Reba McEntire

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Reba McEntire, or as some might refer to her “The Queen of Country,” is amongst Dolly Parton, Patsy Cline, and Loretta Lynn as one of the most successful females in country music.  In her 34-year career run she has recorded 31 albums, sold over 55 million records, won 7 CMA awards, 13 ACM awards, 14 AMA awards and this list goes on.  But those are just some of her music accomplishments.  Reba has also starred in a Broadway play as well as her own sitcom and written a book.  This year she will host the ACM’s for the 11th time.  And her latest project is her greatest hits album that is three discs in total featuring 50 of her all time greatest hits.  Twenty of these songs were Billboard number one’s.
 
How Reba Got Her Start
Growing up on a cattle ranch in McAlester, Oklahoma, Reba McEntire was born into a family of singers. Her mother was a singer and schoolteacher, her sister Susie and brother, Pake were also aspiring singers. The three of them joined together to form a trio called The Singing McEntires. But years down the road they would all find success in their own solo careers.
 
Reba was discovered while she was in college when she sang the National Anthem for the National Rodeo Finals.  Red Steagall, country recording artist, encouraged her to pursue her dream of singing and moving to Nashville after he heard her sing.  She took his advice and this landed her a recording contract with Mercury Records in 1975.
 
Reba hit the Billboard charts just a year after signing with Mercury with the song “I Don’t Want To Be a One Night Stand.”  After that Reba had some other singles, but her first one to make it into the top ten was “(You Life Me) Up to Heaven,” in 1980.  She continued to have some fairly successful singles throughout the next three years and then in 1984 she signed a contract with MCA Nashville.  Shortly after switching labels is when Reba finally came to shine in country music, her first number one song was “How Blue,” in 1984. After this, Reba’s career has found more success than nearly every other country female artist of all time.
 
Reba Duets
McEntire has an entire album solely dedicated to duets she has done with many well-known artists, titled Reba Duets.  This album was released in 2007 and includes duets she has recorded with artists such as Kenny Chesney, LeAnn Rimes, Brooks & Dunn, Rascal Flatts, Trisha Yearwood, Faith Hill, Vince Gill, Justin Timberlake, Don Henley and Carole King. 
 
But, probably Reba’s most notable duet she has done was with pop act Kelly Clarkson with the song, “Because of You.” This duet led to the two of them making a music video for the song, which was made popular just two years before by Clarkson.  They also went on to perform the song at the 2007 Academy of Country Music Awards, as well as going on tour together.
 
Acting Career
Reba hit the stage in New York in 2001 when she stepped in as a replacement for Annie in the Broadway play, Annie Get Your Gun, for a little over four months. 
 
Just a few months after leaving Broadway, Reba began her new television series, which was self titled, “Reba,” airing on Warner Bros. TV.  The thirty-minute sitcom lasted for six seasons from October 2001 until 2007, but the show is still airing today on many different networks as a syndicated show.  This sitcom earned Reba a People’s Choice Award for Favorite Actress in a New Television Series.
 
Other Accomplishments
In 1994 Reba wrote an autobiography, Reba, My Story, which describes everything in her life from her childhood to her singing career to her love life. 
 
It only seems fair that after holding the record for the most Academy of Country Music awards for Top Female Vocalist (7) plus winning several other ACM awards, that Reba should be the perfect host for the ACM awards show.  This year, Reba will host the 44th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards for the 11th year in a row.
 
Reba McEntire Hit Albums & Singles
 

  • 1976 Reba McEntire
  • 1979 Out of a Dream: “Sweet Dreams”
  • 1980 Feel That Fire: “Up to Heaven”
  • 1981 Heart to Heart: “Today All Over Again,” “Only You”
  • 1982 Unlimited: “Can’t Even Get the Blues,” “You’re the First Time I’ve Thought About Leaving”
  • 1983 Behind the Scene: “Why Do We Want What We Know We Can’t Have”
  • 1984 Just A Little Love: “Just a Little Love”
  • 1984 My Kind of Country: “How Blue,” “Somebody Should Leave”
  • 1985 Have I Got a Deal for You: “Only in My Mind”
  • 1986 Whoever’s In England: “Whoever’s In England,” “Little Rock”
  • 1986 What Am I Gonna Do About You: “What Am I Gonna Do About You,” “One Promise Too Late”
  • 1987 The Last One To Know: “The Last One to Know,” “Love Will Find it’s Way to You”
  • 1988 Reba: “I Know How He Feels,” “New Fool at an Old Game”
  • 1989 Sweet Sixteen: “Cathy’s Clown,” “’Til Love Comes Again,” “Walk On”
  • 1990 Rumor Has It: “You Lie,” “Rumor Has It,” “Fancy,” “Fallin’ Out of Love”
  • 1991 For My Broken Heart: “For My Broken Heart,” “If There’s Life Out There,” “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia,” “The Greatest Man I Never Knew,”
  • 1992 It’s Your Call: “Take It Back,” “The Heart Won’t Lie,” “It’s Your Call”
  • 1994 Read My Mind: “Why Haven’t I Heard From You,” “Til You Love Me,” “The Heart is a Lonely Hunter,” “And Still”
  • 1995 Starting Over: “Rind on Her Finger, Time on Her Hands”
  • 1996 What If It’s You: “The Fear of Being Alone,” “How Was I to Know,” “I’d Rather Ride Around With You”
  • 1998 If You See Him: “If You See Him,” “Forever Love”
  • 1999 So Good Together: “What Do You Say,” “I’ll Be”
  • 2003 Room to Breathe: “Somebody,” “He Gets That From Me”
  • 2007 Reba Duets: “Because of You,” “Every Other Weekend”

 
Reba McEntire Awards & Recognition
 

  • 1984 CMA Female Vocalist of the Year
  • 1984 ACM Top Female Vocalist
  • 1985 CMA Female Vocalist of the Year
  • 1985 ACM Top Female Vocalist
  • 1986 CMA Female Vocalist of the Year
  • 1986 CMA Entertainer of the Year
  • 1986 ACM Top Female Vocalist
  • 1986 ACM Video of the Year “Whoever’s In New England”
  • 1986 Grammy Best Country Vocal Performance, Female “Whoever’s In New England”
  • 1987 AMA Favorite Country Female Video Artist
  • 1987 CMA Female Vocalist of the Year
  • 1987 ACM Top Female Vocalist
  • 1988 AMA Favorite Female Country Artist
  • 1989 AMA Favorite Female Country Artist
  • 1990 AMA Favorite Female Country Artist
  • 1990 ACM Top Female Vocalist
  • 1991 AMA Favorite Female Country Artist
  • 1991 AMA Favorite Country Album “Reba Live!”
  • 1991 ACM Top Female Artist
  • 1991 ACM Video of the Year “Is There Life Out There?”
  • 1992 AMA Favorite Female Country Artist
  • 1992 People’s Choice Awards Favorite Female Country Performer
  • 1992 People’s Choice Awards Favorite Female Musical Performer
  • 1993 AMA Favorite Female Country Artist
  • 1993 AMA Favorite Country Album “For My Broken Heart”
  • 1993 People’s Choice Awards Favorite Female Musical Performer
  • 1993 Grammy Best Country Vocal Collaboration “Does He Love You” (with Linda Davis)
  • 1994 AMA Favorite Female Country Artist
  • 1994 People’s Choice Awards Favorite Female Country Performer
  • 1994 ACM Top Female Vocalist
  • 1994 ACM Entertainer of the Year
  • 1994 CMA Vocal Event of the Year “Does He Love You” (with Linda Davis)
  • 1994 Billboard Awards Favorite Female Country Artist
  • 1995 AMA Favorite Female Country Artist
  • 1995 AMA Favorite Country Album “Read My Mind”
  • 1995 People’s Choice Awards Favorite Female Musical Performer
  • 1996 AMA Favorite Female Country Artist
  • 1996 People’s Choice Awards Favorite Female Musical Performer
  • 1997 People’s Choice Awards Favorite Female Musical Performer
  • 1998 AMA Favorite Female Country Artist
  • 1998 People’s Choice Awards Favorite Female Musical Performer
  • 2000 CMA International Artist Achievement Award
  • 2002 People’s Choice Awards Favorite Actress in New Television Series “Reba”
  • 2002 ACM Home Depot Humanitarian Award
  • 2003 ACM Leading Lady Award
  • 2004 AMA Award Favorite Female Country Artist
  • 2005 ACM Special Award for Most Female Vocalist Wins
  • 2007 Billboard’s Woman of the Year

 
Fun Facts About Reba:

  • Reba was born on March 28, 1955.
  • Reba was married to Charlie Battles, a professional rodeo rider, for 11 years, they divorced in 1987.
  • In 1989 Reba married Narvel Blackstock, her manager, and they have one son, Shelby Stephen born in 1990.  Narvel also had three children in a previous marriage.
  • Reba and Narvel have a home in Tennessee and Beverly Hill, CA.