Day: August 22, 2025

For the second year in a row, hit songwriter Jessie Jo Dillon earned the ACM Songwriter of the Year Award. While accepting the award during the 2025 ACM Honors on Wednesday, August 20, Dillon opened up about the sanctuary she finds in the songwriting room, gushed over the supportive community she’s built in Music City.

The ACM Songwriter of the Year Award honors an individual primarily recognized as a songwriter, who is chosen by a professional panel of industry experts. Five nominees are submitted, and ACM members in key categories vote for the winner. This marks Jessie Jo Dillon’s second ACM Award and second consecutive win in the category after earning the title in 2024.

Kelsea Ballerini surprised Dillon with the news of her latest award on stage during ACM Country Kickoff in Frisco, Texas prior to the coveted ACM Awards in May. Last night, she finally got to celebrate the honor while surrounded by friends and peers at the star-studded ceremony.

The night’s tribute continued at The Pinnacle when rising artist Carter Faith teamed up with Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild to honor Dillon with a performance of her recent No. 1 hit writes, Morgan Wallen’s “Lies Lies Lies.”

Following the performance, Dillon took the stage to give a heartfelt speech in front of the sold-out crowd. She began by sharing her heartfelt gratitude for the opportunity to receive this honor twice in the past two years.

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“To be back this year is just unbelievably surreal to me,” she noted.

She went on to say that while thinking about what she wanted to say when she got up on stage, a memory of her time in therapy came to mind as it directly spoke to her passion for her songwriting craft.

“They asked us to draw a picture of a place we felt safe, real, or imaginary, and I haven’t felt safe a lot in my life. So it kind of stumped me for a minute until I thought, oh, I’ll just draw a write room with my co-writers. And so I did,” Dillon explained. “And that honestly kind of says it all for me. I don’t know if I’m ever more content or safe feeling than when I’m working on a song with people I love. That would even be a reality for me if it weren’t for the people that have always believed in me when things didn’t always look like they have the past couple of years.”

The hit songwriter then offered a few heartfelt shout-outs to the people who have shaped her career along the way.

“Scott Borchetta, I love you…everyone at Big Machine Music, I cannot not do any of this without you. I know you know that, but it’s just true. All my co-writers and producers and artists I get to work with, thank you. You’re truly the joy of my life. Every single day we work our asses off in the pursuit of a song or an album in hopes it touches someone listening out there in the big wide world.”

Dillon took this opportunity to highlight a bigger issue close to hear heart as she recognized all the organizations who continue to advocate for fair compensation for songwriters. She ended by gushing over her “big family” in Music City and the love she has for the community of people who share her passion for music and sharing their talent with the world. The speech came to a close with a final message to all songwriters of the past, present and future.

“To all the songwriters that came before me and everyone coming up now, this community is built on soul and storytelling, and I’m so proud to be a part of it and to quote Frank Liddell from many years ago when he was accepting an award, ‘tell the truth. It’s more interesting.’ Thank you again.”

Jessie Jo Dillon was among the elite group of honorees who were celebrated during the 2025 ACM Honors. The night also highlighted the efforts of Lori Badgett, Eric Church, Luke Combs, Jelly Roll, Cody Johnson, Mac McAnally, Rissi Palmer, Randy Travis, and “Twisters,” and Ben Vaughn.

The post Jessie Jo Dillon Wins Second Consecutive ACM Songwriter Of The Year Award, Honors Music City In Heartfelt Speech appeared first on Country Now.

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Cody Johnson was honored with the ACM Spirit Award on Wednesday evening during the 18th ACM Honors in Nashville. Johnson received a tribute performance from his friend, golf buddy, and fellow country superstar, Luke Bryan, before accepting the award. 

Bryan took the stage to perform Johnson’s chart-topping hit, “’Til You Can’t.” After earning a standing ovation from a room full of artists, industry professionals, and fans, Bryan approached the mic to present Johnson with the award.

“I am pretty sure that just took years off my life and I dropped it a half step,” Bryan joked of his performance, referring to the high notes.

“Cody is an incredible artist and a singer who always brings his A game whenever he takes the stage,” Bryan continued. “And I’m going to go off script because there’s been a lot of times I’ve been on the road watching all the social stuff that we’re watching, watching Cody Uplift America and the soldiers and the families and [I] watch his passion. [I think] he’s going to blow his voice out doing that, but he never does. But man, congratulations on this award. So glad that you and I have gotten to connect and know each other over the past couple of years. And it’s my honor to present the ACM Spirit Award to my buddy.”

Johnson took the stage to accept the honor, which is inspired by the late Merle Haggard. The award continues the legacy of the Country Music legend and 20-time ACM Award recipient, recognizing artists who follow their own path, craft great songs, and epitomize Haggard’s spirit through genuine performances and storytelling.

“Thank you, my Lord, to Savior for giving me the opportunity to be here,” Johnson began.

The Texas native reflected on his journey after seeing some of his career highlights displayed on the screens before the award presentation.

“[It] kind of alluded to in the video how the cards have always been kind of stacked against me. When I found out that this award had something to do with Merle Haggard, I automatically was kind of tearing up because Merle has always been one of my heroes. And when I read that this award was based on Merle Haggard, because it was someone that went their own way to country music that could be commended in a lot of ways to say, ‘Man, he did it his way.’”

And Johnson did just that. Before signing to a major label, he built his fan base entirely from the ground up. When it came time to sign a record deal, he passed on several offers until he found a label that would allow him to stay true to himself, never once sacrificing who he was.

“I’m very honored to be standing here simply because even in Texas, they call it Texas music. I was told so many times… you’re not going to fill this bar room up. It’s not going to happen for you here,” he recalled. “I turned down so many record deals because it wasn’t right for me. It wasn’t what I wanted. It would’ve required me to sacrifice what I considered the integrity of my music. And I want you to know that I’m doing this completely unrehearsed, just like my shows. If you see me live…when you’re watching it on social media, that’s really me and I appreciate the fact that I get to do something that I love every night.”

Johnson promised that what fans see at his shows is “really my heart, that’s really my soul.” He said that no matter what else is going on in his life, he steps on stage and gives it everything he has.

He closed his speech with, “Long live country music, y’all.” 

Previous recipients of the ACM Spirit Award include Dierks Bentley, Eric Church, Charlie Daniels, Toby Keith, Miranda Lambert, and Chris Stapleton.

In addition to Cody Johnson,, the other honorees who were celebrated during the 18th Academy of Country Music Honors included Lori Badgett, Luke Combs, Jelly Roll, Eric Church, Ben Vaughn, Mac McAnally, Rissi Palmer, Randy Travis, and “Twisters.” 

The Academy of Country Music has teamed up with CMT for a special three-hour CMT Hot 20: ACM Honors Edition airing Saturday, Sept. 27. Hosted by CMT’s Cody Alan and Carissa Culiner, alongside 18th ACM Honors hosts Russell Dickerson and Carly Pearce, the broadcast will include exclusive backstage interviews with honorees and performers, along with unforgettable highlights from the night’s celebration.

The post Luke Bryan Salutes Cody Johnson With Powerful Tribute as Johnson Accepts ACM Spirit Award appeared first on Country Now.

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The Academy of Country Music hosted its 18th ACM Honors on Wednesday evening at The Pinnacle at Nashville Yards. Often called “the Country Music industry’s favorite night,” the sold-out show brought together fans, songwriters, industry leaders and artists to honor the people behind the scenes with unforgettable live tributes.

The evening was filled with standout moments both on and off the stage. From Luke Bryan and HARDY kicking back in the dressing room to Ashley McBryde putting the finishing touches on her look and breakout star Tucker Wetmore gearing up make his Honors debut with a performance of “Already Had It” while also presenting the ACM Industry and Studio Recording Awards, the celebration was buzzing with excitement from start to finish.

There was also no shortage of epic reunions happening throughout the evening as artists made sure to snag photos with their fellow hitmakers while showing their support for this year’s honorees, making it a true family affair in Music City.

Hosted by Carly Pearce and Russell Dickerson, the 2025 ACM Honors kicked off with the pair of country acts paying homage to 1991 ACM Pioneer Award winner Johnny Cash with a duet of “Jackson.” From that moment on, the night continued to unfold with powerful performances, emotional speeches, and plenty of surprises.

Fans will have the chance to experience all the magic through exclusive backstage interviews and can’t-miss highlights airing during a special three-hour, CMT Hot 20: ACM Honors Edition. Hosted by CMT’s Cody Alan and Carissa Culiner, alongside 18th ACM Honors co-hosts Dickerson and Pearce, the star-powered show will broadcast Saturday, Sept. 27 as part of a partnership between the Academy of Country Music and CMT.

Keep reading to find snapshots of some of the must-see moments from this unforgettable night.

The post Must-See Moments From ACM Honors 2025 appeared first on Country Now.

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