ACM Honors Reba McEntire With Lifetime Achievement Award
The Academy of Country Music has awarded its Lifetime Achievement Award to Reba McEntire, honoring a career that spans more than four decades and includes 35 number one singles, 28 studio albums, and more than 85 million records sold worldwide. The award was presented at a special ceremony in Nashville attended by fellow artists, industry leaders, and members of McEntire's family.
McEntire, who has reinvented herself multiple times as a singer, actress, and television personality, accepted the award with a speech that traced her journey from rodeo barrel racing in Oklahoma to becoming one of the most recognized voices in entertainment. She thanked her mother, Jacqueline McEntire, for encouraging her musical ambitions and her late father, Clark McEntire, a champion steer roper who taught her the work ethic she applies to every performance.
The ceremony featured tribute performances from current country stars who cited McEntire as an influence on their careers. Among the performers were artists who have opened for McEntire on tour or who grew up listening to her records. The tributes covered material from across her career, from her traditional country hits of the 1980s through her pop-influenced crossover work of the 1990s and her more recent return to traditional sounds.
McEntire continues to be a prominent figure in entertainment beyond music. Her long-running television career, which began with the sitcom Reba and has continued with hosting duties and acting roles, has introduced her to audiences who may not follow country music closely. At the ceremony, she announced plans for a farewell tour beginning in 2026, though she clarified that she has no intention of retiring from the entertainment industry entirely.