Cody Johnsonhas two numbers, “The Painter” And “Dirt cheap,” for Music Video of the Year at the CMA Awards.

However, Cody has trouble picking a favorite as both videos are special to him for different reasons.

“They’re both great. You know, ‘The Painter’ is obviously a great tribute to my love and affection for my wife and how she has been by my side through thick and thin. I think we’ve been through just about everything a married couple can go through,” Cody tells ABC Audio.

“We were talking about it the other day. She sent me a photo from our first date. I said, ‘You know, what a crazy, wonderful, painful, beautiful, ugly, wonderful thing this has been, like this journey, look where we are now.’ And so ‘The Painter’ has a little place in my heart,” he says.

“But for ‘Dirt Cheap’ I would have to say, because my good friend and mentor Mr. Red Steagall in the video showing the older gentleman, the farmer, that was very special to me,” says Cody.

Cody is also up for the biggest prize of the night, Entertainer of the Year – and it’s one the real cowboy has his eye on.

“That’s the one I’ve always wanted. I mean, if you’re rodeoing, you don’t want a buckle, you want a gold buckle,” says the Texas native. “And so I think Entertainer of the Year is something that I personally have always wanted.”

“I’m not going to let that determine my success though,” Cody adds. “I don’t let that define my drive or my ambitions for my career. But it sure would be fun.”

The 2024 CMAs will air live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday at 8 PM ET and stream on Hulu the following day.

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