In Cody Ikerd’s original, jazzy, country anthem “You Can Find Me in a Honkytonk,” life is full of twang for your buck. In the energetic, upbeat tune, he sings:
You can find me in a honkytonk
Under neon lights.
Dancing to a steel guitar
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Is where I feel right.
Come Saturday, fans longing for live music can find him at Ceraland Park, 3989 S. County Road 525E southeast of Columbus, dancing to a steel guitar on a stage beyond the venue’s amphitheater, allowing for more social distancing and safety amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The show with him and his Sidewinders band — lead guitarist Jason Thompson, bassist Chuck Crawford, and drummer Willie Boruff — provides an early opening of the park’s annual Cerafest series.
It marks the band’s third straight appearance at Cerafest. Last year, a crowd of about 250 people caught the performance.
“People there always seem to love it,” Ikerd said. “We always try to get them up and dancing. That’s the main goal: We want to make it as fun as possible for the crowd.”
The group’s set list will include covers of artists such as Merle Haggard and Marty Stuart and originals from two extended-play releases, including slower, heartbreak tunes highlighting his powerhouse vocals such as his song “I Miss You.”
“He brings great talent and a great show to his performances,” said Corey Behymer, Ceraland’s assistant executive director.
The Bedford resident mentioned on Twitter recently that the group “shook off the quarantine blues” and a long spell of livestreams to play at the Bluebird nightclub in Bloomington — the first live show since March due to the virus. And the ensemble was just slated to play a a holiday weekend gig in Madison.
The band has enjoyed a four-year run thus far, fairly significant in regional entertainment where musicians are hard-pressed to stay a sometimes rocky course.
Ikerd works in industrial safety for the state by day and is trying to increasingly learn to take risks as an artist.
“I just want to see how far all this can actually take us,” Ikerd said, referring to some 90 concert dates last year and in 2018. “We’re willing to work hard. And I believe that if you have the right passion and drive, you can accomplish whatever you want.”
Growing up, he listened to groups like Led Zeppelin to Lynyrd Skynyrd. Today, he prefers that country acts know their genre and their audience.
“Honestly, there’s nothing worse than going to a ‘country’ concert and seeing the band do a mashup of 80s rock and roll hits,” he tweeted.
It took a while for his artistry to become as front-and-center as his opinions, since the former drummer didn’t even try guitar and vocals until college.
Away from the stage, the man who has patiently grown his career also is patient enough for fishing, turkey hunting, and more.
But on Saturday, there will be no such relaxing. Ikerd figures he’ll be all over the stage.
“We like to take good country music,” he said, “and really kick it up a notch.”
Just like in a honkytonk.
