Cody Johnson Releases Studio Version of ‘Travelin’ Soldier’: ‘It Kind of Went Viral’

Five years after Cody Johnson first recorded his version of The Chicks’ hit “Travelin’ Soldier” during a livestream performance session, and three years after he released an acoustic performance rendition of the song, he has finally released his official version of the track.

In a video posted on Instagram Thursday (Nov. 6), Johnson spoke about his fans’ love for the tender song about a young woman whose love story with a deployed soldier ends in heartbreak and tragedy.

“We recorded this song in 2020 on a livestream during COVID, and then it kind of went viral,” Johnson explained in the video. “I’ve traveled all over the world and there’s signs in the crowd that say, ‘Play “Travelin’ Soldier”‘ and people come to the meet-and-greets and say, ‘Play “Travelin’ Soldier.”‘ It kind of turned into this thing, like, ‘I guess we’re going to have to record this song.’”

Singer-songwriter Bruce Robison wrote and first recorded “Travelin’ Soldier” in 1996. Ty England also recorded a version of it for his 1999 album Highways & Dance Halls. But it was trio The Chicks’ rendition that became a No. 1 Billboard Hot Country Songs chart hit in 2003. However, that victory was short-lived, as country radio stations pulled the song from airwaves after The Chicks’ lead singer Natalie Maines told an audience in London on March 10, 2003, just prior to the Iraq War, that she was ashamed to be from the same state as George W. Bush, who was president at the time. Two weeks after Maines’ comment, “Travelin’ Soldier” was no longer in the top 40 on Billboard‘s Hot Country Songs/Country Airplay charts.

Still, the song has remained a longtime fan favorite, and Johnson has previously included the song in his concerts. In the video, Johnson said, “This is just because we love you guys and figured we’d give you what you want.”

He releases the song just before Veterans Day, and as his radio single “The Fall” continues climbing Billboard‘s Country Airplay chart.

Hear Johnson’s studio version of “Travelin’ Soldier” below: