Who the Heck is Cody Lohden? The Former Firefighter and Paramedic Bringing Classic Country Back to Nashville

As the rollout for ERNEST's DeVille Records mixtape, The Cadillac Sessions, rolls on, what's becoming increasingly apparent is how each member of the label shares a common goal: to bring old-school, traditional-leaning country back to Music City.

But what's equally as striking about the Deville crew is how, despite there being this sepia-tinged through-line, every artist on ERN's label has honed their own, unique sound.

The second artist to be introduced from country music's answer to Cactus Jack's JACKBOYS collective, Cody Lohden, showcases this on his debut single with DeVille Records, the playful, bittersweet heartbreak anthem, ‘Tail Light, Porch Light, Miller Lite’.

It feels like the most contemporary country-adjacent offering we've heard so far, compared to Rhys Rutherford's steel-soaked ballad, ‘Southern Belle’, and Chandler Walters’ Western Swing toe-tapper, ‘Worth the Trouble’. Lohden still tips his cap to his forefathers with the cascading, Nashvillian hook, while his captivating Kentucky drawl gives ‘Tail Light, Porch Light, Miller Lite’ a distinctive lustre.

The uptempo melody and wordplay-packed lyricism feels grounded in modern country, while the sonics transport you to past decades, epitomising The Cadillac Sessions’ modus operandi - to craft classic country that makes sense in today's landscape.

Speaking to Holler, Cody Lohden touches on the fascinating way in which he was introduced to the stage, with his father entering him in a singing competition. Prior to this, he had been a member of the school choir, but was too shy to take on a solo.

Although startled, Lohden went on to win. “Before the competition I didn’t sing in front of anyone, not even my parents”, the ‘Heart Like Mine‘ crooner reflects, “It was a confidence boost and validation of my ability. After winning the competition, I started playing shows all over Kentucky with my dad. It was a huge turning point”.

Before diving headfirst into country music, though, Cody Lohden opted for a somewhat atypical career path, revealing, “I was a firefighter and paramedic while living in Kentucky. I had the urge to try music full time and so I followed that – and here I am”.

Citing the eclectic trio of Keith Whitley, Don Williams and Bob Sege as key influences in his burgeoning career, Cody Lohden started releasing music independently and sharing covers via TikTok. Nashville's leading tastemaker, ERNEST, started taking notice, with the ‘Flower Shops’ chart-topper signing him to his Cadillac Music publishing house, before bringing him onto the DeVille Records team.

“It’s been great working with ERNEST”, Cody Lohden gushes, before endearingly quipping, “He’s the music dad. I’ve learned a lot. Be yourself. Stay humble. Write good songs. Know your place in the room - everyone writes different”.

As for the jovially-titled ‘Tail Light, Porch Light, Miller Lite’, Lohden worked with a couple of fellow respected Music City songsmiths to bring the track to life, and ensure it accurately represented his Kentucky-Nashville blend, “I guess my accent brings the Kentucky twang. The song came about during a write with Dallas Wilson and Matt Mulhare. Matt had the title, which was sick, and we wrote it that day”.

Ever since ERNEST unveiled DeVille Records, the label has been pervaded by a sense of brotherhood, with Lohden, Rutherford and Walters all paying homage to one another in the lead-up to The Cadillac Sessions’ release on May 7th. Lohden toasts Rutherford's ‘Southern Belle’ as his favourite track that he didn't work on from the project.

Fans are looking forward to hearing Cody Lohden's other solo contributions to the forthcoming mixtape, ‘TV On’ and his cover of Shenandoah's iconic 1989 hit, ‘Two Dozen Roses’.

But once The Cadillac Sessions is out, we can rest assured there will be plenty more on the horizon for Lohden's blossoming fanbase. He confirms his debut album is en route, “I’m going in the studio to cut a solo record in May and continuing to play shows”.

If the irresistibly witty ‘Tail Light, Porch Light, Miller Lite’ is anything to go by, we reckon there's good reason to feel very excited at the prospect of more music from Lohden soon.

For more on DeVille Records and The Cadillac Sessions, see below: