Reba McEntire Facts: Details About Her Life and Career

Country superstar Reba McEntire has proven that there is nothing she can’t do. The hitmaker is also a businesswoman and an actress, starring in Reba for six successful seasons from 2001 to 2007. After more than 50 years in the entertainment industry, fans may be shocked to find out some interesting facts about her.

Reba, born in 1955, grew up in Oklahoma and was encouraged by her family to pursue a singing career. She set out for Nashville in 1975 to meet with record executives, a trip that changed her life forever. The talented musician signed with PolyGram/Mercury Records and released her self-titled debut album under the label in 1977. Reba put out five more albums with Mercury before signing with MCA Nashville, another branch of Universal Music Group, in 1984.

Under MCA Nashville, the redhead found Billboard chart success with hits like “What Am I Gonna Do About You” and “Only in My Mind.” She led several sold-out tours since 1985 and scored countless awards as a top-selling country artist. Still, the three-time Grammy winner remains humble in her daily life.

“My family and my friends keep me grounded. No one’s going to let my head get too big and they bring me back down to Earth real quick if I get to floating off too far,” she told Thrive Global in December 2019 after the release of her 33rd album, Stronger Than the Truth. “My sister, Alice, gave me a toilet seat cover one time for Christmas that on the top said, ‘The Twinkle!’ So I’m still working on being that ‘star.’”

In her personal life, Reba has been married twice. The “Fancy” singer married her first husband, Charlie Battles, in 1967. She became a stepmother to his two children from a previous relationship, Lance Battles and Coty Battles. The couple divorced in 1987.

The Tremors actress married her second husband, Narvel Blackstock, in 1989. She became a stepmom to his three children: Shawna Blackstock, Brandon Blackstock and Chassidy Blackstock. The couple also welcomed one child together, son Shelby Blackstock, in 1990. Their marriage ended in 2015. Reba began dating her boyfriend, actor Rex Linn, in January 2020.

“[We’ve been] having discussions about our past, our [families], funny stories, him being an actor, me being an actress,” she said during an October 2020 episode of her podcast about her beau. “He’s very into my music, I’m very into his career — it’s just great getting to talk to somebody who I find very interesting, very funny and very smart, and is interested in me too.”

Keep scrolling to learn five interesting facts about Reba.

Sally Field Almost Starred in Her Own Version of ‘Reba’

In a March 2019 interview with Bobby Bones, Reba shared that producers were initially eyeing Sally Field to star in the show that fans came to know as Reba. The original series would have been called Sally. The Academy Award winner later turned down the role, leading them to recast the title character. Even when Reba stepped in to play the lead, the show was still named Sally, “and then at the very last moment they changed it to Reba,” she said during the interview.

Her Family is Full of Talented Country Singers

Music has always been something that has bonded the McEntire family. Reba’s mother, Jaqueline McEntire, had a passion for singing before pursuing a career as an educator. Growing up, Reba performed in a sibling band with her younger sister, Susie McEntire, and her brother, Pake McEntire. All three of them went on to become country music stars, while their older sister, Alice Foran, stayed out of the spotlight.

Reba Has a Strong Connection With Kelly Clarkson

Reba has a lot of famous friends and a particularly special connection with Kelly Clarkson. Kelly was previously married to the actress’ stepson Brandon from 2013 to 2021. The pair had two children together before ending their marriage, River Rose and Remington Alexander. Even after announcing their divorce, Reba revealed that she and the American Idol winner are still friends.

“Kelly and I do talk, we text and I love them both, and so I can’t play favorites because I’ve been a friend of Kelly for a long time,” the “Dear Rodeo” singer told Entertainment Tonight in October 2021.

She Went to School to Study Education

Much like her mother, Reba had a passion for music along with a desire to become a teacher at an early age. She attended Southeastern Oklahoma State University and graduated with a degree in education. Soon after, her country music career took off, paving the way for a lifetime full of tremendous achievements in music and beyond.

Reba Is Very Competitive

The clothing line owner has admitted that she does have quite the competitive side that stems from growing up in a rodeo family.

“I love to play games, and I love to win, but when I lose, I’m the first one to start clapping and say, ‘Congratulations, now let’s do it again, because I’m going to whip your butt,’” she told The Saturday Evening Post in October 2018. “I grew up on a working cattle ranch. My daddy and my grandpap were world champion cowboys. My brother and I were always competing, saying, ‘Anything you can do I can do better.’ You wanted to win, but it was also a game.”