Country music icon Reba McEntire celebrated America’s 250th birthday with a special, patriotic performance.
On Saturday, July 4th, Americans in every city, county, and state gathered to celebrate Independence Day. The year 2026 is a special one, as the nation is celebrating 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Concerts, fairs, and festivals were planned for the occasion, including the massive Freedom 250 “Salute To America” in Washington, DC.
Nashville’s annual Let Freedom Sing celebration got an upgrade for the milestone anniversary and became Nashville’s Star-Spangled Bash, hosted by Disney. The three-hour nationally broadcast program was hosted by Ryan Seacrest and included performances by Reba McEntire, Tim McGraw, Brothers Osborne, Little Big Town, and more.
Additionally, the evening included one of the largest synchronized fireworks and drone shows in the U.S., set to a live score by the Nashville Symphony. If you missed it, you can watch the show here.
Reba McEntire Celebrates The 4th Of July With “America The Beautiful”
“America The Beautiful” is one of the most famous patriotic songs in the nation’s history. The lyrics were written by author and poet Katharine Lee Bates more than a century ago.
It was first published in the Fourth of July edition of New Jersey’s Grace Episcopal Church periodical, The Congregationalist, in 1895. The poem was set to a melody composed by Choirmaster Samuel A. Ward and was first shared with its current name in 1910.
“America The Beautiful” has been recorded and performed by countless artists throughout its storied history: from Elvis Presley to Frank Sinatra. In 2025, Carrie Underwood made headlines when she performed the tune a cappella after the sound system cut out during President Trump’s inauguration.
For Nashville’s Star-Spangled Bash, Reba was accompanied by the 129th Army Band from Nashville, Tennessee.
Together, they delivered a stunning performance of “America the Beautiful” surrounded by vintage military aircraft. Watch it below!
