Jelly Roll and Lainey Wilson are good friends, so Jelly Roll is undoubtedly happy that she won Entertainer of the Year at the 2025 ACM Awards. Jelly Roll and Wilson were both nominated in the category, along with Kelsea Ballerini, Luke Combs, Cody Johnson, Chris Stapleton and Wallen. And there is one artist among the list who Jelly Roll was hoping would win, namely Cody Johnson, even more than himself.
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"He's the Entertainer of the Year because he preaches the gospel," Jelly Roll tells Billboard. "He works harder than everybody. He tours the entire world, he does it unapologetically. He doesn't ask for help from anybody for anything. He does it his way and his way only, he makes no compromises, takes no bull, and then he goes straight home, and he's a husband, a father and a f--ing farmer. That's why he deserves to be Entertainer of the Year."
Johnson didn't win Entertainer of the Year, but he didn't walk away empty-handed either. Johnson won the ACM Award for Song of the Year, for "Dirt Cheap."
Jelly Roll and Cody Johnson's Friendship
Jelly Roll and Cody Johnson's friendship goes way back, since when Jelly Roll's now superstar career was just beginning.
"I had to come tell everybody that I voted for you again," Jelly Roll tells Johnson. "I've told this story a bunch ... But I wanna say this, one of the most important moments of my career, I won my first award at the CMTs, and the first person I saw in that moment of my life was this cowboy.
"And he hugged me like we grew up together," Jelly Roll continues. "I get emotional thinking about it. I mean, literally, I never felt more accepted. I was such a fan anyways. And I have a lot of acquaintances in this room, but I don't have any f--ing friends. That's my brother."
Jelly Roll has been vocal about his love of Johnson, whom he now calls one of his closest friends.
"Cody Johnson is one of my best friends in country music," Jelly Roll tells American Songwriter. "I love Cody Johnson. That cowboy is one of the most authentic, real dudes, 'I love you' kind of dudes. He's the most Christlike dude I've met in the business. He is awesome."
