Though fancy events are far and few between these days, country superstar Reba McEntire still managed to make it red carpet official with her new beau.
McEntire and her boyfriend, Rex Linn, posed for photos together before the singer cracked a few jokes at his expense during her hosting duties at the Country Music Association Awards on Wednesday night.
"Rex, always stay six feet away from Carrie Underwood," co-host and fellow country star Darius Rucker joked.
"That’s not social distancing, that’s Reba rules," McEntire quipped.
The couple has been dating for about eight months. McEntire revealed their relationship in October on her "Living & Learning" podcast, explaining they've been together since meeting for dinner in January.
"Then February on, it was the COVID pandemic, and we were talking, texting, FaceTime," McEntire said at the time. "And that's a really good way to get to know people."
The two have actually known each other for decades, McEntire said on Tuesday's episode of "Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen.”
They first met in 1991 when they were both working on the Kenny Rogers movie “The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw.”
As you may have guessed, Linn is no stranger to red carpets. The 63-year-old has previously starred in "CSI: Miami" and most recently has been part of "Better Call Saul" and "Young Sheldon."
"It's just great getting to talk to somebody who I find very interesting, very funny, very smart and is interested in me too," McEntire said last month, adding he's a "very, very sweetheart of a guy."
Both have some southern roots to bond over as well. McEntire is originally from Oklahoma attended Southeastern Oklahoma State University before deciding to move to Nashville, Tennessee, to pursue a country music career, while Linn is a native Texan who spent his teens living in Oklahoma City and graduated from Oklahoma State University.
"He's very special," McEntire said. "We're having a blast and still getting to know each other. I put myself in his shoes, and I said if he was doing this podcast and he didn't mention me, I would be crushed."
McEntire was previously married for 26 years to manager Narvel Blackstock, with whom she has son Shelby Blackstock, 30, before splitting with him in 2015. Narvel Blackstock's son from an earlier marriage, Brandon Blackstock, was previously married to the original "American Idol," Kelly Clarkson before calling it quits earlier this year.
