Cody Johnson Explains His Emotional Dedication To Luke Combs After Major ACM Win
on May 19, 2026
Cody Johnson Honors Luke Combs In Speech After Winning ACM Entertainer Of The Year
Cody Johnson walked away from the 2026 ACM Awards as one of the biggest winners. He won Male Artist of the Year earlier in the evening and ended the night by receiving his first Entertainer of the Year Award.
Since Johnson had already delivered his prepared speech when he received Male Artist of the Year, he initially didn’t know what to say when he won Entertainer of the Year.
As he gathered his thoughts, he reflected on how being an entertainer is all he’s ever dreamed about.
He continued to say:
“They say that music is the sound of emotion. And I get to use my platform to not only…promote positivity in this country, and in the world…I get to use it to make you experience emotions that I feel. Whether we’re crying, whether we’re laughing, whether we’re happy or sad, I get to convey that through this thing that God gave me called music. And…it’s the greatest drug that has ever been introduced on planet Earth.“
Then, Johnson delivered one of the most emotional moments of the night as he dedicated his award to one of his fellow nominees in the category…Luke Combs.
Johnson and Combs are good friends, and they have the utmost respect for one another. Combs has been nominated for the ACM’s Entertainer of the Year Award 7 times, but has never won.
During his speech, Johnson recalled how Combs was in a state of “anguish” when he missed the birth of his second child a few years ago while touring in Australia. Yet, when it came time for him to perform, Johnson said he watched him absolutely dominate the stage:
“I watched him get on stage…and play country music, and preach the message of country music to a bunch of Australians across the world. So tonight, I want to dedicate my first Entertainer of the Year award to my buddy Luke Combs. I love you, brother.”
Watch Johnson’s entire acceptance speech in the video below.
Why Did Cody Johnson Dedicate His Entertainer Of The Year Award To Luke Combs?
After the ceremony, many fans were left asking why Cody Johnson chose to dedicate his Entertainer of the Year Award to Luke Combs.
He answered that question during a backstage interview with Entertainment Tonight‘s Cassie DiLaura.
Johnson says he owes a lot to Combs. The “Back in the Saddle” singer helped open the door for Johnson by inviting him to join him on some of his earlier tours.
“I feel like I’ve witnessed firsthand how hard he’s worked,” Johnson said.
He recalled having a feeling years ago that Combs was going to be a wildly successful artist “…I knew then, I was like, ‘This Luke Combs guy, he’s going to blow up to be something huge.'”
Johnson said more than anything, he dedicated his ACM win to Combs because he wanted to make certain he got “the credit that he was due.”
Combs did not attend the ACM Awards. He has not responded to Johnson’s dedication as of this writing, but we have a feeling he’s incredibly touched by it.
Hear Johnson speak more about his Entertainer of the Year win and his admiration for Combs in the interview below.
RELATED: CODY JOHNSON REVEALS WHAT HE DID IMMEDIATELY AFTER WINNING ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Johnson and Combs will soon be treating the world to a new collaboration. They joined forces to sing a track titled “Shoot the Bull,” which will be featured on Johnson’s upcoming album, Banks of the Trinity.
Banks of the Trinity will be released on June 26. It also includes a collaboration with Brothers Osborne, titled “Fool Proof.” That track was just released on May 15. Listen to it below.
We’re counting down the days until Johnson and Combs’ duet debuts!
