Cody Johnson will ship new single, “Dear Rodeo,” to country radio on Sept. 8.

Penned by Cody and Dan Couch, “Dear Rodeo” is featured on Cody’s 2019 major-label debut album, Ain’t Nothing To It. Admittedly, the new tune is a personal one for the native of the Sebastopol, Texas, who spent many years riding rodeo bulls. Cody gave up his quest to be a world champion, but he’s never gotten over his love of the sport.

“To me, it felt like a divorce when I quit rodeoing, and it felt like something I didn’t want to talk about,” says Cody. “[Publisher] Scott Gunter encouraged me to write about this, and myself and Dan Couch sat down, and when I said it felt like a divorce, Dan said, ‘Well, why don’t we write a letter to her—the sport of rodeo—and talk to her like she’s a woman?’ It’s probably, honestly, one of the most heartfelt songs I’ve ever written. It’s probably the most I’ve bore my soul.”

Listen to “Dear Rodeo” below.