Like Dolly Parton, the country music community will always love Carl Dean.
That’s why 2025 ACM Awards host Reba McEntire shared a special tribute to him and other late stars at the May 8 ceremony.
Taking the stage inside the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, the singer serenaded the crowd with an a cappella rendition of “Me and Bobby McGee” by Kris Kristofferson, who died in September at age 88.
“Freedom’s just another word for nothin’ left to lose / Nothin’ ain’t worth nothin’ but it’s free,” Reba sang. “Feelin’ good was easy, Lord, when Bobby sang the blues / And buddy, that was good enough for me / Good enough for me and my Bobby McGee.”
After getting the audience to sing along to the chorus, the 70-year-old told fans, “Those are the words of the great Kris Kristofferson. The Academy of Country Music honored him with the Poet’s Award. What a poet he was.”
“Tonight, we remember kris and all those in our extended country music family who passed on this past year,” Reba continued. “And that list includes my buddy Joe Bonsall of the Oak Ridge Boys, the wonderful singer-songwriter Melba Montgomery, the highly respected musical publisher Ben Vaughn and Dolly Parton’s husband and love of 60 years Carl Dean.”
She added, “They all brought music to our lives and live on forever in our hearts.”
The award show comes two months after Carl’s death. He died on May 3 at age 82.
“Carl and I spent many wonderful years together,” Dolly shared in statement shared on X (formerly Twitter) at the time. “Words can’t do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years.”
Since then, life has admittedly been a “big adjustment” for the 9 to 5 star, who met her late husband when she was 18.
“I get very emotional when people bring it up,” Dolly said of Carl’s passing in a May interview with Today. “I’ll be fine, and I’m very involved in my work, and that’s been the best thing that could happen to me. But I’ll always miss him, of course, and I’ll always love him.”
For a closer look who attended the 2025 ACM Awards, keep reading.
(E! and Today are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)
Keith Urban & Nicole Kidman
Nicole in Monse.
Jelly Roll & Bunnie XO
Reba McEntire
Chase Stokes & Kelsea Ballerini
Chase in Kemo Sabe. Kelsea in David Koma.
Little Big Town
Shaboozey
In custom Coach.
Backstreet Boys
LeAnn Rimes & Eddie Cibrian
Ella Langley
In vintage Dolce & Gabbana.
Carly Pearce
Mickey Guyton
In Yellow Rose by Kendra Scott jewelry.
Lainey Wilson & Devlin “Duck” Hodges
Dan + Shay
Rita Wilson
Morgane Stapleton & Chris Stapleton
Rascal Flatts
Frankie Jonas
Parker McCollum & Hallie Ray Light
Gabby Barrett
Wynonna Judd
Megan Moroney
Old Dominion
Tigirlily Gold
Gretchen Wilson
Dasha
Priscilla Block
Hannah Godwin
Lee Ann Womack
Jessie James Decker
Morgan Wade
