Reba McEntire biography

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Profile

Musician. Reba McEntire was born on March 28, 1955 in Oklahoma to a family of champion steer ropers. While growing up, McEntire and her three siblings spent time traveling to and from their father's World Championship rodeo performances. Their mother, Jacqueline McEntire, nurtured her children's musical talent; during their many long car rides, they would pass the time by learning songs and harmonizing. Eventually, when Reba McEntire was in ninth grade, she and her two younger siblings formed the "Singing McEntires" and went on to perform at rodeos. Eventually the group disbanded, but Reba McEntire continued to perform as a solo act through her college years.

In 1974, the young singer caught a break when country music star Red Steagall heard her sing at the National Finals Rodeo. Her vocal rendering of the national anthem impressed Steagall, prompting him to help her record a demo and eventually sign with Mercury Records.

Through the late 1970s, the soon-to-be Queen of Country spent much time in the recording studio creating and releasing singles. While none of her early songs were major hits, chart success wasn't far around the corner. In 1980, "You Lift Me Up (To Heaven)" cracked the Billboard country Top 10 and launched an illustrious career.

Throughout the 1980s, Reba McEntire stuck close to her roots in terms of persona, capitalizing on the rowdy rodeo girl theme in photos and on stage. As her powerful vocal stylings matured, her image changed as well, from rough-edged and rural to more polished and mainstream. Always a strong businesswoman, the singer understood early on the importance music videos would have for her career. Her first video, "Whoever's in New England" (1986), artfully told the story of a suburban housewife tortured by the idea of her philandering husband and his trips up north to visit a mistress. Employing well-known actors and directors, the singer took full advantage of this visual medium to showcase the strong narratives of her songwriting, using videos to tell full and compelling stories. In the future, her penchant for drama would not only drive record sales, but also fuel an unexpected acting career.

Since 1976, McEntire had been married to Charlie Battles, a steer wrestling champion and rancher. The couple owned a ranch in Oklahoma, but in 1987, just as McEntire's musical career began to soar, the marriage collapsed. After their divorce, McEntire moved to Nashville to refocus on her music. Two years later she would marry her manager, Narvel Blackstock, who already had three children from a previous marriage. In 1990, the