Cody Johnson’s ACM Awards performance might remind you of Don Williams
As Cody Johnson readies to sing “Dirt Cheap” on the ACM Awards stage, he’s offering a sneak peek at what fans can or should not expect, which, in this case, is a big onstage production.
“I’ll be upfront with you, it’s very simple. We wanted not a lot of lights, no smoke, no confetti bombs or dancers,” Cody tells ABC Audio. “It’s just me and my band sitting on stools playing ‘Dirt Cheap’ because it’s a story.”
“That song is such an incredible story and I didn’t want any distraction from that. I wanted you to concentrate on the lyrics that I’m singing,” he explains. “It’s going to be very, very toned down, very simple.”
“How would Don Williams sing this? He’d sit on a stool [and] tell you the story,” shares Cody.
You can stream the 59th Academy of Country Music Awards, hosted by Reba McEntire, live Thursday at 8 p.m. ET on Prime Video.
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Country singer Don Williams, dies at 78
Country singer Don Williams has died at the age of 78.
The late country star passed away after a “short illness” on Friday.
A press release from the singer’s PR team confirmed his death, saying that funeral arrangements are pending.
In a statement Friday, Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tennessee, said, “Don Williams offered calm, beauty, and a sense of wistful peace that is in short supply these days. “His music will forever be a balm in troublesome times.”
An internationally popular country star, Don was referred to as the “Gentle Giant” of country music and he earned 17 #1 country hits throughout his career.
Some of his hits are ‘I Believe in You,’ ‘Lord, I Hope This Day Is Good’, ‘You’re My Best Friend’, ‘Some Broken Hearts Never Mend’, and ‘Till the Rivers All Run Dry’.
According to Rolling Stone magazine, Don Williams was born in Floydada, Texas, on May 27th, 1939 and was raised in Portland, Texas, where he learned guitar from his mother.
Music had always been close to his heart, as he entered his first talent contest — and won — at the age of three.
Williams played in a band with several friends during his teenage years, and started a family not too long after graduating high school, marrying his wife Joy in April 1960.
Based in Nashville, the band earned two Top 40 tunes, “I Can Make It With You” and “Look What You’ve Done,” in late 1966.
After the group disbanded, Williams landed back in Texas to sell furniture in his father’s store before returning to Music City to embark on a solo career.
“Cowboy” Jack Clement signed Williams as a songwriter to his Jack Music publishing company, where he recorded demos for songwriter-producer Allen Reynolds, who later went on to helm projects for Crystal Gayle and Garth Brooks, among many others.
When other artists proved reluctant to record Williams’ songs, Clement signed him as an artist to his JMI Records, releasing his first country single, “Don’t You Believe,” in 1972. In 1974, the label issued “We Should Be Together,” which became the singer’s first Top Five hit.
Later that year, he scored the first of 17 Number One singles with the romantic “I Wouldn’t Want to Live If You Didn’t Love Me.”
