Reba McEntire‘s performance of the national anthem will likely be talked about for a long, long time. The Country Music Hall of Fame member performed a flawless rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” ahead of Super Bowl 58, which saw the Kansas City Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers in a nail-biter of a game that concluded in overtime.
After her performance, McEntire posted “What an honor! Thank you NFL for having me!”
What an honor! Thank you NFL for having me! #SBLVIII
Posted by Reba McEntire on Sunday, February 11, 2024
McEntire also spoke out on social media about the honor of performing the national anthem at the Super Bowl, 50 years after she was discovered, by Red Steagall, singing the same song.
“This ain’t my first rodeo!” McEntire captioned a video of that career-changing moment. “I’d never have imagined when I sang the anthem at the National Finals Rodeo 50 years ago that I’d be singing it today at the Super Bowl. I’m so honored to be part of this.”
This ain’t my first rodeo! I’d never have imagined when I sang the anthem at the National Finals Rodeo 50 years ago that I’d be singing it today at the Super Bowl. I’m so honored to be part of this and hope you’ll tune in on @CBS at 3PM PT! 🇺🇸 #SBLVIII pic.twitter.com/gFR7kKTTZT
— Reba McEntire (@reba) February 11, 2024
The 68-year-old also spoke to her record label about the irony of singing the national anthem, five decades after her career began.
“It’s absolutely amazing coming full circle, 50 years after being discovered by Red Steagall me singing the National Anthem at the National Finals Rodeo in Oklahoma City,” McEntire said. “That was in 1974. Little did I know, I had no idea 50 years I’d be singing the National Anthem at this year’s Super Bowl. Oh my gosh, I don’t even have the imagination to say that I would be doing something like this. I’m absolutely thrilled to pieces that they asked me.”
In an interview leading up to the Super Bowl, McEntire said she was grateful she got to be part of football’s biggest night, and wanted to honor the patriotic song with her performance.
“I am honored beyond words to be chosen to get to sing it,” McEntire told ABC. “It means that I get to sing a very special song for all Americans, people all around the world who have really worked so hard for our freedom and to give us peace.”
“It’s not about me,” she added. “I’m the representation of this song, and I’m just honored to get to sing it.”
McEntire has plenty on her calendar in 2025. In addition to working on a new sitcom, airing on NBC, she is also returning for her second season as a coach on The Voice.
“It is a different part of me coming out because it’s non-scripted,” McEntire told Everything Nash and other outlets during a recent virtual media event. “It is. You just go have fun, which I like to do that. And cutting up with Niall and Gwen and John, and jabbing them and doing that competitive thing, it is just hysterical. And they come up with some of the funniest skits for us to get to do.
“So it just brought out my personality that a lot of people haven’t seen,” she added. “If you see a concert, you’ll see a little bit of it. It’s just me being a me.”
