Rodeo Houston reveals surprise opening acts for Cody Johnson’s 2026 show that fans didn’t see coming. ML
In May, country superstar Cody Johnson was announced as the closing act for the 2026 Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo. The curtain closer will wrap up rodeo festivities with a special concert-only performance. Now the annual Houston event has announced that some friends will be lending Johnson a hand for the landmark show.
Jon Pardi and Randy Houser have been announced as the opening acts for Johnson’s rodeo close-out show on March 22, 2026, making the concert that was already highly anticipated an even bigger spectacle.
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Jon Pardi—no stranger to the Houston Rodeo after a 2025 performance at NRG—is a country singer known for hit songs like “Head Over Boots” and “Dirt on My Boots.” (He’s a boot guy.) Randy Houser is a well-known country artist who, along with producing his own popular songs (“How Country Feels”, “Runnin’ Outta Moonlight”) is a singer-songwriter who’s worked with the likes of Miranda Lambert.
Headliner Cody Johnson has taken the stage at the Houston Rodeo five times, and he’ll be the first artist to play a full-fledged concert at the event since George Strait in 2022. Johnson’s song “Welcome to the Show” has been used as the official theme song of the Houston Rodeo since 2019.
The rodeo opener’s announcement comes after Johnson’s recent health problems, which forced him to cancel his remaining 2025 tour.
On October 7, the Texas-born country star took to Instagram, sharing that he’s been forced to stop performing for the time being due to a ruptured eardrum that required surgical repair.
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“It is with a very heavy heart that I have to share that the remainder of this year’s concert performances will not be able to happen,” Johnson wrote on Instagram. “While battling a severe upper respiratory and sinus infection, I burst my eardrum. The severity of the rupture means I must undergo immediate surgery.”
All indications point towards Johnson making a full recovery and resuming his performance schedule in 2026. He has already committed to making up for the canceled performances in the new year. Hopefully, everything goes smoothly, and his recovery continues well so fans can see him and his opening acts take the star-shaped stage without worries.
