Reba McEntire

Background

Reba McEntire’s reputation precedes her, having made a significant impact on the country music scene. The talented singer and actress has a laundry list of accolades credited to her name and several number-one hits. She was born March 28, 1955, in McAlester, Oklahoma, to Clark and Jacqueline McEntire. McEntire grew up on a ranch in Chockie, where, along with her three siblings, she tended to the farm before and after school. Reba’s mother, who encouraged all of her children to sing, had a big influence on her daughter’s musical leanings; Jacqueline herself had once dreamed of becoming a singer. The southern belle spent her childhood and adolescence honing her musical talents, having learned to play both the guitar and piano.

Her ambitions, however, were not limited to singing. McEntire first became interested in becoming a barrel racer, a type of rodeo competitor, and began training for it. Eventually, she veered toward music as she formed a band in high school with her siblings, called The Singing McEntires. While the sibling band didn’t make it very far, McEntire signed a contract with a country recording company, PolyGram/Mercury Records (1975), after catching the attention of a record label executive. While the first few years of her deep dive into country music did not result in immediate recognition, her career gained traction by the early 1980s, after she’d formed a band with her sister and brother.

She was unstoppable from then on, releasing hit after hit, with “You Lift Me Up” reaching the top ten on the country music charts. She released her album “Heart to Heart” a year later, in 1981, and it charted on the Billboard Country Albums chart. ” Can’t Even Get the Blues” (1982) and “You’re the First Time I Thought About Leaving” (1982) were among the top hits that followed. She won only one of her many awards in 1984: the CMA’s ‘Female Vocalist of the Year.’ After dominating the music industry, the icon tried her hand at acting, landing her first role alongside Kevin Bacon in the 1990s comedy-horror film “Tremors.”

Her breakout role, however, was the eponymous sitcom “Reba,” which aired in 2001, and received positive reviews. It went on for six seasons. McEntire, on the other hand, never gave up on music. In 2007, the country singer released “Reba Duets,” a crossover album featuring Leann Rimes, Kelly Clarkson, Rascal Flatts, and Justin Timberlake, among others. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 100 as well as the Top Country Albums chart, selling over 301,000 copies in its first week. She has received 15 American Music Awards and several Grammy nominations, among other honors. In 2011, she was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame as a ‘Modern Era Artist.’

The Southern belle then received the Horatio Alger Association award. As the country singer rose to fame, so did curiosity about her love life. She has been married and divorced twice, first to rodeo stud Charlie Battles (1976 to 1987), then married her manager (at the time) Narvel Blackstock (1989 to 2015). She has been happily dating actor and “Young Sheldon” co-star, Rex Linn since 2020. While the pair are rumored to have known each other for years, the romance was kindled during the pandemic with virtual coffee dates. In 2020, she decided to next conquer the world of podcasts and released “Living and Learning with Reba McEntire.”