Cody Johnson showcases vocals, patriotism in Stagecoach set: Review
Cody Johnson showcases vocals, patriotism in Stagecoach set: Review
Paul Albani-Burgio, Palm Springs Desert SunSat, April 25, 2026 at 6:40 PM UTC
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Cody Johnson said it multiple times during his day 1 headlining set at the Stagecoach Music Festival: It was his microphone, and he was going to use it.
And that’s just what Johnson did on Friday, April 24, as he reminisced about his days selling $5 CDs outside small town rodeos earlier in his career. It’s what he did as he touchingly spoke about his experience walking through the campgrounds and marveling at the diversity of the people he saw there.
It’s what he did as he talked about his experience with the grace and forgiveness of Jesus Christ.
And yes, it’s what he did as he delivered what some would surely find to be some politically-charged monologues, declaring at the end of one “don’t let anybody tell you that patriotism is dead.” (Johnson, it should be noted here, would probably say there was nothing politically charged about his statements honoring those who have served or laid down their lives for America, border patrol among them, and calling for American unity).
But most of all, Johnson used his microphone to showcase some darn impressive vocals as he blasted through a powerful set that shut up everyone who had doubts about whether he had what it takes to be a satisfying Stagecoach headliner (surely I can’t be the only who had them).
One of the things I’ve always loved about Stagecoach is the simplicity of it all, which can feel especially refreshing after two weekends of Coachella sets filled with background dancers, pyrotechnics and lasers in what can sometimes feel like an endless battle between artists to one up each other.
Cody Johnson plays his headlining set on the Mane Stage during Stagecoach Music Festival in Indio, Calif., Friday, April 24, 2026.
Well, Johnson’s set was simple and understated to the nth degree as much of the singer’s show consisted of (as he himself noted) just him and his guitar with only his logo showing on the big screens behind him.
It was the kind of vibe and presentation you would expect to see at 2 p.m. in Stagecoach’s Bud Light Backyard, not a day 1 headlining set. But it kept our attention on Johnson (who seemed to relish the moment) and his potent voice, which he particularly showed off on “Human,” “The Fall,” and “Til You Can’t.”
Don’t assume, however, that Johnson’s straightforward showmanship meant he would eschew the kind of bigtime surprises festival headliners are known for delivering. To the contrary, Johnson kept with his insistence on doing things his way to deliver one of the more esoteric, or perhaps just unexpected, guests we’ve seen at Stagecoach.
Cody Johnson performs his headlining set on the Mane Stage during Stagecoach Music Festival in Indio, Calif., Friday, April 24, 2026.
That was none other than the famous vocal harmony group Boys II Men, who joined Johnson on stage to perform a new rendition of their 1994 ballad “On Bended Knee.”
“Ya’ll just witnessed the legends’” said Johnson, and I can’t imagine anyone would disagree. Although, if I am being honest, many in the young-leaning Stagecoach crowd seemed unenthused, which maybe shouldn’t be surprising given Boys II Men’s heyday came before many in the crowd were born (perhaps they would rather have seen Carrie Underwood, who appeared only via music video for “I’m Gonna Love You.”
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But Johnson’s surprises didn’t stop there. He then declared that the performance of the next song of the set would be filmed for a music video before bringing out Jay Buchanan, lead singer of the Long Beach rock band Rival Sons. The two then performed their new collaboration “Rabbit Gets the Gun.”
“I want to light up Indio,” declared Johnson as he started that part of the show.
“We’re fixing to go from R&B to rock n roll,” he said moments later.
He was right on both accounts, with each statement providing a fitting summation of the show as a whole.
Johnson’s last surprise came when he became a rare Stagecoach artist to play an encore, which consisted of “Traveling Soldier” and “Diamond in my Pocket.”
“Where the hell are ya’ll going, we’ve got two songs left,” yelled Johnson, who was either refreshingly unaware of the typical encore-free festival protocol or pretending to be for dramatic effect as he started “Travelin' Soldier.”
But, if I remember this set for one thing, it likely won’t be that encore, the Boys2Men cover or even the patriotic moment when he led the crowd in the singing of "God Bless America."
Instead, what I’ll remember is what Johnson said after he talked happily about his experience in the campground that morning, just before he played “Human.”
“What if tomorrow morning we all wake up and treat every person we encounter who is different than us like a human being?” he said. “Wouldn’t that do something for this country and for the world?”
So, it was that last message Johnson left us with that I don’t think anyone would disagree with.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Cody Johnson performs one of most patriotic sets in Stagecoach history
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
