Cody Jinks is drawing crowds with his country sound
Renowned singer, songwriter and musician Cody Jinks is drawing crowds with his country sound. Jinks has been named Music Row's 2023 Independent Artist of the Year after receiving the most radio spins for an independent artist last year.
This is his second time receiving the award and the accolade adds to a historic year for Jinks, who recently launched his label, Late August Records, in an unprecedented deal with The Orchard.
Country music today is arguably more popular than ever. While numerous classic rockers like Steven Tyler, Jon Bon Jovi, and Darius Rucker have jumped on the Nashville bandwagon and “gone country,” several artists like singer/songwriter Cody Jinks has hesitated to do so.
Jinks is among a group of fiercely independent artists like Sturgill Simpson, Jamey Johnson and Chris Stapleton who are creating a backlash against the predictability of Nashville’s “bro-country” and stirring up a resurgence among artists who champion sonic authenticity and deep subject matter.
If Florida-Georgia Line is all about Friday night, then Cody Jinks can tell you about Monday morning and hard living.
In looking over his catalogue, striking in particular is his song Vampires, in which Jinks laments the death of innocence, optimism and youthful dreams while presenting the main theme of J.D. Salinger’s book, Catcher in the Rye.
He writes, “Where do dreams die along the way? Dreams are all we had yesterday. Who told all the vampires of the world, they were welcome anyway? Where do dreams die? Who gave who the message? Who gave who the hands of time? Who gave who the job to take reason and the rhyme? Like another Holden Caulfield I’m a Catcher in the Rye. Who told who to take the dreams out back to die?”
At first glance, Jinks seems a poignant reminder of the iconic figures of the ’70s country outlaw movement. He adorns himself in blue jeans, T-shirts and a big black hat. He wears his hair long like his honkytonk heroes Merle Haggard and Waylon Jennings and keeps his beard even longer.
But if you unearthed a camera with undeveloped pictures, you would see Jinks back in time in 1988 in Haltom City, Texas, as a rebellious rocker, logging six years as front man and guitarist for thrash metal band Unchecked Aggression.
After the band broke up, Jinks took a year off. He channeled the angst and defiance of his metal years and the honky-tonk heartache of his musical roots and began creating introspective and brooding country ballads full of Telecaster twang and pedal steel guitar.
Jinks’ 2016 release I’m Not the Devil saw a grassroots ascent that led the album to No. 4 on Billboard’s Country Album charts and included a cover of Haggard’s The Way I Am.
That year, Jinks followed that album with a co-headlining tour with Whitey Morgan and the 78’s, which set the table for him to sell out venues across the country and complete many more albums to date. His latest single, Nothing’s News features Clint Black and Ward Davis.
But, if you really want to hear about Jinks, the first person you may want to ask is his one time tour companion, Sunny Sweeney.
“People ask if I’m actually friends with him and I say, ‘Yes, I’ve known him for a while and appreciate and respect what he does … you’re going to be sad if you miss the show, so plan ahead now,’ ” Sweeney said in my recent interview with her.
Jinks and Sweeney are part of the ongoing outlaw story and quickly drawing crowds, racking up numbers and selling out multiple nights at venues usually reserved for the elite. Jinks and Sweeney (along with Ward Davis) filled The Ryman Auditorium and sold out 2,362 seats on multiple nights, back to back.
“I have never had such a high playing on a stage,” Sweeney said. “I had played on the Ryman stage before during a Grand Ole Opry show, but having my own band there with me on the stage was something else. I was honored to be able to be a part of such an event.”
The trio also sold out multiple shows at Nashville’s mid-sized 3rd and Lindsley, a testament to their draw. Sweeney went on to join Miranda Lambert for a couple of shows on the Livin Like Hippies Tour and moved on to headlining her own shows and then started on a new record.
Meanwhile, Jinks known for his electric live shows, is continuing his success and will headline many festivals this year and will also join Eric Church for select dates this summer. (Additional shows in Cleveland, Las Vegas, Morrison, CO and more to be announced soon.)
