Adair, Oklahoma native Cody Hibbard knows the value of hard work. Growing up on his family’s ranch, he worked from the day he could help shovel ‘til the day he left for the United States Naval Academy. With an injury keeping him from a career in service, he instead rolled up his sleeves to earn a living in pipelining. Working wherever needed, his day-job led to a lot of new cities where the only constant was his guitar and the guarantee of a campground or a bar where the conversation would ultimately turn to the Asian Pacific American performing for his fellow blue-collar crowd.

“People would say ‘Man, you do not sound how you look,’” Hibbard remembers. “My buddies would respond for me: ‘If you can’t believe how country he sounds when he talks, you ought to hear him sing!’ It helps to have that shock factor that grabs people’s attention at first, but it makes this career worthwhile when it goes beyond that, and the ‘anomaly’ can inspire and relate through the music.”

Known in Nashville circles for his expert A&R ear, music veteran Jim Catino of Droptine Music first discovered Hibbard’s music while diving into streaming services on the lookout for new artists to capture his attention. With recent development for Dalton Dover leading to a publishing deal with Droptine and Sony Music Publishing along with a record deal with UMG Nashville, Catino is excited to see Country’s tent expanding to encompass even more prowess.

“I have never been more excited about artist development than I have since I started my new venture, and I’m particularly excited to sign Cody,” shares Catino. “His energy and passionate delivery of a song caught my ear on a first listen of his hit ‘Dying Breed.’ I knew right away he was a perfect fit for Droptine as well as an artist I could help take things to the next level. He’s a seasoned performer and knows a great song.”

Hibbard’s latest release and first on Droptine, “Looking Back Now,” is available on all streaming services.