Dierks Bentley Pays Tribute to the Late Brett James With Emotional Performance of “I Hold On” at ACM Honors

Dierks Bentley honored the late Brett James at the 19th annual ACM Honors in Nashville with a deeply personal performance of their No. 1 hit, “I Hold On.”

The tribute came during an emotional evening at The Pinnacle, where country music’s biggest names gathered to recognize artists, songwriters and industry figures whose contributions have left a lasting mark on the genre.

Carly Pearce returned to host the ACM Honors for the sixth consecutive year, joined by reigning Album of the Year winner Parker McCollum.

Celebrating the people who shaped country music

Unlike the ACM Awards, which primarily recognize individual achievements in areas such as performances, albums and major events, ACM Honors focuses on broader contributions to country music. The ceremony features awards including the Poet’s Award, International Award, Spirit Award and Lifting Lives Award.

Several major names were recognized throughout the night.

Kacey Musgraves received the ACM Spirit Award, an honor inspired by Merle Haggard. Eric Church was presented with the Lifting Lives Award in recognition of his significant efforts following Hurricane Helene. Taylor Sheridan’s hit series Landman received the ACM Film Award, while Ella Langley earned her first career Artist-Songwriter Award after a remarkable run that included the success of “Choosin’ Texas.”

But one of the night’s most poignant moments centered on Brett James.

Brett James honored with the Poet’s Award

James, who tragically died in an airplane crash in September, was posthumously honored with the Poet’s Award alongside Dolly Parton and The Carter Family for their songwriting careers.

Over the course of his career, James became one of Nashville’s most accomplished songwriters. He was responsible for 27 No. 1 hits, including 13 that reached the top of Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart. He also won a Grammy for co-writing Carrie Underwood’s “Jesus, Take the Wheel.”

More than 800 songs written by James were recorded by artists throughout his career, underscoring the breadth of his influence on country music over more than three decades.

His catalog included major hits such as Jessica Andrews’ “Who I Am,” Kenny Chesney’s “When The Sun Goes Down,” Jason Aldean’s “The Truth,” Martina McBride’s “Blessed,” Cody Johnson’s “On My Way To You” and Rodney Atkins’ “It’s America.” He also wrote songs recorded by Tim McGraw, Rascal Flatts, Gary Allan, Lonestar and Kip Moore, among many others.

A friendship built around “I Hold On”

Among James’ closest friends in the country music community was Dierks Bentley.

The two co-wrote “I Hold On,” which became a No. 1 hit for Bentley in 2013. The song carried an especially personal meaning for Bentley, who originally brought James a couple of rough verse ideas after the death of his father.

Following James’ death in September, Bentley shared an emotional tribute reflecting on both the song and the friendship behind it.

“Rest in peace pal. Total stud. Fellow aviator. One of the best singer-songwriters in our town….total legend.

I brought a couple of roughy sketched verse ideas of I Hold On to Brett after my dad died and he just did his thing. The chorus is all him. When I sing that song live, I’m always thinking of my dad, but I also think about that day we wrote it. He just got it, just lit into it. It was one of the first times we wrote and I decided to drop the most meaningful and necessary idea of a song I had on him, because I felt like God was telling me to do so. Our friendship and that song changed my life. 💔 Prayers for his family and Melody and Meryl’s.”

That connection made Bentley’s role in honoring James at ACM Honors particularly meaningful.

Bentley presents James’ award, then performs their hit

During the ceremony, Bentley presented James’ sons with their late father’s Poet’s Award.

Speaking about their relationship and the songwriting process they shared, Bentley once again reflected on just how much James meant to him.

“His friendship was one of the greatest gifts I have ever received.”

After presenting the award, Bentley remained onstage to perform “I Hold On” in tribute to his longtime friend and co-writer.

The performance was stripped down and intimate, with Bentley accompanied only by his guitarist, Ben Helson. Given the history behind the song and James’ role in bringing it to life, the rendition served as a fitting tribute to a songwriter whose work helped define countless moments in modern country music.

For Bentley, “I Hold On” has always carried the memory of his father. At ACM Honors, the song also became a way to remember Brett James, the friend and songwriter who helped turn Bentley’s personal loss into one of the defining songs of his career.