The ranch life that fueled Reba McEntire’s rise to fame

Despite the tragedy, McEntire’s career flourished throughout the 1990s. She also explored acting, starring in a TV series and releasing the hit ”I’m a Survivor.”

After taking a few years off, Reba McEntire made a triumphant return to music in 2003 with her album Room to Breathe. The album produced a number-one hit with “Somebody” and was followed by a successful tour. Her 2007 album Reba: Duets topped the charts, showcasing her ability to blend genres with a variety of artists.

Reba’s heartfelt tribute

In, 2014 Reba’s father passed away after complications from a stroke. To honor him, she channeled her grief into the music video for ”Just Like Them Horses,” a heartfelt song that gave a deeply personal glimpse into the pain of losing someone so important.

This wasn’t the first time Reba dedicated a song to her father. In 1979, she wrote the song ”Daddy” – a tribute to Clark and the cowboy and rodeo life he cherished.

So, while Reba’s mother laid the foundation for much of her musical success, she was also very much a daddy’s girl.

”I have a lot of daddy in me. I have a lot of his drive and his determination to succeed, but also, I’m a terrible communicator,” she shared with The Tennessean in 1994.

After all her successes and tragedies, there was one thing that made Reba McEntire consider stepping away from her career. In an interview on Today with Hoda & Jenna, the musician – now widely regarded as the Queen of Country – candidly shared how she considered quitting music following her mother Jacqueline’s passing from cancer in March 2020.

McEntire, 69, recounted a moment when she and her sister Susie were going through their parents’ belongings after Jacqueline’s death. It was during this introspective period that she contemplated her future as a singer.

She recalled: “I was going through pictures. I said, ‘I just don’t think I’m gonna do this anymore.’ She said, ‘What?’ I said, ‘Sing,’” she explained. “I said, ‘I always did it for Mama.’ She said, ‘Oh, you’ll get it back.’ I did.”

Reba is about faith, family and culture

Luckily, Reba has continued to sing. And she remains a staple in country music, while also expanding her brand through acting, business ventures, and philanthropy

Even with millions in the bank and the freedom to do whatever she wants, Reba McEntire has never forgotten where she came from. In 2023, she made a heartfelt return to her hometown in Atoka, and partnered with the Choctaw Nation to open Reba’s Place — a charming restaurant and gathering spot that’s breathing new life into the town.

”Reba is about faith, she is about family, she is about culture,” said Gary Batton, chief of the Choctaw Nation, the third-largest tribe in the United States.Continue reading…