Cody Johnson Honors Dean Dillon With Charming Cover Of “The Chair”
on Oct 10, 2024
Country Stars Honor Dean Dillon At Tribute Show In Alabama
Cody Johnson was among the all-star lineup of country artists who participated in the Songs and Stories of Dean Dillon tribute show on October 9. In addition to Johnson, other performers included Ronnie Dunn, Riley Green, Jamey Johnson, and Dillon’s longtime collaborator, George Strait.
The concert was filmed for a TV special that will air on a yet-to-be-announced date and channel.
Dillon has written over 60 songs for and with Strait. Some of the tracks he penned for “The King of Country” include “Ocean Front Property,” “Unwound,” “Here for a Good Time,” and “Marina del Rey.”
Dillon also wrote country classics such as “Tennessee Whiskey,” “Spilled Perfume,” “A Little Too Late,” and “Miami, My Amy.”
The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inducted Dillon into their ranks in 2002. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2020.
The Story Behind “The Chair”
“The Chair” is another one of the many hits Dillon wrote for Strait. He co-wrote the song with Hank Cochran.
The two men embarked on a Caribbean vacation to celebrate the success of “Miami, My Amy” and “Homecoming ’63,” two hit songs they wrote for Keith Whitley. After having a few drinks and staying up late one night, Dillon strummed a tune and started singing the lyrics of a new song.
“…Hank sat down in a chair across from me, and I looked at him, picked up the guitar, struck a G chord, and started singing. ‘Well, excuse me, but I think you’ve got my chair.’ And he said, ‘Have you written that song?’ I said, ‘No.’ And he said, ‘Well, we’re about to.’ And 45 minutes later, we’d written ‘The Chair,'” Dillon told Texas Monthly.
Dillon recalled how Cochran came up with the seemingly nonsensical lyric, “Well, thank you, can I drink you a buy? Aw, listen to me, what I mean is, can I buy you a drink? Anything you please.”
Listening to his buddy, Dillon thought, “Man, that is either the craziest damn thing I ever heard of in my life, or this guy’s brilliant.”
Strait released “The Chair” as a single in 1985. It reached the #1 spot on the country charts in the U.S. and Canada.
Watch Cody Johnson Sing “The Chair” In Tribute To Dean Dillon
It only made sense to have someone sing “The Chair” at the Songs and Stories of Dean Dillon concert on October 9. Cody Johnson had that honor.
“The Painter” singer delivered a charming rendition of the song. His performance captivated the crowd, who rewarded him with a warm round of cheers and applause at the song’s end.
Johnson also tapped his chest at the end, seemingly to thank Dillon for writing “The Chair” and other incredible songs.
Watch the video below to see Cody Johnson sing “The Chair” at the Songs and Stories of Dean Dillon tribute show. We can’t wait to see this performance on the TV special whenever it airs!
