Lady Antebellum Reveal How Much Reba McEntire Has Influenced Their Career (Exclusive)

Lady Antebellum honored CMT Artist of a Lifetime recipient Reba McEntire at the recent CMT Artists of the Year ceremony. The trio, made up of Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood, were thrilled to pay tribute to the Country Music Hall of Fame member, whose influence in their career they are still feeling, after more than a dozen years together.

“I mean, to be in the same company and sentence with artists like Reba, and just what they have accomplished in their career and the grace that she’s carried through it all, it’s just very humbling,” Scott told PopCulture.com. “We’re just really thankful for the opportunity to be here to honor her.

“We feel so fortunate to honor these heroes of ours,” continued Kelley. “We’ve been doing this now for 13 years and we grew up idolizing these artists. I mean Reba … we just got done doing our Las Vegas residency and Reba, Brooks & Dunn, really opened the doors to even [do that]. More country acts coming to Vegas. She’s done so much for this genre, and it is kind of fun to feel like you’re one of those acts that they go to sometimes to honor these greats.”

Scott especially has felt the influence of McEntire, since Scott’s mother and father, Linda Davis and Lang Scott, performed with McEntire while Scott was growing up, so it only made sense that Lady Antebellum performed one of McEntire’s earlier hits, “Is There Life Out There,” during the live CMT Artists of the Year broadcast.

“I grew up on her music, from pretty much side stage, with both my parents being in her band for so many years,” explained Scott. “So they knew I’d know the lyrics, I think.”

Last year’s CMT Artists of the Year ceremony honored all female artists, including Scott, all part of country music’s ongoing initiative to celebrate women in country music.

“It’s a great conversation to have,” Haywood said. “We’re proud every night to step out on that stage and stand next to our leading lady, and it’s important for us to keep an eye on these things. So tonight, [and] the CMAs coming up, these are great events to recognize all the phenomenal female artists that are just killing it, and Reba absolutely is, no doubt.”

Lady Antebellum’s Ocean album will be released on Nov. 15. The record includes their current single, “What If I Never Get Over You.” Pre-order the album at their official website.

Photo Credit: Getty Images for CMT/Viacom