Luke Bryan Belts Cody Johnson’s “‘Til You Can’t” In Soaring Tribute At ACM Honors
on Aug 21, 2025
Cody Johnson Receives The ACM Spirit Award
During the ACM Honors on August 20, Luke Bryan delivered a soaring tribute to one of the honorees, Cody Johnson.
Each year, the ACM Honors occur in Nashville to recognize a select group of artists with awards not presented during the larger ACM Awards. Johnson received the Spirit Award this year, which honors the legendary Merle Haggard.
“This award is inspired by Merle Haggard and is presented to a singer-songwriter who is continuing the legacy of Country Music legend and 20-time ACM Award recipient Merle Haggard by following his/her own path, crafting great songs and epitomizing Merle’s spirit through genuine performances and great storytelling,” the ACM explains on their website.
Past recipients include Toby Keith, Miranda Lambert, Chris Stapleton, Dierks Bentley, Eric Church, and Charlie Daniels.
The ACM details why they selected Johnson to receive the Spirit Award this year.
“His unwavering commitment to traditional Country values and his Texas roots have set him apart in a time when the genre often trends toward pop. With nearly 10 billion global streams, Johnson’s sound resonates deeply with heartland America and pays homage to the spirit of Merle Haggard’s timeless storytelling. Staying true to his traditional Country sound, Johnson is not just a success story—he is.”
Luke Bryan Takes To The Stage At The ACM Honors To Pay Tribute To Cody Johnson With “‘Til You Can’t”
Each honoree at this year’s ACM Honors received a tribute from another performer. When it came time to toss the spotlight on Cody Johnson, his buddy Luke Bryan stepped onstage to sing one of his songs.
Bryan tackled Johnson’s powerful hit “‘Til You Can’t,” which debuted in 2021 and became a #1 hit in 2022. The track has since been certified 5x Platinum by the RIAA.
Ben Stennis and Matt Rogers, the songwriters, received the Grammy Award for Best Country Song in 2023.
Bryan belted out the lyrics of “‘Til You Can’t” in his ACM Honors tribute to Johnson. Videos from the night show the American Idol judge giving the song his all, pouring every ounce of energy into his performance.
The ACM Honors didn’t air on TV…yet. Parts of the program will be featured during a special episode of CMT’s Hot 20 Countdown on September 27.
According to the ACM’s website, the show will include “exclusive backstage conversations with honorees and performers, memorable moments from throughout the night, and exclusive performances to air only in the broadcast.”
We hope that Bryan’s full rendition of “‘Til You Can’t” will be included in the broadcast! In the meantime, you can enjoy a few clips of his performance below.
As a bonus, check out the last video to see Luke Bryan and honoree Cody Johnson sharing a “bromance” moment backstage.
