CMA Awards: Reba McEntire and Darius Rucker Are ‘Masked up and Ready’ for Tonight’s Show

Reba McEntire and Darius Rucker are ready for their close-up! The two stars, who will serve as co-hosts of the CMA Awards on Wednesday night, have been busy with rehearsals, and they’re not taking any chances when it comes to protecting themselves against the novel coronavirus. Ahead of the show on Wednesday, McEntire gave fans a look at their precautions, posting a photo of herself and Rucker on the back of a golf cart.

Rucker was wearing a mask and holding up a plastic face shield, while McEntire went the glamorous route with a black mask, rhinestoned face shield and rhinestoned glasses. “Masked up and ready for our final #cmaawards rehearsals!” she wrote. “Who’s ready for the big show tonight?!?!” McEntire’s boyfriend, actor Rex Linn, also gave fans a closer look at the singer’s “blinged-out” accessories.

This will be McEntire’s fifth time serving as host and Rucker’s first.

“I’m thrilled to be back hosting the CMA Awards and even more thrilled that I get to share the stage with Darius Rucker,” McEntire said in a statement. “We’re looking forward to a night of celebrating great Country Music and hope you’ll tune in and watch!”

“I look forward to the CMA Awards every year because of the incredible performances and the opportunity to celebrate the year in Country Music,” Rucker added. “To be invited to host this year’s awards alongside Reba — are you kidding me?! — it is an absolute honor. Even though this year will look a little different than normal, I know that we’re all eager for a night of musical celebration, and this year’s show definitely won’t disappoint!”

Due to the pandemic, the show will take place inside Nashville’s Music City Center without a live audience. CMA Awards Executive Producer Robert Deaton said in a statement that the venue has been transformed “into a breathtaking setup that resembles the very first ‘CMA Awards Banquet & Show’ from 1967” and that the Country Music Association has “worked tirelessly” to ensure that “our nominees, performers and their guests a fully safe and physically distant environment.”

Rucker shared on Live With Kelly and Ryan last week that he feels “really proud” and “excited and just blown away” about the social distancing measures and precautions put in place. “All the performers will be there; the nominees will be there,” he said. “Everybody will be social-distanced and spread out. It’ll be the first time, really, that the country music family’s been in one room all year.” The 2020 CMA Awards will air Wednesday, Nov. 11 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.