Cody Jinks Performs “I’m Not The Devil” on Conan
Looking like a hippy, writing like an Outlaw, sounding like a Texas country stalwart, and touring like there’s no tomorrow, the name Cody Jinks belongs smack dab in the mix when you’re speculating on who is surging at the moment to the top of the heap of insurgent country, and could bust through into the national consciousness to receive mainstream attention.
Cody has been garnering renewed appreciation in the last few weeks for his Saving Country Music Album of the Year winning release I’m Not The Devil, which has been sitting inside the Top 30 on Billboard’s Country Albums chart despite coming from a still relatively unknown artist nationally, and being released way back in August of 2016. He also just released a cover of Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here,” which has elevated the chatter about the Ft. Worth native.
Jinks stopped by the set of Conan on Thursday (1-26) in a Scott Copeland and The Haters T-shirt to make his national television debut, and perform the title track from his latest album. A song about a cheating man laying it all out there to his lover, coming clean, admitting his weaknesses, and asking for forgiveness, “I’m Not The Devil” is just the type of slow, heartbreaking, waltz-timed tearjerker that so many country listeners miss from modern-day country radio and arena stars.
The honesty, the emotion, and the real-life themes that resonate with listeners well after the song has ended is the reason Cody Jinks has won himself a fervent fan base, and the respect to finally receive national attention.
Coaltrain
January 27, 2017 @ 10:11 am
Chalk one up for the good guys! Love it
Nick
January 27, 2017 @ 10:18 am
I discovered Cody Jinks after reading SCM’s country album of the year article. I promptly checked out I’m Not The Devil and had bought tickets to see him live within 48 hours. Since then I’ve devoured his whole catalog and am floored. IMO he is the best thing in country today. His contribution to country music for the better part of the last decade is head and shoulders above anybody else from a quantitative and qualitative standpoint. It’s a travesty he’s is not more widely known. His first stuff, the stuff in-between, and his new stuff are all great. I can’t wait to see him live.
NYtoAZ
January 27, 2017 @ 10:21 am
Trig I have to thank you- in 2016 you introduced me to Cody Jinks and Erik Dylan and I’ve been a daily follower of the site since. Cody was sold out in Phoenix last week and I went by myself to check him out because my husband works nights. Worth every awkward stare. His band and opener Ward Davis were outstanding. Again, thank you!!
Trigger
January 27, 2017 @ 10:45 am
Thanks for reading.
Travis
January 27, 2017 @ 12:26 pm
My wife works nights and I typically go to shows myself as well, actually, I don’t think she would go with me even if she wasn’t working 9 out of 10 times since our music tastes couldn’t be anymore different. Anyways, I always thought it would be cool for this site to post a calendar and forum because I bet there would be a few people who would find themselves at the same show and could put a face to username. I think Trig actually had a calendar page for shows years ago. That being said, I don’t do any facebook or twitter stuff and guess that’s what that’s for.
Benny Lee
January 27, 2017 @ 10:26 am
Awesome. Just awesome.
Ed
January 27, 2017 @ 10:45 am
Cody is the man. He’s the one thats going to save country music. He’s country, 100 procent. No horns, no hipster sound,no discussion just a cool dude with awesome music.
jtrpdx
January 27, 2017 @ 11:23 am
I like Jinks, but to me Sturgill is a much better writer (speaking of his entire catalog) and his classic country songs have a better, more down to earth feel to them. Jinks is a breath of fresh air especially as he gets more exposure, but to my ears many of his songs are a bit formulaic and the production work on the albums is a bit too polished.
marc
January 27, 2017 @ 12:14 pm
I like Cody as well but Sturgil comes across to me as more original and not part of the pack. He doesn’t seem like a trend follower but than again maybe he is the trailblazer. This is off topic but I hope I don’t see guys who a year ago were wearing tight jeans, plaid shirts, cap on backwards and wallet chains now growing full length beards wearing t shirts and old jeans
Jim Bob
January 27, 2017 @ 12:43 pm
Yes, let’s definitely get into a pissing contest about whether Cody or Sturgill is better or who sucks more. Tearing people down is always a good idea! That’s way smarter than just being happy that there’s more than one worthy dude getting his due and realizing how awesome that is for country music today.
But since we’re going this route, might as well throw it out there that I bet my dad could kick your dad’s ass.
Jacob
January 27, 2017 @ 1:23 pm
My dad would wreckshop on your dad. For sure.
Benny Lee
January 27, 2017 @ 1:48 pm
You crazies need to keep it down, my dad’s trying to take a nap. 🙂
Someguy
January 27, 2017 @ 7:46 pm
Where is the idea that horns cant be country coming from? Merles stuff is chock full of horns, especially on “Big City”. Willie and Waylon used horns too, to a lesser degree. Though Sturgill does lay it on a little thick in Sailors.
Big is Real
January 28, 2017 @ 9:52 am
And Johnny Cash had horns on Ring of Fire with Danny Davis and the Nashville Brass.
Jack Williams
January 27, 2017 @ 11:03 am
This made me happy. I unconsciously punched my fist in the air when Conan introduced him. And he and the band did a great job.
Gena R.
January 27, 2017 @ 11:18 am
I don’t always stay up for the musical guests, but I’m glad I stuck around for this. Very nice! 🙂
Scott S.
January 27, 2017 @ 12:16 pm
Nice performance. Happy for Cody, he deserves it.
Corncaster
January 27, 2017 @ 12:44 pm
(is Conan that tall?)
Cody and the boys did us all proud. This is good, sturdy country music. I wish they took the tempo a little faster, but the impact of this tune, at this time, lies in the refrain. I reckon a lot of Conan’s viewers in fancy city apartments understand “I’m not the devil you think that I am” a little differently these days.
I hope for more and bigger success for Cody!
DJ
January 27, 2017 @ 12:52 pm
I wondered about how tall Conan is too….or, is Cody that small. I’ll ask my son who met him and drank with him at a bar….. that said, I met Johnny Rivers years ago when he and Ann Margaret played on the ship I was on in the South China Sea and both of them were shorter than me…. by a bunch and I’m just 5’8″.
Jack Williams
January 27, 2017 @ 1:15 pm
He’s 6’4”
DJ
January 27, 2017 @ 12:47 pm
I was underwhelmed (therefore disappointed) with the song choice as well as the hat. He has better in both categories.
The song was meh with no show of emotion though I do congratulate him on not trying to out-do SS on his “moves” and knocking shit over and jumpin around like he’s on drugs trying way too hard to say something.
Cody’s voice and writing ability are really all he needs to high light and to that end the song didn’t let either shine. I guess he’s trying to push the album and since the song is the title he chose it, but I think he could have done better….. with the song, and the hat….LOL. There’s a place in downtown Fort Worth that sells some really good looking hats (can’t remember the name since I found it by accident years ago) and I imagine any manufacturer would be proud to donate several. If not I’d gladly donate one.
Eddie666
January 27, 2017 @ 1:33 pm
Which song would have been beter, in your humble opinion? The hat looks fine to me!
DJ
January 27, 2017 @ 3:12 pm
I Cast No Stones.
IMHO one of the best songs ever by anyone. It’s not just a great song either. It allows him to showcase his talent for connecting through musical emotion with words anyone can relate to.
jtrpdx
January 27, 2017 @ 4:18 pm
Agree that I Cast No Stones would have been a great choice, although, I don’t think he would ever play something that wasn’t on his current album…..or if the record label would even let him. As it relates to SS….he has had an intense and sometimes wild stage presence for as long as he has been performing, and that wasn’t just made up for SNL. The intensity of the SNL performance definitely fit the song choices too. He seemed totally fine and sober to me. If anything, it would be more accurate to speculate that Jinks was on some sort of downer during the Conan performance!
DJ
January 27, 2017 @ 6:15 pm
I believe I said as much about song choice just used different words.
If Jinks was down, or subdued, then that’s how he lives since every you tube video reflects how laid back he is.
As far as SS is concerned he doesn’t do anything for me. I used his performance as an illustration of the difference between two up and comers and yes I think Cody Jinks is better and a lot of my preference is the difference in performance/style which equates to personality and that is also one of the things that draws me as a fan; would I like them away from the glitter, glamour and celebrity. I prefer laid back, obviously.
BwareDWare94
January 29, 2017 @ 10:21 am
I’d have loved to hear “Give All You Can” just to hear that outro in a live setting.
What are you living for?
albert
January 29, 2017 @ 12:21 pm
Because CJ and Co. were performing to a mixed musical demographic and no doubt hoping to introduce many people to REAL country music , ” Devil ” was the right choice , I believe. The title itself sets up a traditional and relate- able theme and immediately piques interest in a back story . And let’s not forget the obvious religious connotation . That theme ( and straight-up Gospel , of course ) has always played an important role in traditional country music .
And lastly , I can’t imagine CJ and the band doing a better job on a live performance than they did on ” Devil ” . A listener could not escape its quiet but powerful conviction…neither lyrically nor musically .No show-boating , no smoke and mirrors , no choreography …..NO distractions . The song and the performance stood on their own merits.
Kelcy
January 28, 2017 @ 6:40 am
Best Hat Shop is the name you’re looking for.
Dallas Bowlin
January 27, 2017 @ 2:03 pm
I’ve always thought “I’m not the devil.” Was a song about a murderer lol I see it in a whole new light now.
Trigger
January 27, 2017 @ 3:14 pm
Perhaps it could be. A sign of good songwriting is a song meaning different things to different people.
Stringbuzz
January 27, 2017 @ 2:25 pm
Love Cody. Weird. I dragged my wife to see him and Whitey Morgan few months ago.
She has been hooked ever since.
Helped we both met him individually outside without the other and he was awesome guy to talk to for both of us.
I wish Cody all the luck in the world.
This is not my favorite song off the album, but he can pick what he wants to play.
I will see him whenever he plays in my general area (I’ve driven a few hours for shows) lol.
I will buy his next release.
hell, I even bought the “Cody Effin Jinks” TShirt and another one.
I don’t see the need for the Cody SS comparisons..
It was funny though, I was talking to him about Sturgill.
he was playing one of the small venues I had seen Sturgill in a couple years before.
I was telling him how SS crowds and venues just kept getting bigger and bigger each time I saw him.
I told Cody he was on his way for the same thing..
Mike2
January 27, 2017 @ 4:34 pm
Cody Jinks is a top-notch songwriter. I feel like that’s something traditional country has been somewhat lacking in, especially with Sturgill moving away from country and Jason being more affiliated with americana.
hoptowntiger94
January 27, 2017 @ 5:42 pm
Don’t make me wait till Monday for the Dead Man Winter review! It’s the first weekend without football!
Big Cat
January 27, 2017 @ 6:25 pm
Well deserved by a badass performer. Love some CJ
albert
January 27, 2017 @ 7:03 pm
CJ’s Conan performance was one of the most honest , best -sounding performances of one of the best songs I’ve heard in Country music in recent memory . Not to mention an absolutely superb band who DELIVERED ! From their understated musicianship to their flawless harmonies , they PLAYED the song and the emotion like the seasoned pros they obviously are . I was completely inspired and entertained .
Farmer Brian
January 27, 2017 @ 8:49 pm
Cody and the boys nailed it. I’m super pumped that he’s starting to get some exposure and hope great things are coming his way in the future.
Christian H
January 27, 2017 @ 10:11 pm
Excellent song choice and played amazingly. For folks who aren’t musicians, it may not be well understand how hard it is to go on live for one song and play in a slow tempo 3/4 or 6/8 time signature and NAIL IT like they did. Impressive. And as one of the greats responded to similar criticism 40+ years ago, “‘Cause sad songs and waltzes aren’t selling this year”…
Truth5
January 27, 2017 @ 10:49 pm
Thats how it’s done, and that’s country 100…
bret colsen
January 28, 2017 @ 7:44 am
He should have done one of his old metal songs…
DJ
January 28, 2017 @ 8:34 am
I DVR’d the show but watched the clip here first. Last night I watched it on my 43″ flat screen vs my lap top here and the conclusion I came to watching it on TV is Cody wasn’t comfortable being so out of his element. His element is crowds waiting to see/hear him (or smaller, more personal venues) vs being a musician few have heard of on a show with an audience filled with probably not what you would call traditionalist in their country music choice or knowledge. And that was obvious by the crowd’s response, which was okay, but not a typical woo-hoo, boisterous styled response, which he probably got at his sold out performance where he was anticipated. Wouldn’t it be neat if TV was interactive and all the folks at home could have been heard! He’d have had to do an encore 😉 I’m sure.
One of the main things I paid attention to was the after performance hand shake and maybe it’s just a feeling I put into thought but I just didn’t see the comfort level.
As for song choice whether it was his or the label’s or his manager or the bands choice, he had an opportunity and Cast No Stones would have, I believe, brought the house down due to it’s sheer honesty and THAT is what I like/appreciate in Cody Jinks. So, whoever made the choice performed a dis-service to a great talent IMHO.
Elliot
January 31, 2017 @ 4:06 pm
When it comes down to song choice, most artists usually choose something from their most recent or upcoming release and it makes sense to go with the title track but I do see your argument that a song like Cast No Stones could’ve been even better, but I still feel that Cody did a great job of showing what kind of artist he is with that song.
therhodeo
January 30, 2017 @ 8:15 am
I’d recommend a boot with a riding heel for Cody next time he has to stand next to Conan…
Elliot
January 31, 2017 @ 4:01 pm
One of the things that I really respect about Conan, or probably more likely the person who books acts for his show, is that the show really seems to embrace the more alternative country and Americana scenes. If you look at his past musical guests, the list is littered with artists and bands from these scenes, often even performing before they became more mainstream. And the number of artists from the less “radio friendly” country scenes far outnumber the number of artists from the radio/Nashville country scene.
Elliot
January 31, 2017 @ 4:03 pm
And also watching his reaction after Cody’s performance, Conan genuinely seemed to enjoy it. It can be easy to tell when one of these late night hosts doesn’t have an interest in the performer and is just acting like they liked a performance but Conan seemed to love it.