Reba McEntire belts new song 'I Can't,' confirms she will come back to host on ACM Awards

Oklahoma country music superstar Reba McEntire closed the Academy of Country Music Awards Thursday night with a powerhouse performance of her scorching new single "I Can't," followed by some big news about next year's ACM Awards.

"I'm happy to say I'll be back next year as your host, with all sorts of special friends and moments for our 60th anniversary ACM Awards show on Prime Video. Trust me, it's going to be country music's most exciting party ever," Reba announced at the end of the 59th ACM Awards live-stream on Prime Video.

The Country Music Hall of Famer, who hails from Chockie, hosted the ACM Awards for a record 17th time this year.

Before the big show-closing announcement, Reba alluded to her possible return earlier in Thursday night's show as she shared the stage with fellow "The Voice" Season 25 coaches Dan + Shay.

"What does it feel like to host the ACM Awards 17 times?" Shay Mooney asked.

"Well, it feels like one more year, and I'll be legal," Reba quipped.

Reba jokes about how long she's been in country music on ACM Awards

Reba, who turned 69 in March, joked good-naturedly on the ACM Awards about how long she's been in country music. When she told Dan + Shay that she once co-hosted the venerable awards show with Hank Williams in the 1980s, she was ready with an eye roll and a sassy comeback when Dan Smyers cheekily asked "Hank Sr. or Hank Jr.?"

"Hank Jr., juniors. I'd ask you what you were doing in 1986, but you weren't even born," Reba responded with a laugh.

The three-time Grammy Award winner's 50-year entertainment career was launched in 1974 in Oklahoma City when she sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" at the National Finals Rodeo. Country artist Red Steagall, who was also performing there, was so impressed by her version of the national anthem that he helped her land her first recording contract.

During her witty monologue at the beginning of the show, Reba told the star-studded crowd at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, that she won her first ACM Awards 40 years ago.

"I know what you're thinking, 'Reba, you're only 39. How can that possibly be true?' ... Seriously, I have been around for a while. I can remember way back when Jelly Roll was an after-school snack. Luke was one of the Gospels, not half of the guys in country music. And a stagecoach was how I got to work," joked Reba, who made a surprise appearance with Miranda Lambert last month at the Stagecoach music festival in Indio, California.

Reba sings an Allman Brothers classic in surprise duet with Post Malone

The Kennedy Center honoree seemed to delight in introducing the ACM Awards crowd to her "new friend from the Super Bowl," rap star Post Malone.

"Or, as I like to call him, 'Posty,'" said Reba, who performed the national anthem earlier this year at Super 58, where Post Malone crooned "America the Beautiful."

Making his ACM Awards debut, the hip-hop chart-topper, who grew up in Texas, teased more of his upcoming country music project with his performance on the show. He crooned the heart-tugging ballad “Never Love You Again” and gave a high-energy rendition of “I Had Some Help," his hit duet with Morgan Wallen. Malone performed the latter solo since his controversial duet partner wasn't in attendance.

But the singer-songwriter gained an iconic duet partner in Reba, who invited Malone to join her in a surprise performance of the Allman Brothers classic "Ramblin' Man" in honor of the legendary band's guitarist and singer Dickey Betts, who died in April at the age of 80.

The "Circles" and "Sunflower" hitmaker seemed almost starstruck as he politely accepted and sang the familiar song a cappella with Reba.

Reba praises Jason Aldean's heartfelt tribute to the late Toby Keith

Reba also seemed visibly moved by another memorial tribute on Thursday night's ACM Awards: Jason Aldean's heartfelt acoustic homage to the late Toby Keith. The Oklahoma music icon died Feb. 5 at the age of 62 after a multi-year battle with stomach cancer.

With the Oklahoma music icon's family looking on, Aldean crooned and strummed a special rendition of Keith's breakout hit “Should’ve Been a Cowboy” during the 59th ACM Awards.

He was accompanied only by a string quartet and a pair of backup guitarists, with Keith's fellow Oklahoman Blake Shelton introducing the performance.

"Way to go, Jason. That was beautiful. Very nice. Toby, we'll never forget you, and I kind of feel like you're here with us tonight anyway," Reba said in a voice thick with emotion.

Reba sends sparks flying with ACM Awards show-closing performance

Before her big announcement that she will host the ACM Awards for her 18th time next year, Reba gave the final performance of the star-studded 2024 ACMs.

She ensured it was a grand finale by delivering a full-throated rendition of her anthemic new single "I Can't," which she recently debuted on "The Voice."

The multitalented entertainment icon was accompanied by a full gospel choir as she belted the empowering kiss-off, with pyrotechnics sending simulated flames across the stage and silvery sparks high into the air.

How can fans rewatch the 2024 ACM Awards?

Big winners on the 59th ACM Awards included Lainey Wilson, Chris Stapleton, Jelly Roll and Luke Combs.

The full rebroadcast of the 59th ACM Awards now is available to watch on Prime Video.

The awards show will be available to stream starting at 7 p.m. Friday, May 17 on the Amazon Music App and for free on Amazon Freevee.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: On ACM Awards, Reba McEntire performs surprise duet with Post Malone