

The make-up:

“We just played a show recently together, and I was so glad that he came out and watched my show,” she said. “I got to hang out with him and talk to him for a little while and just make sure that — he didn’t bring it up, so I don’t think he remembers it.”

Looking back, Wilson admits it was a learning moment. “What ignorant stuff to be fighting over,” she said. “But when you’re first coming up, that little bit of stage matters.”

These days, it seems there’s nothing but mutual respect between the two country powerhouses.