Cody Jinks Shares Certified Platinum Song with His Son
Every once in a while you experience one of those moments that puts it all into perspective—why we support independent music and artists, why we root for their success, and when they find it, how we all share in it together.
Starting in 2020, the glass ceiling that once hung over artists like Cody Jinks, Tyler Childers, Whiskey Myers and the like that kept them out of contention for Gold and Platinum records certified by the RIAA was finally shattered. Where in previous eras, you needed radio, or major labels, or big awards shows to achieve that level of success, now grassroots support and word-of-mouth was enough to put them over the top.
The Cody Jinks song “Loud and Heavy” was first Certified Gold on March 31st, 2020. On August 5th of 2020, his song “Hippies and Cowboys” also became Certified Gold for reaching 500,000 in sales and streaming equivalents. Then on September 15th of 2020, Cody Jinks and “Loud and Heavy” did something no other independent artist had done in country music in the modern era: go Certified Platinum for over 1 million in sales and streaming equivalents.
Earlier this week, Cody Jinks finally got his plaques for the achievement, and took to social media to show them off. But this wasn’t just about him. This was a family affair. After all, Cody’s son is a co-writer on “Loud and Heavy,” meaning he gets his own Platinum record as well. Last year Cody Jinks told the story from on stage.
“My son and I were riding down the road in my white van, it was his second birthday,” Cody explained. “He wanted to go to Tractor Supply Company and see a tractor. While we were up there it started raining, and I said ‘Hey buddy, there’s a lot of loud thunder and heavy rain out there’ and he just said ‘Loud thunder heavy rain’ over and over and over. And I got that tune in my head… He’s got half the writer’s rights on that song.”
In the video of Cody inspecting his new Platinum records (see below), he talks about how much it means to him as an independent artist, and to be awarded for a song he wrote with his son. “This means the world. This isn’t some B.S. predetermined ACM or CMA piece of shit. This is real. This is something that you guys helped us do. But when I say ‘us,’ this song wouldn’t have come to fruition without at the time my little boy who was 2-years-old inspired that song.”
If not for the support independent artists get from fans, local radio stations, podcasters, venues, festivals, and the like, they often can’t even start families, or support them well through music. Cody Jinks has been one of the fortunate ones, and worked very hard to get to where he is. It also often comes with lots of sacrifice, including time away from family while on the road. That’s why an award and a moment like this means so much.
It’s still too fleeting and rare in music, but sometimes the good guys still win.
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The new album from Cody Jinks called ‘Mercy’ will be released November 12th.
September 10, 2021 @ 9:07 am
My wife showed me that last nite. Really cool. I’ve run into Cody the last three shows I’ve gone to him. At a bar (with Ward Davis), outside a club he was playing, and then walking down the street close to a venue he was playing, my wife gets tapped from behind on the shoulder with the comment “nice shirt” (Cody Jinks shirt). Turn around it is Cody and his parents. All three times he was nothing but a Kool Kat to talk to.
September 10, 2021 @ 9:12 am
So nice Cody is keeping the family in his music. Hopefully his son will be just as talented as his dad.
September 10, 2021 @ 9:17 am
“This isn’t some B.S. predetermined ACM or CMA piece of shit. This is real.” Kinda strange to find Cody resonating with Bobby Bones, but hey, my atomic G-Shock agrees with the busted clock on the wall once a day.
Congrats to Cody and Son, and good on you for winning the hard way. Hoping you rack up some more!
September 10, 2021 @ 10:31 am
The backstory on the name of this song is ADORABLE!
Congrats to Cody & his son
September 10, 2021 @ 10:46 am
Jinks talks about his son and the backstory on the intro to this Texas Music Scene vid:
https://youtu.be/oR0rlLZ1jKY
September 10, 2021 @ 11:11 am
Thanks for the link!
September 10, 2021 @ 11:22 am
That’s awesome.
Have to admit though, I have always been perplexed as to how “Loud and Heavy” became his most commercially successful song.
My wife and I were at a waterpark in Phoenix a few years back, and it came over the radio, which had been playing very vanilla radio fodder. I was dumbfounded, but came to find out that I probably shouldn’t have been.
September 10, 2021 @ 12:25 pm
I mean, I can’t be the *only* one that sings it to themself every time a thunderstorm is coming through. It’s catchy.
September 10, 2021 @ 2:12 pm
Fair point. It is a catchy song with a great hook, which are the primary ingredients for a hit single.
I think it just irks me because it’s not even in my Top 5 of that album – let alone his discography.
September 10, 2021 @ 12:33 pm
Congratulations to and your son Cody.
The wife and I will be flying down from Maryland to see you perform in Austin, TX.
Keep the hopes and dreams alive sir because they are starting to pay for you.
September 10, 2021 @ 12:33 pm
What a cool story. Looking forward to his new music..
September 10, 2021 @ 5:53 pm
Well deserved, Cody! Thanks for sharing this, Trigger! Saw him last year in South Bend right before COVID changed our lives…loved every minute of it!
September 14, 2021 @ 10:09 am
Congratulations to Cody, very well deserved! I just need to say this though, about your article.
You say, “…Where in previous eras, you needed radio, or major labels, or big awards shows to achieve that level of success, now grassroots support and word-of-mouth was enough to put them over the top.”
That “Grass Roots Support” started and still continues through radio. Independent radio stations like the one I program, Shooter FM in Waco Texas, are the ultimate word of mouth.
The major stations don’t pay much attention to independents but there about 90 small to large market stations in Texas that report to the two Texas Music Charts that expose tens of thousands of listeners to their music.
Together we make up quite a powerful force. And although I haven’t researched all of their playlists I can assure you Cody Jinks, Whiskey Myers and Tyler Childers have been receiving considerable airplay of their old and new songs. We also have several Award Shows that promote the genre. Just a little perspective on the subject.
Keep up the good work Trigger.
September 14, 2021 @ 2:40 pm
Hey Crowman,
Thanks for chiming in, and you’re totally right. Whenever writing about radio, I try to delineate between corporate country radio and the independent stations out there doing what they can to support artists like Cody Jinks, and even try to delineate the corporate radio stations who do give independent artists a shot. Didn’t mean to gloss over all the stations that have supported Cody and others. Thanks for what you do.
September 17, 2021 @ 6:23 am
Not only bein able to do it but the how he did is so amazing. So well earned please keep em comin