Cody Cozz Returns to Pueblo for Fall Pack Fest 2026

The Nashville-based country singer and former CSU Pueblo student joins Juicy J and a full lineup of supporting acts on Saturday, Sept. 12, at the Hasan Outdoor Amphitheatre.

By Soni Brinsko

Cody Cozz is headed back to Pueblo. The Nashville-based country singer, raised in the city, returns to Colorado State University Pueblo on Saturday, Sept. 12, to perform at Fall Pack Fest 2026. Gates open at 5 p.m. at the Hasan Outdoor Amphitheatre, with events running until midnight. Juicy J headlines a lineup that also includes DJ Big Steve, T-Beatz, Southpaq, Christian Jaquez, Jeremy Kitchen and Cozz.

The interview below is drawn from an earlier conversation with CSU Pueblo Communications, conducted during a visit home days after Cozz opened for country star Trace Adkins at the Colorado State Fair’s Big R arena. It offers a look at the artist Pueblo is welcoming back this weekend.

Cozz’s roots in Pueblo run deep. A former student at Colorado State University Pueblo, he studied construction management and played on the university’s football team before music beckoned. He did not complete his degree, but his time at CSU Pueblo shaped his path toward a music career.

Born in 1998, Cozz reflects the musical range that shapes an artist. “I was raised on a ton of different music,” he says. “My grandparents raised me on fifties black artists. I was drawn to their voices a lot.” That early exposure to soulful melodies later influenced his own vocal style, as he found himself mimicking those voices from a young age.

As the conversation unfolds, a woman approaches, recognizing Cozz. “My partner listens to you all the time,” she says, before inviting him to play at Solar Coffee the next time he’s in town.

From there, the conversation turns to five songs that resonate with Cozz in different ways.

“Unanswered Prayers” by Garth Brooks

The familiar chords draw a smile from Cozz. “This is one of my mom’s favorite songs,” he says, his voice softening. He offers a personal reflection on what the song means to his family, particularly his mother, who lost her own mother at a young age.

“My mom was 20 when her mom passed away,” Cozz explains. “She was struck by lightning, which is like the craziest way to go, you know? So random.”

The song, with its themes of unanswered prayers and finding meaning in life’s challenges, resonates deeply with his family history.

“She’s the toughest woman I know,” he says. “She had to be that tough soul. And I think that this is one of her favorite songs probably for that reason.”

“Give Me the Reason” by Lady Saw

As this reggae dancehall-inspired country track plays, Cozz’s musical knowledge comes through. “I think it’s really cool. I personally hear, like, Merle Haggard in it,” he says, pointing to the blend of reggae influence with country undertones.

“It reminds me so much of the older (musicians), like the Merle Haggards and the Waylon Jennings, because I wouldn’t say that they were necessarily creating the best songs per se, but I don’t think that was the point then. It was about the story in the song.”

“Big Iron” by Marty Robbins

This song prompts a recent discovery. “This was maybe five years ago,” Cozz recalls. “It started this whole rabbit hole of Marty Robbins. This is my favorite one because it reminds me of the western movies and shows.”

His appreciation for storytelling in music comes through as he talks about the narrative quality of Robbins’ work. “That’s what’s cool about songwriting, I think. I wish that it was still like that where it was very much just that story plot, you know?”

“Mississippi Girl” by Faith Hill

As this song plays, the conversation turns to Cozz’s own songwriting. “I really think it’s the one that I just put out,” he says when asked about his favorite song he has written. “It’s called ‘Where I’ve Been Lately,’ and it’s basically about what we were talking about just recently. I didn’t know what I was signing up for. Obviously, I love what I’m doing, but I had to leave my hometown, which is not easy.”

That leads to Cozz’s connection to Pueblo. “I’m always thinking of here. That’s why I wrote this song, ‘Where I’ve Been Lately,’ which is paying homage to Colorado.”

Cozz’s fondness for his home state comes through as he talks about the misconceptions surrounding Colorado’s country music scene. “Colorado kind of seems like it wouldn’t be country. That’s what I hear all the time. They’re like, ‘I don’t think Colorado is…’ Yeah, yeah, yeah. Little hippie dippy, where hippies and cowboys are kind of the same,” he says. “I guess it’s just, we’re also masked by the Wyoming music scene, kind of Oklahoma music scene and the Texas music scene. I think we’re just kind of pushed in this little box of the surrounding states.”

“Western Auto Sign” by Thunder and Rain

The final song prompts a discussion about the differences between country music scenes in various regions. Cozz offers his take on how growing up in the South might shape aspiring country artists.

“Country music as a career is like something they can see as they grow up,” he explains. “That’s something a lot of my friends have pursued. I mean, they didn’t play sports, they didn’t do anything else. They kind of just took the reins of their (musical) moment.”

Cozz is quick to point out that success in the industry is not only about location. “I also think that if you don’t do this for the right reasons, that’ll set you back. Because if you’re just trying to achieve stardom and fame, I think that you start to become more of a robot and it’s less genuine because you’re now just really trying to force it to happen.”

Cozz’s Journey to Music

Cozz’s path to a music career began during the COVID-19 pandemic. “I was already thinking about starting to play and doing little gigs for fun,” he recalls. “Obviously I had no idea how to get to the professional side of it. It was not ever a goal in the beginning. It was just, I just want do this so I can get out of the house.”

The pandemic, ironically, gave Cozz room to expand his network. “It shut down all the big artists from playing. I was getting a lot bigger offers than I probably was ready for, but it also expanded my network across the music industry here.”

His CSU Pueblo football background carried over into his music career, he says. “Absolutely. Discipline, competitiveness, work ethic, there’s a lot of that,” he says. “I would say when it comes to adversity in general, it’s your attitude choice and how you respond when things go wrong and when things go right.”

Hometown Pride, Full Circle

Cozz has never been shy about where he comes from. “I say this a lot at my shows that I’m so proud to be from here,” he said. “It took me leaving and seeing so many different cities in the country to realize how special this place really is, because it gets a bad rap. You know, it’s kind of the butt of the joke of Colorado in a weird way.”

That pride comes full circle Saturday, when Cozz returns to perform at Fall Pack Fest 2026 on the campus where his own path once ran through a construction management classroom and a football field.

Note: Quotes have been edited for length and clarity and are drawn from an earlier CSU Pueblo Communications interview.