David Raubach: Johnny. Yes. What are you going to play for us? You said you had a song. You got a new song that’s coming out in May.

Johnny Woods: Got a new song coming out in May. The end of May, the last week of May, and um just kind of a uh side story to this. Wrote this song I’ve had a songwriting hero, an artist that I’ve listened to for many years, and we’ve wrote together, created a friendship, and I wrote this song, and I could not think of anybody better that I would want to have as a collab or an artist collab than this guy. And so, I reached out to him. I haven’t done a collab like this before, and I just asked him I said, “Hey, man, love for you to check out this song, listen to it, and I would love to have you on this, and he reached back out and said that he would love to, and it made my entire year, and I cannot wait to be able to uh share this with everybody at the end of May, and um this song is called Swamp Water Gospel, and it’s about finding Jesus or faith or whatever it is that you believe in in that higher power, and doing whatever you love to do. It’s not always in a church. It’s not always in a church pew.

Johnny Woods: Um sometimes it’s out in God’s creation. And um that’s what the song is about. So, it’s called Swamp Water Gospel. [music] I’ve been baptized by the moonlight in the trees. I’ve got scars on my heart where my prayers should be. And my preacher don’t preach past midnight, that’s all right with me. Cuz I’m a muddy water backwoods melody. It ain’t holy, but it’s a real thing, a hymn in the cypress trees. I found the truth with the bugs and the blues and a backbeat on my knees. Ain’t no steeple where the church bell rings, but it saves me just the same. That swamp water gospel is calling my name.

Johnny Woods: [singing] Knee deep in the reeds, don’t you know. Telling all my sins to the river down below. There’s no stained glass, just saw grass, and you can bet that’s where I’ll be. Mhm, buzzing like a skeeter in a sunset symphony. It ain’t holy, but it’s a real thing, a hymn in the cypress trees. I found the truth with the bugs and the blues and a backbeat on my knees. Ain’t no steeple where the church bell rings, but it saves me just the same. That swamp water gospel is

Johnny Woods: calling my name. [singing] It ain’t holy, but it’s a real thing here in the cypress trees. I found the truth with the bugs and the booze and a backbeat on my knees. I know it’s steep where the church bell rings, but it saved me just the same. Hey, that swamp water is calling my name. That swamp water gospel is calling my name. [music ends] David Raubach: Man, that is fantastic. That’s so good. Was there a — as you were writing that or as you were singing it just now, was there a place or a moment or an experience that you

David Raubach: had that that comes to mind? Like there’s a lot of very vivid imagery in that song. Johnny Woods: Absolutely, yeah. Before I started doing music, I loved to fish. Uh I wasn’t very good at it, but I loved to do it. I did it competition. Um fished a lot of tournaments and stuff and I always remember finding myself, you know, during a tournament or during practice days, being on the water, I just felt that’s where I felt the closest to God. That’s where I felt like that I could talk freely, I could feel freely, and I felt like that’s where he spoke to me the most because I felt like that that’s where I

Johnny Woods: was at my quietest. Where I was at my slowest point in my life. And so, I think that that’s where I found God, you know, in in moments of places like that. And that’s where the song ultimately really came from. David Raubach: Yeah, that’s amazing. So, this comes out end of May? Johnny Woods: May 29th. David Raubach: May 29th, okay. Johnny Woods: Yeah, May 29th, whatever that day is on the Friday. David Raubach: I remember. Johnny Woods: I think it’s May 29th. But, yes, and actually that song is uh with my good friend, Mr. Adam Hood. David Raubach: Okay. Johnny Woods: And if you guys don’t uh aren’t familiar with him, you should be. He is a an

Johnny Woods: incredible writer, an incredible artist. He’s done a lot of stuff with Chris Stapleton and Little Big Town and Whiskey Myers and Elle Kingly and Miranda Lambert. The list goes on and on. And he’s uh he’s a phenomenal writer and um phenomenal artist and even greater friend, so. David Raubach: Yeah. So, what what is a song that uh you enjoy playing yourself? Meaning like when you just find yourself kind of sitting there with the guitar and it’s a song that you’ve written. Maybe it’s not even one that people know that well, or maybe it is a song that people know that well, but it’s just a song that means a lot to you. Johnny Woods: Um probably, honestly, and

Johnny Woods: I feel like it’s fitting for this podcast, too, is a song that I wrote with a friend of mine named Dave Finlay. And I was in Nashville and I actually had um recently had been diagnosed with cancer at the time and I came to him and I said, “Man, I really want to write a song for my kids that they can have.” And I said, “You know, I don’t want it to be sad. I don’t want it to be something that’s you know, brings you down. I want it to be uplifting and and positive and I want it to be something that they can relate to and and remember and listen

Johnny Woods: to um for the rest of their lives.” And I think that’s what’s really cool about being an artist and being able to put something out uh on streaming platforms is because that’s something that’s out there forever. You know, even if I’m gone. And so, I wrote this song called The Gift. And I remember thinking to myself at the time um when I wrote this song because writing songs are for me are about real life and what we want to say is is the truth. And so, these were the things that I said to my kids, you know, on a daily basis. Um And so, that’s what this song is about.

Johnny Woods: It’s called The Gift. And it took me — It took me about 6 months to be able to sing this song without breaking down. David Raubach: Yeah. Yeah. Johnny Woods: [singing] And it’s called The Gift. The greatest gift God ever gave is when he gave us Jesus. The second greatest gift God ever gave he gave to me cuz he gave me mom and dad to love me. Enough to point me to the cross. And that cross gave me direction so that I was never lost. Now, I get to be a daddy with a family of my own. But I got a couple things to say before

Johnny Woods: [singing] I got to go. Be kind to everybody. Cuz kindness don’t cost nothing. And when you pray, say thank you before you ask for something. Yeah, but don’t you ask for patience. And don’t you ask for time. Spend more of it looking for than you ever back. Yeah, love ain’t always easy, but it’s the only thing we’re fighting for. Don’t go to bed angry. Don’t be the one to start the drama. And don’t forget that daddy loves you. And always mind your mama. There’s lessons that you’re going to learn. You’ll have to learn the hard way. There’s always two

Johnny Woods: [singing] roads you can take, and you’re going to take the wrong way sometimes. But you’ll be fine. Cuz you can always trust in Jesus. You can always trust your heart. And trust me that I’ll miss you every minute we’re apart. Yeah, be kind to everybody. Cuz kindness don’t cost nothing. And when you pray, say thank you before you ask for something. Yeah, but don’t you ask for patience. And don’t you ask for time. Spend more of it looking forward than you ever do back. Yeah, love ain’t always easy, but it’s the only thing we’re fighting for.

Johnny Woods: [singing] Don’t go to bed angry. Don’t be the one to start the drama. Don’t forget that daddy loves you. And always mind your mama. Yeah, be kind to everybody. This kindness don’t cost nothing. And when you pray, say thank you before you ask for something. Yeah, but don’t you ask for patience. And don’t you ask for time. Spend more of it looking for than you ever do back. And loving always easy. It is the only thing worth fighting for. And don’t go to bed angry. And be the one to start the drama. And don’t

Johnny Woods: [singing] forget that daddy loves you. Don’t forget that daddy loves you. Don’t forget that daddy loves you. And always mind your mama. Always mind your mama. Love you, kiddos. [music ends] David Raubach: That was — Man, I’m going to need 6 months to recover after that. Wow. Uh man, that was amazing. Well, Johnny, thank you so much for playing those songs for us. Johnny Woods: Absolutely. David Raubach: Two songs was great. I wish it was like five or six or 10. When is your next show? Johnny Woods: So, right now we are in the middle of finishing up this project, a new record, and as soon as that’s done, we are going to be hitting the road back later this summer.

Johnny Woods: So, nothing is on the books that we can talk about right now in this moment. But, it’s uh I know that there are some um opportunities that are coming up along the road. Um play in Nashville quite a bit, so um be there at the Listening Room sometime this summer. And um the Local as well, so. David Raubach: So, let’s go back to the beginning. Uh so, we’ve we’ve heard the music. Uh we’ve heard a couple different songs, two different styles of songs. Um both amazing. I and I’m I’m so excited uh for these to be officially released to the public. And and thank you for sharing them with us today. What um So, 2020, you decide

David Raubach: to embark on a music career. What led to that? Johnny Woods: I’ve had that question asked a lot because during that time was obviously COVID. And people would tell you and in 2020, that was probably the worst time to try to embark on anything. But music had always been a big part of my life ever since I was a kid. You know, I started playing guitar when I was 12. I grew up in the church. And so, music was always obviously a big part of my life and I think I got to the point in time maybe I hit a midlife crisis earlier on and uh I started writing music when I

Johnny Woods: was probably 25 years old. I wrote a couple songs and obviously work got in the way, but I was just encouraged by a lot of my friends that had heard my music that were encouraged me to go out and try to um put something together and see what happened. And ultimately, the first song that I ever recorded, I just had the mindset of I just want to do this for myself. David Raubach: Mhm. Johnny Woods: I want to be able to have something that I can plug into my auxiliary cord and and listen down the road. And of course, we all know how that goes. You know, you start something and you’re like, “Man, I think I

Johnny Woods: think I can do this.” And I had their support uh by by many that uh allowed me to be able to do what I’m doing right now. So, I’m very very grateful for that. David Raubach: So, that song, was that Hurricane or was that — Uh actually the first — the time frame or the year chronology. Johnny Woods: Yeah, the so the first song that I ever recorded and released was Hurricane. Uh it wasn’t the first song that I wrote, but it was the very first song that I recorded and released to to radio and um so that kind of got everything started, but um Last Glass of Whiskey was the first song that I

Johnny Woods: had um had ever wrote. David Raubach: Okay, and we were talking before we came on today. So I just got back from doing a bourbon tour in Kentucky. You enjoy a good glass of whiskey. We were talking about our favorite whiskeys, Eagle Rare, any of the Buffalo Trace products, Willett’s another good one. So and I do owe you a bottle of whiskey. I did tell you that. So that’s now officially on the record. Johnny Woods: All right, I love it, man. I appreciate that. And also too, thanks for having me on here. David Raubach: Yeah, no, I appreciate you coming on. Um and so that first well, the first song that you released, I guess officially, Hurricane, I

David Raubach: mean it’s it’s getting airtime on the radio. That must have been a surreal experience. What I mean, what are you thinking at that point? Johnny Woods: It was a very surreal uh experience. I remember driving around in Texas and listening to the local radio stations and, you know, up next we have Johnny Woods with Hurricane. I’m like, man, this is — is this really happening? It’s one of those moments where um especially back then and even now, I I look back at it like, man, what a what a gift, like what a cool thing that I’ve get to experience because I think even as kids, you know, you think about joining a band or how cool it would

Johnny Woods: be to watching a concert and being able to say like, man, how cool would it be to be the guy on stage, you know. And um so I think that that was for me it was just a really surreal experience. So. David Raubach: What — So at that point, how would you how would you describe your music style at that point in time? Johnny Woods: So I think at that point in time I had been embedded in listening to so many different types of music, ’90s country, modern country, outlaw, singer-songwriter stuff, and I think I had a a lot of you know, artist imposter syndrome. I didn’t know who I wanted

Johnny Woods: to be or what route that I wanted to chase, and I think whenever you are stepping and dipping your toes into the water of a new career or anything like that, you you’re looking at what works or what is working at the time. And at the time, you know, it was a lot of the Tyler Childers stuff, and so, you know, Hurricane kind of had some of that um you know, influence in it, and so, you know, I did that, and you know, I was so green when it came to the music career that I was like, well, I’ll just do a bunch of stuff. I’ll do some red dirt,

Johnny Woods: I’ll do some Texas country, I’ll do some modern country, and it honestly opened my eyes, and it’s kind of gotten me back to where I am right now, where it’s kind of music is music to me, and whatever is speaking to me at that time, like just because a textbook or everybody else is making an album that is completely this one thing, why do I have to do that, you know? That’s why, you know, John Mayer is one of my all-time favorite, you know, he’s a big influence, and I just love the way he writes. His albums are so different. I mean, there may be something that is blues, or there may

Johnny Woods: be something that’s pop-rock infused, and then there may be something that is western swing infused, and every ’80s, and so, and I think that’s that was ended up coming full circle again to where it’s kind like, man, I’m not really anything other than just Johnny. David Raubach: Yeah, so. And you have a great uh cover of a John Mayer song on your Instagram account. Johnny Woods: Oh, yes. David Raubach: Uh yeah. Queen of California? Johnny Woods: Yeah, Queen of California, which is fantastic. David Raubach: Check it out uh on — What is the uh What’s the handle? Johnny Woods: Johnny Woods Music, that’s right. Yeah. David Raubach: Um so that Yeah, that was really good. I was listening to that earlier. Um and I

David Raubach: appreciate you said John Mayer. I’m a I’m a John Mayer fan, but it’s really like it’s been amazing to see his transformation coming from like, you know, running through the uh halls of my high school to like the stuff that he does today and he’s kind of been all all over the map, but it you know, if you’re good at music and you’re inspired by different things and there’s and like your life circumstances change, um and that obviously plays a big role. What What would you say are kind of some of the things that have inspired your writing over the past 7 years? Johnny Woods: A lot of pain. If I’m being honest, I mean,

Johnny Woods: there’s a there’s a lot of a lot of things that have happened, you know, in my life and where I have taken life experiences and even taken other people’s life experiences. Um I’ve even been able to write songs from other people’s perspective. And so I think just circumstances in life where you want to be, where you’ve been have been a big play of where lyrics come from. And also to place in time. I think, you know, if I’m out in the woods, you know, there’s — I spend a lot of time in northwestern Arkansas. It’s beautiful in in that area and I spend a lot of time. So, you

Johnny Woods: know, you get around those things, you know, pine trees and nature, you know, your writing bleeds whatever you’re, you know, uh engulfed in in that moment and I think it was also the same thing with life circumstances. And pain, happiness, and so I think a lot of that has shaped what I write. David Raubach: It’s a lot about just emotion. It’s like human emotion. You should feel that emotion and then that comes out in your lyrics. So, you’ve got a song that you just recently released, “Perfume”. Tell us about that. What that song, why did you write it? What’s the motivation behind

David Raubach: that song? Johnny Woods: So, very few of my songs, and I would say probably even released or even unreleased, I would have to say they’re not necessarily about any in particular person. Um and so I may have you know, I may see something or or hear something. I may see a movie and be like, “Man, I’m really inspired by that.” But this this situation is a little bit different um with “Perfume”. I actually had a friend um I’ll give him a shout-out, John Mcall, one of the best bass players around. Um period. And he just shot me a message one day. He said, “Dude, I’ve got a song title.” And he said, “Something it

Johnny Woods: was it wasn’t exactly um it wasn’t exactly “Perfume”, but it had something to do with you know, perfume and and cigarettes or something like that. And I got to thinking about that when he sent me that. I was like, “Man, that’s great.” And then you get to thinking about — I visualize a lot of the things I write. So, I think about in this moment, I think about like a 1950s bar. David Raubach: Yeah. Yeah. Johnny Woods: You know, where there’s a jazz you know, a a piano player playing something, you know, and you can still smoke in the bars. And you know, sitting there smoking a cigarette and then all of a sudden the door opens and and and

Johnny Woods: wind blows in and he smells that perfume that he used to know a long time ago and it just mixes in with the scenery you know and I think that that’s where it came from was just a relationship that had gone bad, or maybe not gone bad, maybe just things didn’t work out you know and so but he’s reminded of that scent. David Raubach: Yeah. Yeah now I mean we uh you know we’ve got the five senses hearing sight touch uh taste but then scent is actually um one of those things that is very intimately and vividly tied to memory and so uh

David Raubach: I mean you can actually literally go and there’s companies that will sell you scents that that what the premise is is that you buy this scent if you’re going to have some special event or some occasion or go on some trip and then that becomes the scent that’s tied to that moment or that event uh and then it kind of stays with you the rest of your life um and so I yeah I mean I love the imagery of that song where it really would be you’re just sitting at you’re sitting in a bar could be anywhere and then that scent suddenly you don’t even have to see anything you don’t have to hear anything

David Raubach: you don’t have to touch anything just the scent itself triggers this memory um so it’s great and the and the video that you’ve got online is uh it’s perfect you’ve got the grainy film footage you know making it look like it’s from the the 50s so um you’ve got uh you’ve got another song uh that I want to um bring up here uh let’s see uh that is not — well actually let me ask you this so you describe yourself uh in your in your bio you talk about being from the oil fields and working in the oil fields um and then kind of being blue collar from Oklahoma um how has that defined your music

David Raubach: or influenced your music? Johnny Woods: Just that like again, just being blue collar, oil field, Oklahoma. I would say grit, honestly. I mean, oil field, blue collar, anyone that’s doing physical labor or long hours or spends time away from their family um, to make a living. I mean, you you have to have tough skin. Um, you have to have the right mindset to be able to get through the day. You’re tired. Um, you know, there’s just there’s a lot that the oil field has taught me. I mean, even with relationships, I mean, with people and knowing how to treat people and earning respect. And I think that that transitioned into my

Johnny Woods: music career really well. I I also think, too that you learn how — I don’t want to say corrupt, but it’s almost cynical almost, I guess, that the music industry can be. It’s it’s all about me, me, me, me, me and like you you’re trying to protect this one thing and everyone’s in this competition, you know, and you you know, when you when you’re in a business or you’re in um hyper competitive — David Raubach: Yeah, it’s very that — and you know, the oil field’s not like that and I’m sure that the medical field, you know, the people that you work around you spend more time with them than you do your

David Raubach: own family and and you you really do believe that everyone has your best interest. And honestly in the music industry, it’s not that way. Johnny Woods: But I also think the the toughness and the grit that I received in the oil and gas industry from tough bosses that you know that helped me to understand, you know, that man, you you can’t wear your feelings on your shoulder. David Raubach: Yeah, and it’s and you and you learn to be able to take criticism or hear no or hear that’s not good enough or yeah. Johnny Woods: Absolutely. David Raubach: So you have a song that I’ve really enjoyed listening to called No Good Songs for Crying. Johnny Woods: Oh man,

Johnny Woods: I love that song. David Raubach: Yeah, it’s a that’s a great song. I love the lyrics. So talk — tell us a little bit about that song. Johnny Woods: That’s a cool story. I love this song and this song took — This was probably the song that took the longest for me and my friend Mr. Kendall Combs to to write and Kendall actually had the idea. He talked about — He came to me and he works at the studio that I work at and he came to me with this this idea and he was talking about his daughter and how they were riding around at their grandpa’s farm and if I’m getting

Johnny Woods: the story wrong Kendall, I’m really sorry but I think this is how I tell it every time so but they were riding around their grandpa’s farm in the in his old truck and there was a some old cassette tapes that they were listening to you know some Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, George Jones and so you know they were listening to He Stopped Loving Her Today and his daughter Grace was I think maybe 13 at the time and listening to that song and he looked over at her and I think she was you know kind of tearing up listening to the lyrics and she just said dad there’s there’s just no good songs

Johnny Woods: for crying anymore. And I thought to myself what what a title you know and so we we tried to write this song a couple different ways and we spent a lot of time on it and I knew that it was a special song. Kendall knew it was a special song and then when we got it we were like this is this is it you know and it you know we were able to take — I’m a big play on words person. So taking songs from Merle Haggard and uh George Jones and and kind of spinning it in that way and even keeping that uh traditional, I guess you could say, traditional

Johnny Woods: country feel to that song, you know. That’s how that song came about and um man, I love that song. I love to play that song live. David Raubach: Yeah. Yeah. So. Well, it’s fantastic. Um so, what’s the song that maybe people don’t know as well that mean a lot to you. I mean, obviously you played the song that you wrote for your kids, uh The Gift, which is which was beautiful. But, what is there another song that’s kind of one of those songs that is really special to you that maybe you don’t always play at a concert. Johnny Woods: Um man, that’s a real that’s

Johnny Woods: a good question. Some of the newer stuff, honestly. I mean, there’s uh there’s the another song of mine called Maybe. Uh-huh. Uh that I that I just released this past year, too, as well, that is I think can relate to to the world in in relationships. Um it’s just about and you know, just about love can do a lot of things. You know, it it can move mountains, you know, it it can have your back and but what it doesn’t do is, you know, doesn’t do maybe, you know, it’s in or out. And so, you know, that’s that’s one of them that I would say this that I feel that

Johnny Woods: is a a I love to play live. Um and then probably Country Queen. David Raubach: Okay. Johnny Woods: Is a song that is more of a kind of a modern but older, you know, ’90s country the theme, you know, um that was really that was really fun. David Raubach: That really, honestly, a lot of your earlier stuff when you’re starting out, like just it gets completely overlooked, you know? When you know, when Ella Langley hit it big, Johnny Woods: I’m like, man, Y’all think that song’s great? Y’all should listen to her stuff that she had, you know, recorded 7 years ago. It’s phenomenal. David Raubach: And so, there’s songs that that kind of get swept under the the rug that

David Raubach: don’t get heard, but I love that song because it was the song that I thought would do really well. Johnny Woods: Yeah. It was the song that I we put a lot of work and effort into production-wise. It’s a fun song. Um but I think that that’s probably one of another one of those songs. David Raubach: I love listening to the artists that talk about the songs that make it big and the songs that don’t make it big. And then when they’re talking about the song that made it big and they’re like, man, we really never thought that this would be, but for whatever reason, Johnny Woods: took off. David Raubach: It’s got some catchy

David Raubach: hook in the chorus or uh you know, it came out at just the right time about just the right topic or whatever it is. So, yeah, it’s always interesting to hear that evolution. Johnny Woods: It is a It’s a It really is a strange thing. I mean, that it’s — I think like my number one streamed song is called Taking the Risk and it was a song that I wrote with with Adam Hood. And I love soul music. You know, I I love um I I I just I love soul music, period. I mean, from the oldies until now. And I remember that was the first song that I

Johnny Woods: that I wrote and that I put out that was completely different than what I’d done. David Raubach: Yeah. Johnny Woods: There was no marketing behind it. I didn’t say, you guys go pre-save this. David Raubach: Right, right, yeah. Big social media campaign and that kind of thing. Johnny Woods: There was none of that. And I remember releasing that and it just took off. I mean, and and it’s almost got a million streams on Spotify right now. I’m like — David Raubach: Yeah. Johnny Woods: I would have never thought that but it was also when I when I think about that I’m like I love that music. That’s me. That’s all honesty. Like that’s my honesty and and I think

Johnny Woods: once I saw that I was like this is what I need. David Raubach: People can feel that genuineness coming out in the music. Yeah. So you talked about life experience and hard times influencing your music. You I think it’s fair to say had your life very much upended back in 2024 in August of 2024. Talk about what happened at that point. Johnny Woods: Um for a long time or for a for a while I was very I was very angry you know I and coming into this building you know this building was the first building that I ever walked into. And I remember walking into the building for the first time and as a someone in

Johnny Woods: their mid-30s and you walk into a a hospital or an institution and nothing against old people but whenever you see whenever you see — when that’s all you see you’re you kind of like man this is I’m not supposed to be here. David Raubach: Right. Johnny Woods: And I thought for the longest time that cancer was the thing that interrupted my life. And I have learned that that’s not true. It introduced me to life. I think that that’s what it propelled me and pushed me to realize in in some way it it fast-tracked me to be able to see that this is life. But it also slowed me down enough to realize that a lot of the things that I

Johnny Woods: stressed about for so long before I found out that I had cancer was nothing but just expensive nonsense. You know? And so I think that’s where I was at when I when I first found that out. But I mean, I think with any anyone whenever you get that type of news because I mean, let’s be real. I mean, when you’re a kid, you worry about am I going to get good grades, you know, and or you worry about getting in trouble or, you know, you become a teenager, you worry about you know, getting in a wreck or uh making stupid decisions and then you get married and

Johnny Woods: then you worry about fights with your spouse or financial decisions and then you worry about your kids and if the world’s going to you know, chew them up and spit them out. And then you worry about your parents getting older. But it’s really hard to step back and say did someone sit around and thought about what if I had cancer? I mean, that’s just not something that you do you think about. So whenever those moments come in your life they really do. They they can almost uproot you. David Raubach: So. What so you got diagnosed with uh leukemia. Um How how did that transpire? How did how did you find out that you had cancer? What led

David Raubach: to you going to the doctor to try to figure out what was going on and how did the doctors figure out that you had leukemia? Johnny Woods: Great question and I want to use this moment as an encouraging statement to people 25 and older or 21 and older go and get routine blood work done every year. David Raubach: Yeah. Johnny Woods: It’s not that expensive and it can truly change the trajectory of your life. And I wouldn’t have done that. And and so to answer your question, so I was um testosterone deficient ever since I was probably around the age of 21 or 22 years old. They tried to send me to

Johnny Woods: different doctors. They did scans. They did everything. They did blood work. And they just basically told me that I had low testosterone. And so from that age I was on medication. I was taking injectables. And so in order to continue to fill your injectables, you have to get checked every 6 months so they can see where your levels are at. David Raubach: Right. Johnny Woods: And so at the time um I was I was getting ready to go um oh well, I I had gone in to get checked and I I wasn’t feeling very well at the time either. I’d just got back from Nashville. I was having some very foreign headaches

Johnny Woods: and some uh some chest pains and um I just didn’t know what was going on. And so I thought, “Well, my checkup’s coming up pretty soon, but I really need to get this checked out.” So I went in and my doctor primary care doctor they ran my test and usually that takes a day or two. David Raubach: Right. Johnny Woods: And so I went back to work and they called me back and they said, “Hey, you know, we need you to we need you to get to the closest place that you can get a chest x-ray.” David Raubach: Okay. Johnny Woods: And you know, so I asked what the deal was. They’re like, “Well, some of your results came back.

Johnny Woods: You know, we just want to make sure it’s not pneumonia, that there’s not an infection of any kind.” And so I said, “Okay.” And so I went in, did a x-ray, and then I came back to the primary care, and they wanted to take my blood work again. This was like on a Friday. David Raubach: Okay. Johnny Woods: So Saturday rolls around the next day, and my doctor calls me, and she goes, “Hey, I I need you to go and check yourself into the emergency room David Raubach: Wow. Johnny Woods: at um wherever you wherever you want to go.” And so I went in, and um I asked why, obviously, and she said, “Well, you know, your white blood cell count has gone

Johnny Woods: from 56,000 to 78,000 David Raubach: Okay. Johnny Woods: within a week.” And so I did what every person does, and you get on Google, and you David Raubach: [laughter] Yeah. Johnny Woods: Why would my white blood cell count be 78,000? David Raubach: Yeah. Johnny Woods: First thing that pops up is you know, leukemia or or blood cancer. And I was like, “There’s no way.” David Raubach: Yeah. You know, and and Cuz you’re in your mid-30s. Johnny Woods: Yeah. Healthy. Yeah, and I look at like this is common for people in their 60s and 70s, and you know and then there’s another type of leukemia, AML, which is common for people in you know, younger adolescents to kids, you know, and so wasn’t really it didn’t dawn

Johnny Woods: on me that way. I thought, “With me, there’s something wrong with the results or something.” You know, I thought, “Well, they did this on a Friday. They probably wanted to get out of there, and they messed the test up, you know.” But no. I went in, and they they ran all the cultures, and ran all the tests, and um you know, I before I went, you know, I I um you know, I told my mom what was going on. I was, you know, very close with my mom, and and uh she was she was right there with me the whole entire time during that during that moment, and um the doctor came in and said,

Johnny Woods: “We’re going to refer you to an oncologist, know, over here at in you know, Integris and you know, I and I knew at that time I said and I you know, I got it and and it wasn’t but about a week later I came over here to Integris and met with Dr. Raparthy, I think that’s her name. David Raubach: Okay. Johnny Woods: And so they diagnosed me with CML and so and that’s kind of where this whole journey started, you know. David Raubach: So chronic myeloid leukemia. Johnny Woods: Yes. David Raubach: Um and for those not familiar, there are two types of leukemia, AML or actually I guess there’s technically four types, AML, ALL, Johnny Woods: Yep. David Raubach: CML and CLL. So chronic myeloid

David Raubach: leukemia is specifically in myeloid cells and um chronic it tends to be a little bit slower growing, um but also it also is one of those things you’re going to have to likely deal with for a long time as well. What um I mean, what are you thinking at that point? I you know, you you’ve you you do a very good job of expressing yourself through your music. And so you are now faced with having to express or figure out your emotions behind something that was completely unexpected and is I mean, it’s a it it’s it’s it’s very severe and very traumatic. How how what are you thinking at that point? Johnny Woods: I think

Johnny Woods: in that moment in time I really honestly, I didn’t know what to think. I honestly was in denial. David Raubach: Yeah. Johnny Woods: Just because of like I said, it’s not something that you worry about, you know, especially and then when you read into it, you’re kind of like, well, maybe there’s a mistake or something. David Raubach: Right. Johnny Woods: And so, I think at that time I was kind of in denial, but I also um I had to I did have to come to reality with what I was what I was dealing with, you know? And I immediately began to think about my kids. David Raubach: Yeah. Johnny Woods: You know. And um you know, I’ve got two

Johnny Woods: kids and they are they are they’re my life. You know, I’ve got a a 15-year-old girl now and 12-year-old boy. And like I said before, I think it really began to put things into perspective that relationships matter, health matters. David Raubach: Mhm. Johnny Woods: And the things that caused stress, I’ll say it again, was just expensive nonsense. And I think in that moment I began to realize what I had missed out on, you know, what was important in life. And it began to shift my focus from um a lot of selfish things and desires into hey, we you’ve got this one life to live. David Raubach: Yeah. Johnny Woods: And right now you’re not guaranteed next month. And so, what

Johnny Woods: do we what are we going to do? And so, that began to shift my focus on on really what mattered. I mean, and I think that happened and and then obviously, you know, the anger, the confusion, um the sadness, you know, the denial. I think all of those things just kind of start to compile on top of you. David Raubach: Yeah. Yeah, and each and each day it might be a different emotion or even each hour is a different emotion. Johnny Woods: Yeah. David Raubach: Um What So, you go and meet with the oncologist and, you know, you’re starting to learn a little bit more about that the diagnosis that you do have. What what is the oncologist or

David Raubach: the team saying at that point about what treatment’s going to look like, what the next few months or the next few years are going to look like? Johnny Woods: So, they told me that the initially the prognosis was going to be good. You know, they you know, you know, CML is a very manageable cancer. Uh you know, most people experience a normal lifespan, you know, um things things of that matter. And so, that was definitely encouraging at the moment. And I think, you know, looking back on it, I wish that doctors didn’t say things like that. David Raubach: Yeah. Johnny Woods: You know, I mean, and I know that they I know that they have to, you know, and

Johnny Woods: unless people are like, “Doc, what am I looking at?” you know, but to say, you know, this is you know, this is manageable um because it’s honestly been anything but manageable. David Raubach: Right. Johnny Woods: Um I you know, if there is a 1% chance that someone will find that 1% chance, I’m that 1% chance, you know. I feel like that’s been kind of my story with different medications, but I think at that time, you know, they told me that this was you know, it was a good prognosis and you know, it should be easily manageable. We’re going to put you on this medication. You’re

Johnny Woods: not going to have to go through, you know, radiation or or, you know, uh transplant or something like that. David Raubach: Traditional chemotherapy. Johnny Woods: Right. Okay. You know, you’re going to take these these pills every day and you know, you’ll be all right. David Raubach: So, that’s kind of what I was told at the beginning of it. Yeah. So, you’re thinking that, and then as you said, it’s been anything but that. So, what — When did you kind of first figure out that maybe this is not going to be quite so manageable? When When did those circumstances change or you realize that you didn’t necessarily respond to the treat the initial treatments the way that maybe

David Raubach: your doctor — you thought you would? Johnny Woods: So, probably — So, I was diagnosed in in August. And I think a lot of this started to unfold probably around December. David Raubach: Okay. Johnny Woods: Of that of that year. And I was originally had been put on a drug called Gleevec. And Gleevec was the common um gen one first drug that they put the majority people on. And I’ve learned a lot about like, you know, insurance and what they’re willing to pay for and what they’re not, but um that was originally what people were on. A lot of success had been had with that drug. People are still on that drug. There’s not a knock on

Johnny Woods: I don’t have anything bad to say about the drug, but I I started Gleevec and I remember having a lot of GI problems. Um I started having just a lot of gut issues and it made me swell up, you know, I gained a lot of weight on it. David Raubach: Yeah. Johnny Woods: Um and I just I did I did not feel well and I’m like, if this is what I have to be on, like, take me home now. And so, um they put me on an uh on a new drug called Sprycel. David Raubach: Okay. Johnny Woods: And Sprycel was I think had had just been um FDA approved or had had been approved by the FDA and maybe

Johnny Woods: had been on the market for um or the generic had only been on the market for maybe a couple months at the time. David Raubach: Okay. Johnny Woods: And so, I started taking Sprycel and immediately began to feel worlds better. Like, the brain fog had gone away. I started losing weight again. Um I had more energy. And I thought at that time, I was like, “Okay, David Raubach: Yeah. Johnny Woods: this is now where now we’re getting to where we need to be at.” And so, um and then even like my numbers my cancer my BC uh BCR ABL numbers that which is the is the percentage of the cancer in your body or in the yeah in your body. That was

Johnny Woods: even starting to drop dramatically and getting into a really good spot. And so, I was started I was on that. And in December, I remember getting really sick. Um some things started to change and around Christmas time, I just became very lethargic one night and I mean passed out. David Raubach: Wow. Johnny Woods: They had to call an ambulance. The ambulance came and got me and rushed — You know, who you mad. And um they had basically figured out that this drug Sprycel had caused um some liver problems. David Raubach: Okay. Johnny Woods: And was almost like my ALT and AST numbers were like through the roof. I mean, so much so that they like I mean, do you have

Johnny Woods: like hepatitis? I mean, like they like I mean, I was taking all these different tests and you know, the doctors were were saying like, “Oh, that it only affects less than 1% of people you know, with this you know, they have you know, could cause liver problems.” And we eliminated everything but that and as soon as I got off of it, I didn’t change anything else and all you know, my ALT AST numbers started coming down. And so then, I was off of medication for I think around a month or two. They took me off everything because I just had to you know, I was I was stuck in

Johnny Woods: the hospital for five or six days and then they wanted to make sure that those numbers were going to come down and not going to cause liver failure. So that I was off medication for a while and then they put me on a new drug called Scemblix. And that’s currently what I’m on right now. David Raubach: Okay. Johnny Woods: So and it’s you know, even with that it it has been up and down. They started me on a low dosage or half the dosage of what they wanted me to take and David Raubach: Yeah. Johnny Woods: um and then kidney numbers started going up and then they took me

Johnny Woods: off of that and then I got back on it. So it’s just been kind of a roller coaster. David Raubach: And so talk about — you you just got back from Jacksonville. Johnny Woods: Yes. David Raubach: Um so you’ve been going down to the Mayo Clinic. Johnny Woods: Yep. David Raubach: Talk a little bit about just that experience of being down there and having now having to travel for your care. So I I guess it you probably back up just a little bit. So before the December um you know, I just wanted to get a a second opinion and so um the company that I that I work for that I’m you know, we have great insurance and um we they partner with the

Johnny Woods: centers of excellence and so the Mayo Clinic was is a part of the centers of excellence and so they they sent me down there and I met with my oncologist there and um Dr. Murthy and just his team is incredible there in Jacksonville at the Mayo Clinic. And so I started going in I want to say October of when I first got diagnosed. David Raubach: Okay. Johnny Woods: So just a couple months and David Raubach: Yeah, so this is October of 2024. Johnny Woods: Yes, October 2024 and this was just kind of a second opinion. Everything you know, was pretty much the same and then the the incident over Christmas with Sprycel with my liver happened and I was like, man,

Johnny Woods: I just really want to be seen by my oncologist at the Mayo Clinic. So, that’s when I started going there. So, I you know, go there every 2 to 3 months to get checkup blood work, labs, phlebotomies, and things like that. So, I started going in October 2024 and I I’ve never experienced a place of just serving people. David Raubach: Yeah. Yeah. Johnny Woods: You know, they they incredible campuses, buildings, and just the hospitality there is is is great and the knowledge and the willingness to you know, help advocate for you along alongside of you is has been incredible. David Raubach: Well, I’m glad you mentioned getting a second opinion because that is something that we talk a lot about

David Raubach: here at the Proton Center is the importance of getting a second opinion. You know, like to think of cancer as being this thing that’s got a very structured, organized playbook. It’s like, okay, well, if you have this diagnosis, you do this treatment, this chemotherapy, this targeted therapy, this type of radiation, whatever. And the cancer, you know, you’ve got a 95% chance of getting rid of the cancer and everything’s good, but it doesn’t always work out that way. Um, and every person’s unique and every person responds differently to different treatments. And so, I would say cancer treatment, I would almost define it as as much an art as a science. And you open up the playbook

David Raubach: for how to treat this particular cancer and then it’s like, okay, well, here’s the 17 different options. And so, then you’ve got to get the doctors together um, and go into a place like Mayo, especially uh, if you have a unique situation where you said, you know, you’re like the 1%, right? Where it’s like, hey, 99% of people are going to respond great. And that’s good. You can stay here uh, and you can get treatment locally, but then if you’re the 1%, well, then that’s where a place like Mayo, that’s a center of excellence that focuses on and sees a lot of these rare situations. Johnny Woods: Sure. David Raubach: They’re going to have a perspective or an

David Raubach: experience seeing lots of patients from all over the country that are the 1% that they’re going to have a good understanding of how to approach that care. Um and and we, you know, here at the proton center in Oklahoma, you know, we rely a lot on the expertise that’s developed or the research that’s happening at some of these big academic cancer centers like an MD Anderson or a Memorial Sloan Kettering or a Johns Hopkins. Um we’re really fortunate here to have great equipment and technology, but certainly um there’s there’s amazing research happening at these facilities. So, uh so, you go you’re down at Jacksonville, you’re on this treatment. You know, we had talked about uh

David Raubach: a couple weeks ago what an alternative would be if if you don’t respond as well to this particular drug, which I do think it’s important people to for people to understand what another option is. So, so, talk about that. Johnny Woods: Yeah, so, you know, when you when you hear the word transplant or whatever, you your mind kind of goes like, what does this entail? So, you know, if medication isn’t working and they’re not able to get this under control or into remission or or to where my body is able to be able to function at at a at a decent pace or um have a a normal um quality of life, there’s the option for a

Johnny Woods: bone marrow transplant. And so, and what with that, you know, it’s uh it’s a very it’s a very risky um operation. It’s a very risky route. Um I I that you hear a lot of children that go through, you know, bone marrow transplant, you know, but it also with with children, you know, your immune system as a child is recoups a lot faster and I think, you know, uh not to say that it’s not dangerous or not very risky there, but it’s, you know, this is these are the things that I’ve been told and and so with a bone marrow transplant, you know, you’ve got to find the the the right match, the donor that’s

Johnny Woods: got to be uh a match for you, then you, you know, you’re on the operating table and you know, there’s a 15-20% chance of, you know, uh mortality there at in that moment and then it’s got to take and then you may be in the hospital for anywhere between 4 to 9 months recouping from that operation because uh your your immune system has to rebuild and like you can’t take the chance of any type of outside — David Raubach: Like a even just a Yeah, even just a basic virus can be fatal. Johnny Woods: And so they basically put you, you know, they isolate you into a room and you may get to have, you know, one visitor

Johnny Woods: at that, you know, in that time frame. Again, this is not I’ve not experienced this. These are the things that I’ve been told. David Raubach: are choices that you’re facing, potentially facing. Johnny Woods: And so I think, you know, my doctor and I we we’ve talked about this and um you know, that option is is still on on the table if David Raubach: Yeah. Johnny Woods: um if they can’t get um if they can’t get my body or the cancer into a place that we both desire it to be in, so um yeah, so there are, like I said, there there are there are options and sometimes I think to myself, man, it would just be it would be

Johnny Woods: great to just get that done and get it over with because, you know, if it works, then no more cancer, you know. David Raubach: But that, like I said, you know, there’s uh decisions and and you know, there’s um calculated risks that that you take. Yeah, I mean, it’s not it’s not very often that you’re forced to make a decision that potentially has a 15 or 20% mortality rate. And so, just I can’t even imagine laying awake at night and having to think about that. And and why would I do that or why wouldn’t I do that? When do I do it? Do I do it? And I And you you mentioned the transplant, so the I

David Raubach: guess the reason you would do the transplant is that your bone your bone marrow now is what’s producing these malignant blood cells. And so, the point would be to go in and take the bone marrow that exists now out and replace it with bone marrow that would not be producing malignant blood cells. Johnny Woods: And I didn’t I hit on that. Thank you for saying that. But yes, that’s I mean, a lot of people don’t, you know, a lot of cancers are are spot driven, you know, just like with with here at the proton center. I mean, you’re you’re There’s a tumor, it’s in a specific place, and where you either need to cut it out or

Johnny Woods: we can deliver radiation to it, right? David Raubach: Yeah, and then with with with leukemia or you know, blood cancers, you know, it’s the your blood is you know, it’s made in in the bone marrow. And so, your body is you know, being told to continue to make this septic blood, you know? And there’s not any — And I think that’s why um traditional chemo and radiation they figured wasn’t you know, wasn’t really effective for um you know, CML. That’s why And I think I believe that’s when they you know, created or developed what we call TKIs, which is the medication that we’re on, which is still it’s still a chemo-based um drug,

David Raubach: but it’s not I mean, it’s just an everyday everyday thing. So, you it sounds like at least right now, uh you are doing well enough to go back out and start playing shows and you’ve been recording, so that’s really encouraging. Johnny Woods: Yes, I mean and it is I we I did a little test run a couple weeks ago. We we I did a run of shows. One in one in Wichita, Kansas and the other one was in Oklahoma City. And I hadn’t played with my band or live in about a year over a year. David Raubach: Wow. Johnny Woods: And I knew that I wanted to get back out there and I and I knew

Johnny Woods: that, you know, and I think it really just had to do with me getting to a point where life is still happening now. David Raubach: Right. Johnny Woods: You know, and because you think about in those moments when you’re can find yourself feeling sorry for yourself or not feeling well. It’s like, man, life is happening now and I and I also came to grips and realized that when I would find myself doing the things that I loved, whether that being with my children and spending time with my family and those things like that and being around the people that I love to be around or playing music or writing music or taking doing

Johnny Woods: writers retreats, I realized that I feel better. David Raubach: Yeah. Johnny Woods: You know, and and and so I realized that, you know, life is life is happening now, not not later. It wasn’t happening then, it’s happening now. And so I wanted to see how I would feel physically with a band, you know, cuz it’s you know, it’s a lot. I mean, you’re loading in, you know, performing, you know. David Raubach: Physically taxing. Johnny Woods: 90-minute sets and then going out and talking to people and and this and that and the other and then loading back out and I mean, it’s it can be very taxing and you know, I wanted to see how I felt and that

Johnny Woods: we we went out that weekend and um I think the first night in Wichita I I felt for a moment I forgot how to perform for a little bit, you know, but I finally finally got my bearings and David Raubach: Yeah. Johnny Woods: came back to Oklahoma City. We had a great show here and um so I think at that point in time you know, because you know, scheduling out, you know, it’s not some of those things you you wait and you schedule things that are you know, 3 months out because venues have are booked up to that point in time. So this that was a little test run and so now we’re, you

Johnny Woods: know, booking into later the later summer now. David Raubach: Awesome. That’s great. Johnny Woods: Still going to kind of take it easy, you know, we’re not going to go back to, you know, an every weekend thing, but you know, it’d be nice to to feel two two weekends a month and and continue doing what I love. David Raubach: So what should people keep their eyes out for then with Johnny Woods music? And this Johnny Woods: next year. David Raubach: the new Johnny Woods: the new project is um is uh soul and swamp. David Raubach: Okay. Yeah, love it. Johnny Woods: So there’s kind of it’s kind of a three-part record, honestly. Swamp water gospel. David Raubach: Swamp water gospel. Johnny Woods: Yeah. So you know, like I talked about earlier,

Johnny Woods: you know, soul being I love soul music and Stax Records and some of those, you know, Otis Redding and and that that time frame of music. I love that music and so there’s there’s some of that, you know, with like the perfume, there’s that in there and the maybe and uh the horns and and then there’s the the swamp, you know, the swamp rock which is going to be the, you know, swamp water gospel with Adam Hood and Devils there’s a song on there called Devils Bayou. There’s another one called swampy talk. David Raubach: Yeah. That’s great. Johnny Woods: And then there’s uh the part where it’s It’s kind of it’s

Johnny Woods: honestly my journey. It’s like the you know where I’ve where I’ve been and where I’m going, you know, there’s a couple songs that talk about my health and my my journey with my faith. And they’re more of kind of a mainstream singer like songwriter vibe and then um and then there’s you know, the soul in the swamp stuff. So, it’s kind of that three-part deal. So, those are those are things to be be looking for and then maybe maybe an Americana album coming up after that. David Raubach: So that’s fantastic. So Well, that’s great. This has been such a privilege. I really appreciate you coming on. Johnny Woods: Thank you guys very much for having me

Johnny Woods: on. David Raubach: It’s so crazy just kind of you know, full circle like Yeah, I mean your first oncologist was right down the hall at the Integrative Cancer Institute and then here we are recording a podcast a year and a half later. So, man, that’s amazing. Well, thank you so much for sharing your story and I really appreciate you talking about your cancer journey too because there are other people out there that are maybe where you were at in August of 2024 or October of 2024 and I think it’s just it’s really a blessing when somebody like you is willing to talk about their experience because I know that it’s going to help the next person that’s

David Raubach: coming behind you. Johnny Woods: Yeah, I mean and I appreciate you guys allowing me to to tell my story and and if I could say anything to to the people that are going through the same thing or maybe they are just finding out about a diagnosis, you know, two things I want to say is you know, strength doesn’t always look like getting up and pushing through the day. David Raubach: Mhm. Johnny Woods: Like sometimes strength is being honest and realizing like I need rest right now. Like I I need to I need I need to rest. Like choosing that is strength and also too like cancer is fearful. Like I mean, we fear is a real thing. And you know, doesn’t

Johnny Woods: mean that fear’s not going to be knocking at your door. You just don’t let it run your house anymore. Like take control of that. And um and realize that there is a bigger picture um than cancer. It’s it will introduce you to what life is really about. And take that as a blessing. Cuz so many people they miss it. You know, I truly believe that they miss it. If you’ve never been in someone’s corner David Raubach: Mhm. Johnny Woods: that’s had cancer. I believe that people that are in your corner can experience what you experience. They’re in the They’re in the same They are in the same storm, but they’re just uh they’re just not in

Johnny Woods: a shitty boat. David Raubach: Yeah. They’re in They’re in a uh a catamaran. Yep. Johnny Woods: So. David Raubach: Yep. That’s amazing. Well, thank you again, Johnny. So, Johnny Woods on Spotify, other streaming platforms. Johnny Woods: TikTok. David Raubach: TikTok, follow him on YouTube, follow him follow on Instagram. You’ve got a website, so lots of places to keep up with your music, listen to some of the stuff that you have put out. It’s fantastic. Uh and then also uh keep up with what’s yet to come. I know this is going to be a great great year, great 2026, and we’re looking forward to hearing some more of your music. Johnny Woods: Thank you very much. Thank you, David. Thanks.