'59th ACM Awards 2024': Reba McEntire pokes fun at Jelly Roll and Luke Combs, in her opening speech
FRISCO, TEXAS: In her opening speech at the ACM Awards 2024, Reba McEntire playfully poked fun at various celebrities. She humorously mentioned her attempt to outdo Dolly Parton's memorable entrance from the previous year, where Parton brought a goat onstage, by bringing her own donkeys, which she claimed have gained popularity on TikTok.
She quipped that her donkeys have now become "real a***es" since becoming social media sensations. Reba McEntire warmly welcomed all attendees to the highly anticipated country music event of the year, declaring that they were not only keeping the circle unbroken but also expanding it to reach even greater heights.
During her opening speech, she didn't hold back when it came to poking fun at other country stars. She playfully mocked Jelly Roll, comparing him to an after-school snack, and jokingly referred to Luke Combs as one of the gospels rather than a country music artist. Her witty banter kept the audience entertained and set the tone for a lighthearted evening.
"I can remember way back when Jelly Roll was an after-school snack. Luke was one of the gospels not half the guy in the country music," Reba said.
How many times has Reba McEntire hosted the ACM Awards?
This year marked the 17th time Reba McEntire hosted the Academy of Country Music Awards, also known as the ACMs. In comparison, Hope hosted the Oscars 19 times, so Reba is still two years away from matching that record. Additionally, McEntire has hosted the rival program, the CMA Awards, five times in the past. The ACM Awards were held at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, where awards were presented to some of the biggest stars in the country music genre.
Luke Combs leads the nominations at ACM Awards 2024
With an impressive total of eight nominations, Luke Combs is once again dominating the ACM Awards 2024. This marks the fifth consecutive year that he has been recognized in both the Male Artist of the Year and Entertainer of the Year categories. In addition to his usual nominations, Combs has also received his first ever nod for Tracy Chapman.
His eight nominations include Entertainer of the Year, Male Artist of the Year, Album of the Year (both as an artist and producer), Single of the Year (both as an artist and producer), Song of the Year, and Music Event of the Year.
Reba McEntire pays tribute to country hero Toby Keith in her opening speech at ACM Awards 2024
Reba McEntire pays tribute to country hero Toby Keith in her opening speech at ACM Awards 2024.
In her speech, Reba said, "Even if as we welcome some wonderful new friends. We also want to say happy trails to you, until we meet again, to country hero Toby Keith."
"Tonight, we will salute Toby and the music he brought to our lives, with the help of one of the country superstars, he helped inspire, Jason Aldean," she concluded.
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