Career beginnings and That Lonesome Song (2005–2009)

By 2005, Johnson had been signed to a recording contract with BNA Records. His first single, entitled "The Dollar", was released that year, followed by his Buddy Cannon-produced debut album (also entitled The Dollar) in March 2006. "The Dollar" went on to peak at No. 14 onBillboard Hot Country Songs. The album's second single, "Rebelicious", failed to make the chart and Johnson was dropped from BNA.

After the loss of his record deal, Johnson divorced his wife and took on a reclusive lifestyle, residing in a friend's house while working on his songwriting.^[5] He wrote several songs for other artists. In 2006, George Strait reached No. 1 on the Country chart with "Give It Away", a song which Johnson co-wrote with Bill Anderson and Cannon. This song became Strait's 51st No. 1 on the Billboard country charts, setting a new record for most No. 1s on that chart.

In 2007, Trace Adkins charted with two more songs that Johnson co-wrote: "Ladies Love Country Boys" and "I Got My Game On", the former being Adkins' first No. 1 in 10 years. Also in 2007, Joe Nichols reached Top 20 with "Another Side of You", another song co-written by Johnson. This song was the first single on Nichols's album Real Things, which also contained "She's All Lady", a song that Johnson originally recorded on The Dollar.

Johnson was part of the Fox TV television series Nashville,^[6] which was cancelled after two episodes in September 2007.

Johnson released an album in 2008, That Lonesome Song, which was only made available online.^[5] The album drew the attention of Mercury Nashville Records, who signed him to a record deal in 2008. His first single for the label, "In Color", was released in March 2008. This song, which Johnson co-wrote with Lee Thomas Miller and James Otto, entered the Top 40 in June 2008, and That Lonesome Song was released on CD in August of that year. "In Color" peaked at No. 9 on the Country chart in January 2009 and was followed a month later by "High Cost of Living", which managed to crack the Top 40, but only reaching No. 34. By April 2009, That Lonesome Song was certified Gold by the RIAA.

A fifth single, "My Way to You", was issued in July 2009. The song was released to radio on July 13, 2009, and debuted at No. 56 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. The song peaked at No. 52 in September 2009.

Johnson was nominated for the 2009 CMA Awards New Artist of the Year, and has been nominated for the 2010 Academy of Country Music Top New Solo Vocalist.

The Guitar Song (2010–2012)

In 2010, Johnson released a follow-up to his 2008 album, That Lonesome Song. The album titled The Guitar Song was released on September 14, 2010. Upon its release, The Guitar Song was met with overwhelming praise and universal acclaim from music critics.^[7] The album debuted at number four on the U.S. Billboard 200 and number one on the U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums, selling 63,000 copies its first week of release.^[8]

Johnson released three singles from the album, including "Playing the Part", in summer 2010. The music video for the single was released in October, and was directed by Matthew McConaughey, who also stars in the video as a dancing gorilla.

Johnson was the supporting act on Kid Rock's 2011 Born Free Tour, accompanying Rock on a duet or two during most concerts. He was also a main stage act on Willie Nelson's Country Throwdown from May to July 2011.

Living for a Song and new label (2012–present)

In addition to producing other acts and writing new material,^[9] Johnson released his fourth studio album titled Living for a Song: A Tribute to Hank Cochran on October 6, 2012. The album is a tribute to songwriter Hank Cochran.^[10] The album garnered Johnson a nomination at the 55th Grammy Awards for Best Country album. The album paired him with acts such as Ray Price, Willie Nelson, Alison Krauss, Emmylou Harris, Elvis Costello, George Strait, Vince Gill, and Merle Haggard. Longtime collaborator and producer Buddy Cannon oversaw the project.^[11] The album was released on vinyl September 25, 2012, and other formats on October 16, 2012.^[12]

Following a dispute with his label, Johnson founded his own label, Big Gassed Records. His first release on the label was a Christmas-themed EP, The Christmas Song, including several covers and one new original song, which was released in November 2014. It was announced that more new music would follow in 2015.^[13] In January 2015, Johnson released a new song, "Alabama Pines" as a free download.^[14] This was followed by the release of another single, "You Can", in February.^[15]

In a 2017 interview, Johnson stated that he had been having more difficulty with songwriting after an incident about seven years prior when he received a concussion due to slipping on ice and hitting his head.^[16][17] In 2019, Johnson played alongside Don Was, Warren Haynes, Lukas Nelson, and Cyril Neville on The Last Waltz Tour, a live celebration of The Band's 1976 farewell show at the Winterland Ballroom, also known as The Last Waltz.^[18][19]

On March 19, 2022, Bill Anderson invited him to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry, which he accepted; Johnson had performed regularly on the show for the previous seventeen years.^[20] He was inducted on May 14, 2022.^[21]

On December 15, 2023, Johnson gave the commencement speech to the 2023 Fall graduating class of Jacksonville State University and received an honorary doctorate from the school. Alabama Governor Kay Ivey proclaimed December 15 Jamey Johnson Day.^[22]

Studio albums

Extended plays

Singles

• ^A"The Dollar" did not enter the Billboard Hot 100, but peaked on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart at number one.^[31]

Music videos