Reba McEntire

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Reba McEntire
Reba in 2006.
Reba in 2006.
Background information
Birth name Reba Nell McEntire
Born March 28, 1955 (age 52)
Flag of United States Chockie, Oklahoma
Origin Flag of United States McAlester, Oklahoma
Genre(s) Country
Years active 1975–present
Label(s) Mercury, MCA/UMG

Reba Nell McEntire (b. March 28, 1955) is a Grammy Award-winning American singer and one of the best-selling country music performers of all time. Sometimes referred to as "The Queen of Country Music" ([1], [2]), she is known for her lively stage-shows and pop-tinged ballads. She has issued 29 albums, with more than 60 million records ([3]) sold as of 2006.

Contents

[edit] Early life

Reba McEntire was born in McAlester, Oklahoma, to Clark Vincent McEntire and Jacqueline Smith (a sharecropper's daughter), she grew up near Chockie, Oklahoma, learning to ride in rodeos, as well as how to sing and play music. She soon formed a singing group with her brother and sisters, known as The Singing McEntires. The quartet had a local hit with The Ballad of John McEntire, a tribute to their grandfather.

In 1974, while a student at Southeastern Oklahoma State University in Durant, McEntire sang The Star Spangled Banner at the National Rodeo Finals in Oklahoma City. Rodeo attendee and country singer Red Steagall suggested that she go to Nashville to pursue a solo career. Around the time of the release of her first album, she married Charlie Battles, a professional steer wrestler and bulldogger.

In 1986, Southeastern Oklahoma State University honored her as a distinguished alumna.

[edit] Career

With a contract to Mercury Records, McEntire began her professional career with a hard honky tonk sound, which didn't go over well at a time when country music was dominated by outlaw country artists like Willie Nelson and David Allan Coe.

Three Sheets in the Wind/I'd Really Love to See You Tonight became her first charting single (1978) and was followed by the bigger hit (You Lift Me) Up to Heaven (1980). With more pop-oriented balladry, McEntire began to expand her audience during the early 1980s, signing to MCA Records in 1984 and becoming one of the best-selling country artists of all time, releasing three volumes of greatest hits collections.

McEntire's first number one single came in 1982 with Can't Even Get The Blues No More. Since then, she's released thirty-two more chartbusters, which are all recapped on Reba #1's released on November 22, 2005. The two-disc compilation features twenty-two number one Billboard singles and eleven other number one singles in chronological order, including two new tracks You're Gonna Be and Love Needs A Holiday. A total of thirty-five tracks are included on the compilation.[1] McEntire won the Female Vocalist of the Year award from the Country Music Association four times in a row (a record she shares with Martina McBride), and had dozens of Top Ten hits during the 80s. For her contribution to the recording industry, McEntire has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7000 Hollywood Blvd. In 1995, she was inducted into the Western Performers Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. On November 5, 2006, McEntire was the first recipient of a star on the Music City Walk of Fame in downtown Nashville. She was honored along side Roy Orbison, Ronnie Milsap and others.

Renowned for her flashy stage performances, McEntire was the first woman to have the highest grossing concert tour in country music. In 1994 and 1995, her stage show outgrossed all other country artists. Her 1997 package tour with Brooks & Dunn was the largest grossing tour in country music history at the time. Recently, however, she has scaled back the production, playing more intimate venues and focusing more on the music than the spectacle. During the summer of 2006, McEntire signed an engagement performing at the Las Vegas Hilton in a multi-week concert series,.REBA: Key to the Heart.

McEntire is one of only five solo female artists (others include Shania Twain, Barbara Mandrell, Dolly Parton, and Loretta Lynn), to win the Country Music Association's highest honor, Entertainer of the Year. McEntire continued to hit the charts through the 1990s, as well as appearing in television and film, most notably Tremors, a cult horror movie series, Forever Love, The Gambler IV, and One Night at McCool's.

McEntire also starred as Annie Oakley in Annie Get Your Gun on Broadway, receiving critical acclaim and a Drama Desk Award and an Outer Circle Critics Award.

From 2001 to 2007, she starred in the hit television sitcom Reba, with Steve Howey as her son-in-law, and Christopher Rich as her philandering ex-husband. The comedy show once received a call from Dolly Parton, who McEntire has cited as a major musical influence of her own 5 and who played McEntire's mentor at a real estate firm. McEntire won a People's Choice Award for the show. The show was nominated for an Emmy twice for Outstanding Cinematography For A Multi-Camera Series. The final episode of the program aired on February 18, 2007 as The CW network cancelled the program, despite being its #1 sitcom.

In 2004, Reba returned to the concert stage with the Reba McEntire 2004 Tour after a three years of not touring. The following year, Brad Paisley and Terri Clark joined her on the 2 Hats and A Redhead Tour.

On June 9, 2005, McEntire appeared in a concert version of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical South Pacific at Carnegie Hall. She starred as Nellie Forbush, alongside Brian Stokes Mitchell as Emile, and Alec Baldwin as Luther Billis. The production was taped and telecast by PBS on April 26, 2006. A CD and DVD of the performance were released in June of that year.

McEntire lent her voice to two feature films in 2006. The first was the straight-to-DVD sequel to Disney's animated 1981 feature, The Fox and The Hound. The Fox and the Hound 2 has a country music theme taking place at a carnival. The cast includes Jeff Foxworthy and Patrick Swayze with country singer Trisha Yearwood lending her talents to the song Blue Beyond. McEntire sang two songs for the movie and its soundtrack, namely We're In Harmony and Good Doggie...No Bone!.

The second movie is a live-action version remake of Charlotte's Web. McEntire voices Betsy the Cow. The film also stars Dakota Fanning, Julia Roberts, Oprah Winfrey, Kathy Bates, Steve Buscemi, Thomas Hayden Church and Cedric the Entertainer. Charlotte's Web was released nationwide on December 20, 2006, and will be released in separate widescreen and fullscreen DVD editions on April 3, 2007.[2]

She is currently working on a duets album, which could be her final album under the MCA label. The album is scheduled for release in 2007. She's recorded "Everyday People" with Carole King ,"Break Each Other's Heart" with Don Henley, "Sleeping with the Telephone" with Faith Hill & "A Lot Like You" with Kelly Clarkson. Other duets have also been recorded with LeAnn Rimes, Justin Timberlake, Ronnie Dunn of Brooks & Dunn, Rascal Flatts, Keith Urban, Kenny Chesney and Vince Gill.[3]

In 2007, prior to releasing her Duets CD, McEntire will be on the road with the Key to the Heart Tour. She will be playing outdoor amphitheaters, casinos and country music festivals including the CMA Music Festival, her first appearance there in 11 years. She also plans to tour in 2008 in support of the Duets CD.[4]

On February 22, 2007, McEntire performed with Kelly Clarkson for a taping of a future installment of CMT Crossroads. The show is scheduled to air in late 2007 to support the Duets CD.[5]

[edit] Private life

After divorcing Charlie Battles in 1987, McEntire married Narvel Blackstock, a noted steel guitarist, June 3rd 1989 in Lake Tahoe, NV. The couple took control over all aspects of her career. They have one son, Shelby Steven McEntire Blackstock, who was born on February 23, 1990.

Seven members of McEntire's band and her road manager were among ten people who died in a March 16, 1991 plane crash near San Diego, California. McEntire was devastated and recorded the album For My Broken Heart as a tribute to them. There was a minor controversy over her decision to perform on the Academy Awards a week after the crash. But, she appeared on the show to dedicate the nominated song, I'm Checking Out, from the film Postcards From the Edge, to her fallen band members. During the performance, McEntire was visibly emotional, holding back tears. She had been known to refer to them as her Crazy Eight. Ultimately, she earned the respect and affection of her peers for her decision and her stoic toughness and perseverance.

[edit] Awards

Year Award Category
1984 Country Music Association Female Vocalist of the Year
1984 Academy of Country Music Top Female Vocalist
1985 Music City News Country Awards Female Artist of the Year
1985 Country Music Association Female Vocalist of the Year
1985 Academy of Country Music Top Female Vocalist
1986 Music City News Country Awards Female Artist of the Year
1986 Academy of Country Music Top Female Vocalist
1986 Academy of Country Music Video of the Year - "Whoever's In New England"
1986 Country Music Association Female Vocalist of the Year
1986 Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year
1986 Grammy Awards Best Country Vocal Performance, Female - "Whoever's In New England"
1987 NARM Top Selling Female Country Album - "Whoever's In New England"
1987 American Music Awards Favorite Country Female Video Artist
1987 Academy of Country Music Top Female Vocalist
1987 Country Music Association Female Vocalist of the Year
1988 American Music Award Favorite Female Country Artist
1988 TNN Viewer's Choice Award Favorite Female Vocalist
1988 Music City News Country Awards Female Artist of the Year
1989 American Music Awards Favorite Female Country Artist
1989 Music City News Country Awards Female Artist of the Year
1989 TNN Viewer's Choice Award Favorite Female Vocalist
1990 American Music Awards Favorite Female Country Artist
1990 Academy of Country Music Top Female Vocalist
1991 American Music Awards Favorite Female Country Artist
1991 American Music Awards Favorite Country Album - "Reba Live!"
1991 Academy of Country Music Top Female Vocalist
1991 Academy of Country Music Video of the Year - "Is There Life Out There?"
1992 American Music Awards Favorite Female Country Artist
1992 People's Choice Awards Favorite Female Country Performer
1992 People's Choice Awards Favorite Female Musical Performer
1993 American Music Awards Favorite Female Country Artist
1993 American Music Awards Favorite Country Album - "For My Broken Heart"
1993 People's Choice Awards Favorite Female Musical Performer
1993 Grammy Awards Best Country Vocal Collaboration - "Does He Love You" (w/ Linda Davis)
1994 American Music Awards Favorite Female Country Artist
1994 People's Choice Awards Favorite Female Country Performer
1994 TNN/Music City News Country Awards Vocal Collaboration - "Does He Love You" (w/Linda Davis)
1994 Academy of Country Music Entertainer of the Year
1994 Academy of Country Music Top Female Vocalist
1994 Country Radio Awards Entertainer of the Year
1994 Country Radio Awards Female Vocalist
1994 Country Music Association Vocal Event of the Year - "Does He Love You" (w/Linda Davis)
1994 Billboard Awards Favorite Female Country Artist
1995 American Music Awards Favorite Female Country Artist
1995 American Music Awards Favorite Country Album - "Read My Mind"
1995 People's Choice Awards Favorite Female Musical Performer
1995 Blockbuster Awards Favorite Female Country Artist
1996 Country Weekly Golden Pick Awards Favorite Entertainer
1996 American Music Awards Favorite Female Country Artist
1996 People's Choice Awards Favorite Female Musical Performer
1997 People's Choice Awards Favorite Female Musical Performer
1997 Country Weekly Golden Pick Awards Favorite Female Vocalist
1997 Blockbuster Awards Favorite Album by a Female Country Artist - "What If It's You"
1998 American Music Awards Favorite Female Country Artist
1998 People's Choice Awards Favorite Female Musical Performer
1998 TNN/Music City News Country Awards Minnie Pearl Humanitarian Award
1999 British Country Music Awards International Female Vocalist of the Year
1999 CMT International Awards Video Event of the Year - "If You See Him/If You See Her"
2000 British Country Music Awards International Female Vocalist of the Year
2000 Country Music Association International Artist Achievement Award
2001 Drama Desk Awards Special Award - "Annie Get Your Gun"
2001 Outer Critics Awards "Annie Get Your Gun"
2002 People's Choice Awards Favorite Actress in a New Television Series - "Reba"
2002 Academy of Country Music Home Depot Humanitarian Award
2002 CMT 40 Greatest Women of Country Music #6 ranking
2003 Country Radio Broadcasters Career Achievement Award
2003 Academy of Country Music Leading Lady Award
2004 American Music Awards Favorite Female Country Artist
2004 New Music Weekly Favorite Female Country Artist
2004 CMT Flameworthy Awards Johnny Cash Visionary Award
2005 Academy of Country Music Special Award for Most Female Vocalist Wins
2006 CMT Giants Inaugural Honoree

[edit] Discography

Further information: Reba McEntire discography

[edit] Studio Albums: Mercury Records

[edit] Studio Albums: MCA Nashville

[edit] Holiday Albums

[edit] Compilation Albums


[edit] Video releases

  • Reba (1989)
  • Reba In Concert (1991)
  • Reba Greatest Video Hits (1993)
  • Reba Live (1994)
  • Reba Celebrating 20 Years (1995)
  • Reba Video Gold 1 (2006)
  • Reba Video Gold 2 (2006)

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  • Bufwack, Mary A. (1998). "Reba McEntire". In The Encyclopedia of Country Music. Paul Kingsbury, Editor. New york: Oxford University Press. p. 339 (birth year listed as 1954).

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../r/e/b/Reba_McEntire_43ed.html"
In other languages