Reba McEntire
Reba McEntire
Reba Nell McEntire, also known simply as Reba, is an American country music singer, songwriter, record producer, actress, and television producer. She began her career in the music industry as a high school student singing in the Kiowa High School band, on local radio shows with her siblings, and at rodeos. While a sophomore in college, she performed the National Anthem at the National Rodeo in Oklahoma City and caught the attention of country artist Red Steagall who brought her...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionCountry Singer
Date of Birth28 March 1955
CityMcalester, OK
CountryUnited States of America
I was singing a lot of waltzes. And I was with Jerry Kennedy, my producer, and he was playing me some songs, and he said, hey, I want to play you this song that I'm going to get Jackie Ward to record.
That's what is so great about being able to record a 13-song album. You can do a very eclectic group of songs. You do have some almost pop songs in there, but you do have your traditional country, story songs. You have your ballads, your happy songs, your sad songs, your love songs, and your feisty songs.
I always like story songs, Dolly Parton, Tom T. Hall, Mel Tillis, Red Stegall, when they'd do their story songs. I was totally enthralled.
You know, I get a lot of people pitching songs to me.
You've got to stay current and up with the competition. The main thing, though, is finding the greatest songs you can possibly find.
A good song has to have a great melody, and the lyrics have to touch my heart. Now, if it's just a little toe-tapper, got to make me feel good somehow or another, or when I sing it I can't make you feel good.
But I think a song that is really emotionally packed, with a great melody that just will soar, that's the keeper.
But I like to listen to demos. I like to hear the finished product. It's like listening to a song - I mean, a story. If you're going to sit here and tell me a story, I just like to listen. I don't want to make them up.
I've got CDs in my car, listening all the time for that next song, because everybody's looking.
Every song that has been a hit for me has been honest and truthful. I have to believe that same formula will work on this (television) show. It has to be believable and honest.
I'm open to any kind of situation in a song as long as it touches my heart.
To me, there's two types of songs, good and bad. And I just like to stick with the good ones.
Also, any older song, especially any World War II songs remind me of Mama. She goes around the house either whistling or singing all the time. It drives my sister Alice crazy when we're playing games and Mama does that while it's Alice's turn!
For me, singing sad songs often has a way of healing a situation. It gets the hurt out in the open into the light, out of the darkness.