Reba McEntire will take part in the second annual Susan G. Komen concert to support breast cancer awareness, hosted by Trisha Yearwood.

Band As One Nashville Concert for the Cure: Trisha Yearwood & Friends is McEntire’s only scheduled concert appearance this year, per a press release issued Wednesday morning (March 4). The Grammy-winning legend joins Charles Kelley, The Band Loula, Ashley McBryde, Lukas Nelson, Rissi Palmer, War & Treaty, Hailey Whitters and others in the lineup. This year’s event will move from the historic Ryman Auditorium to the Grand Ole Opry House to accommodate a larger audience.

“I am honored to collaborate with Trisha and the other artists for this incredible show to raise awareness for such a meaningful cause,” McEntire said in a statement. “I have seen how breast cancer impacts families, friends, and communities. The Opry Stage has always represented heart and tradition, and I’m proud to stand on that stage and support those affected by this disease.”

Yearwood spoke about the second annual Band As One Nashville Concert for the Cure: Trisha Yearwood & Friends during a recent tour preview and moderated Q&A at the Country Music Hall of Fame. The country icon, who lost her mother to breast cancer, said she’s been involved with Susan G. Komen “for years,” so it was “a no-brainer” to raise money to support breast cancer awareness.

“It is just a reminder of how lucky we are. It's also a reminder of how hard people are working to find new ways to treat cancer, breast cancer in particular,” Yearwood said. “And there were women in my life who were saved by drugs created after I lost my mom that probably would've helped her. So, her story helps the next person, and you just leave there after that night knowing that you've done something good. You've raised some money and you've gotten to hear a lot. And you pretty much won't ask anybody… If their schedule's open, they're going to be there because everybody's been affected by it. You are not going to meet anybody that doesn't have a mom or a sister or a husband affected by breast cancer. So, I'm just proud to be a part of it.

“I'm thrilled,” Yearwood said of this year’s larger venue in a one-on-one conversation with iHeartCountry. “When we did the first one, they raised so much more money than they thought they were going to that first year, last year. And it just went so well. And the feeling was so good just that you're there and you're seeing great music and a variety of different kinds of music, but also, you're raising money for a good cause that affects all of us. There's not anybody that if you haven't been through it yourself that doesn't have a family member or a friend, we're all affected. And I think everybody in that room that night at the Ryman felt that. So, it was just a really special environment. So hopefully we can create that again. I know we can. …I said that night [last year], ‘I hope this becomes an annual thing,’ and here we are.”

Band As One Nashville Concert for the Cure: Trisha Yearwood & Friends is set for Sunday, March 22.

Bob Delmont