Singer: Reba McEntire

I dare anyone to find anything bad to say about Reba. Now, you don’t have to like her music. In fact, I’ve never owned or downloaded a single Reba song. But she’s wholesome, funny, friendly, and like the best country performers, dedicated to and appreciative of her audience.

She wasn’t planning on stardom when she entered Southeastern Oklahoma State University to be a teacher. Then she sang the National Anthem at a rodeo. Country singer Red Steagall (don’t ask) was there, and suggested Reba head to Nashville to pursue a musical career. Which she did. Did she ever.

She’s won each of these country music awards multiple times: Female Vocalist of the Year, Entertainer of the Year, Grammy, and People’s Choice Award. She’s had at least 33 number one hits. She’s sold over 50 million records. She’s been in several movies (including the cult hit Tremors). And she had a funny and successful tv show that ran for six seasons, and may be even more popular now as a second-run show.

I don’t usually quote others in this space, but I couldn’t describe Reba’s impact better than did Janis Fontaine of the Palm Beach Post:

There isn’t a female country artist out there that doesn’t owe McEntire a debt of gratitude. She taught women how to be successful, not only as singers, but as businesswomen, and she continues to take on new challenges. This is a woman who will never get stale. From her first number one, Can’t Even Get the Blues in 1982, to Somebody in 2003, you’ll find all the hits here in order of their release. What a way to look back over a truly stellar, but not finished, career.

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