McEntire, Reba

McEntire, Reba , country chanteuse turned actress; b. Chockie, Okla., March 28, 1954. This ropin’-and-ridin’ sweetheart began her career very much in a new country-cowgirl mold, but has since veered increasingly—and very successfully—into being the ultimate country diva and an industry power-broker.

McEntire came from an authentic rodeo family; her grandfather was a celebrity on the national rodeo circuit, and her father a talented roper. Along with Reba, her brother, Pake, and two sisters, Alice and Susie, all performed in rodeos, and the four formed a family singing group. They scored a local hit in 1971 with a ballad memorializing their grandfather, “The Ballad of John McEntire.” Country star Red Steagall heard Reba belt out the national anthem at the National Rodeo Finals in Oklahoma City in 1974, and invited her to come to Nashville to make a demo. Reba, her mother, and brother all ended up in music city, and both brother and sister made their first albums in late 1975.

Reba’s first recordings were in a traditional style, and although they forecast the new country trends of the next decade, they failed to find much chart action. Meanwhile, she married Charlie Battles (a champion steer wrestler) and got her teaching certificate if her singing career failed to take off. In the late 1970s and early 1980s she finally began to see some chart action, covering Patsy Cline’s “Sweet Dreams” and “A Poor Man’s Roses;” her first #1 record came in 1983 with “Can’t Even Get the Blues.” McEntire’s producer insisted she record the song, although she resisted cutting another ballad, preferring to try some more uptempo material.

She reached her greatest popularity in the mid-1980s. Her highly emotionally charged vocals were perfectly suited to the often melodramatic material she recorded. She did however maintain a country-influenced technique, using bends, twirls, trills, and even a slight yodel, all found in traditional mountain singing, to give her vocals added depth and authenticity. Meanwhile, her image was constantly being pushed upscale by her managers, who were steering her trying to make her a Vegas-style diva.

In 1987, McEntire divorced her first husband, and two years later wed her steel guitarist-road manager, Narvel Blackstock. The duo began building McEntire’s empire, taking over the responsibility of managing and booking her act, working with the record company and producers to shape her image, and even becoming involved in the nuts and bolts of song publishing and transporting equipment for tours. Although McEntire took a more active hand in her career, there was not much change in the music that she produced; she continued to turn out finely crafted pop ballads, with the occasional, more spirited number thrown in for variety. She also began to pursue an acting career, landing some minor roles in TV and movies; but her best acting remained in her videos in which she continued to project a feisty, yet down-home and loveable personality.

Discography

Reba McEntire (1977); Out of a Dream (1979); Feel the Ire (1980); Heart to Heart (1981); Unlimited (1982); Behind the Scene (1983); Just a Little Love (1984); My Kind of Country (1984); Have I Got a Deal for You (1985); Whoever’s in New England (1986); Reba Nell McEntire (1986); The Last One to Know (1987); Merry Christmas to You (1987); Reba (1988); Sweet 16 (1989); Live (1989); Rumor Has It (1990); For My Broken Heart (1991); It’s Your Call (1992); Read My Mind (1994); Starting Over (1995); What if it’s You (1996); What If (1997); Moments and Memories (1998); If You See Him (1998); Secret of Giving (1999); So Good Together (1999).

—Richard Carlin