Cody Johnson was among an impressive lineup of talent tapped to perform at The Country Music Association’s annual “CMA Country Christmas” program that aired Tuesday night (December 3).
Hosted by Trisha Yearwood and Amy Grant, “CMA Country Christmas” returned for its 15th year to bring the holiday spirit to music fans through a 2-hour program jam-packed with Christmas favorites.
This year’s lineup included performances from artists of various genres, including Ashley McBryde, CeCe Winans, For King & Country, Jon Pardi, and the show’s hosts. Two of the night’s performances came from country star Cody Johnson who sang “White Christmas” and “I’ll Be Home For Christmas.”
Ahead of his appearance, Johnson teased that he would be showing a different side than fans are used to seeing at his concerts.
“I get to show a little bit more of a Frank Sinatra [and] Dean Martin side of myself that you don’t normally see when you come to one of my live shows,” Johnson said. “In my live shows, I try to be very electric, jumping off of risers and keeping the crowd right here in the palm of my hand. But with these songs, the reason why I chose ‘White Christmas’ and ‘I’ll Be Home For Christmas’ is to kind of show off a little bit [of a] different side of my voice that you wouldn’t normally hear.”
Both songs were featured on Cody’s 2021 Christmas album, and he performed “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” for his holiday television special, CMT Presents: A Cody Johnson Christmas, in 2023.
Cody Johnson’s nostalgic rendition of “White Christmas made the holiday concert complete.
“White Christmas” has been a seasonal favorite since its release in 1942. The Irvin Berlin-penned tune earned an Academy Award the same year for its inclusion in the musical film Holiday Inn. Bing Crosby, who starred in the film, made “White Christmas” an iconic holiday song.
Despite being covered by numerous artists in the decades since it was first released, Crosby’s rendition became the world’s best-selling single, with an estimated 50 million physical copies sold worldwide and more than 100 million sold across all forms of media.
Cody Johnson’s Bing Crosby-esque rendition of “White Christmas” brought a sentimental feel to CMA Country Christmas. Viewers praised his performance and called it one of the best of the night.
Watch Cody Johnson sing “White Christmas” in the video below.