Reba McEntire Leads a Nostalgia-Packed Tribute to Open the ACMs

ACM Awards host Reba McEntire pulled double duty as a performing artist at the show on Thursday night (May 8), leading an all-star group of artists in a special musical performance at the top of the show.

She joined forces with Clint Black, Dan + Shay, Wynonna Judd, LeAnn Rimes and Sugarland for a 12-minute retrospective that looked back on the songs that have won ACM Song of the Year over the show's six-decade history.

McEntire kicked off the opening of the show with a rendition of Merle Haggard's "Okie From Muskogee," which won the ACM Song of the Year title in 1970.

From there, the hits came rapid-fire. Clint Black performed Glen Campbell's "Rhinestone Cowboy," dressed in a glittering velvet blazer that would have done Campbell himself proud. He brought a little bit of comedy to the moment, pretending to answer his cell phone after singing the line "Offers coming over the phone."

Wynonna Judd swung in with classic The Judds nostalgia. Backed by a photo of herself and her late mother and duet partner Naomi Judd, she sang a rendition of "Why Not Me," and fans in the crowd — including Lainey Wilson and Kelsea Ballerini — just couldn't help singing along with her.

LeAnn Rimes was another who performed her own Song of the Year-winning hit: She brought a string quartet onstage for an angelic rendition of "Blue." Up next came Little Big Town with their 2014 hit "Girl Crush," and Dan + Shay kept the ballads flowing with "Tequila," ending on a rafter-raising high note that brought the crowd to its feet.

From there, the music transitioned into a montage of ACM Song of the Year acceptance speeches over the years. The throwback compilation showed tearful ACM moments from Miranda Lambert, Brad Paisley, McEntire and more.

McEntire herself actually never won ACM Song of the Year, but she was nominated three times (in 1986 for "Whoever's in New England," 1988 for "I Know How He Feels" and 1993 for "Does He Love You").

All the other performers have either won or been nominated in the prestigious category. Clint Black never scored the trophy, but he was nominated twice (in 1989 for "Killin' Time" and 1997 for "Something That We Do").

As part of The Judds, Wynonna Judd won Song of the Year at the 1984 ACMs, for "Why Not Me." LeAnn Rimes won with "Blue" in 1996, Sugarland won with "Stay" in 2007 and Dan + Shay are the most recent Song of the Year winners in the batch: Their hit "Tequila" secured the win in 2018.

The massive show-opening performance was part of the ACM's 60th anniversary celebration. After wrapping up her performing duties, McEntire returned to hosting the ACMs, marking the record-extending 17th time she's hosted the show.

The 2025 ACM Awards are taking place in Frisco, Texas, and streaming live on Amazon Prime Video.

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