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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