Marine Corps veteran Jamey Johnson commissioned legendary designer Manuel to create a custom suit celebrating our nation’s 250th birthday, and in honor of Veterans Day, the ten-time GRAMMY nominee and proud Marine has released a video of the collaboration.
You can also find the video here: How Manuel Made Jamey Johnson’s Suit.
A Suit Fit for the National Memorial Day Concert
Earlier this year, Johnson asked Manuel to make the suit for the 2026 PBS National Memorial Day Concert. Joined by the National Symphony Orchestra, Johnson performed “In Color” in front of the U.S. Capitol during the tribute to World War II veterans and “Lead Me Home” in tribute to fallen service members. The concert coincided with the nation’s 250th birthday, so Johnson wanted a suit worthy of the celebration.
The sparkly blue suit features an American flag and eagle on the back, as well as stars, musical notes and flowers on the front, and it is stunning under the lights. It will likely end up in the Country Music Hall of Fame, where Johnson has already been featured in several exhibits.
“A Beautiful Patriot”
“First of all, I found out about his life so much, like you have no idea,” Manuel says. “That’s what I put in his suit. You know, he’s a beautiful patriot, in a way, to me. I was happy to do it for him.”
Manuel is known as the “Rhinestone Rembrandt,” and this suit is a unique work of art. Johnson told him to follow his vision on creating the suit, and that’s exactly what he did. Since the two have worked together for years, the suit perfectly captured the importance of the event and Johnson’s personality.
The Rhinestone Rembrandt Behind Country’s Most Iconic Looks
Manuel has helped define the look of country music with his vividly embroidered, rhinestone-studded stage clothing. Born in Mexico, he learned to sew at age seven and became head designer at Hollywood’s famed Nudie Rodeo Tailors, where he created signature looks for Johnny Cash, Gram Parsons and Porter Wagoner. He moved his company to Nashville in 1988 and has dressed everyone from Dolly Parton and Dwight Yoakam to Bob Dylan and Jack White. The National Endowment for the Arts named him a National Heritage Fellow in 2018.
What’s Next for Jamey Johnson
The ten-time GRAMMY nominee and Grand Ole Opry member, hailed by The Washington Post as “one of the greatest country singers of our time,” delivers soul-stirring performances built around the music and the moment, changing his set list nightly. Fellow Alabama natives Riley Green and Ella Langley have cited him as a formative inspiration, and The New York Times described him as “a first-rate preservationist of classic country songwriting.”
Marking 20 years since his major-label debut, The Dollar, Johnson devoted much of 2026 to writing new music, setting the stage for a series of much-anticipated releases in 2027. His 2026 release “More of What Matters” follows Midnight Gasoline, his first new solo studio album in 14 years, released in 2024 through his own label, Big Gassed Records, and Warner Records Nashville. Billboard included Midnight Gasoline among its 10 best country albums of 2024.
Johnson’s songwriting has earned an enduring place in American music. Both “Give It Away,” recorded by George Strait, and his own signature hit “In Color” won Song of the Year honors from both the Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Association. He and Kris Kristofferson are the only two songwriters in history to have won this award in the same year, twice.
