McEntire opens up to PEOPLE ahead of her 17th time hosting the ACM Awards on May 16 at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas

Reba McEntire. Photo: Courtesy of ACM Awards

Reba McEntire is ready to have a good time at the 2024 ACM Awards.

The 69-year-old “Fancy” icon is gearing up to host the annual awards show for a 17th time on May 16 at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, and she’s looking forward to spending time with fellow musicians in the country genre.

“I like to go visit with everyone. I love live television. I get to sing a song, see what everybody else is promoting, their new material, but basically just to get to see my old friends and meet new people,” McEntire tells PEOPLE ahead of the ceremony, which will stream live on Prime Video. “I hope everyone tunes in and watches.”

Reba McEntire performs in Nashville in June 2023.Jason Kempin/Getty

The Reba star is no stranger to the awards show, as she’s hosted on and off since 1985 and holds the record for most female artist of the year nominations in ACMs history.

McEntire’s favorite memories of the ceremony from over the years? “Getting to be with the co-hosts that I’ve gotten to work with — George Strait, Randy Owen, Hank Williams, Jr., Vince Gill, Blake Shelton. It’s lots of fun,” she says, adding that the solo gig will also be “a lot of fun.”

Looking back, she recalls how important stepping on the stage to host felt in her career. “The first one was Mac Davis and John Schneider way back in the day, and they were television show stars,” reflects McEntire. “Here I was, a little country singer from Oklahoma, getting to be with those two guys. I was thrilled to pieces.”

Reba McEntire in Las Vegas in February 2024.Kevin Mazur/Getty

When it comes to approaching her 17th time hosting the show, even a Grammy-winning professional like McEntire still experiences nerves. “The adrenaline is running, and if you can make it those first two steps and get those first two or three sentences out, you loosen up — or I do anyway,” she says. “But it’s a lot of fun to do, because like I said, I love live television.”

In order to make sure everything goes smoothly on ACMs day, McEntire will have her dressing room at the venue stocked with a rider of staple products.

“Well, mainly, it’s water. Got to have a trash can, my Kleenexes and a clock so I’m not late,” details the performer, “and we have to have a few snacks around there. If my blood sugar gets a little low, we got to pump that back up, because [there’s] no time for getting a little hangry. We don’t want to be that!”

The ACM Awards are set to stream live via Prime Video on May 16 at 8 p.m. ET.