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Friday, July 30, 2004

 

Reba's 22nd Trip to No. 1

By Fred Bronson

LOS ANGELES (Billboard) - Just six weeks after newcomer Gretchen Wilson's reign with "Redneck Woman" ended a two-year dry spell for solo female artists atop Hot Country Singles & Tracks, there's another solo woman sitting in pole position.

Instead of a debut artist, like Wilson, this time it's one of the genre's most respected and beloved veterans.

Reba McEntire scores the 22nd No. 1 hit of her career with "Somebody" (MCA Nashville). It's her first chart-topper since she partnered with Brooks & Dunn on "If You See Him/If You See Her," a No. 1 song in June 1998.

McEntire now has the longest span of No. 1s by a solo female country artist. Counting back to January 1983, when she earned her first chart-topper with "Can't Even Get the Blues," her span of No. 1 hits is 21 years and seven months. That beats Dolly Parton's span of No. 1 tunes, which stretches over 20 years and three months, from "Joshua" in February 1971 to "Rockin' Years," recorded with Ricky Van Shelton, in May 1991. Parton is still ahead in sheer number of chart-toppers, with 24 to McEntire's 22.

"Somebody" ends the longest gap between No. 1 hits for McEntire. She topped the chart at least once a year every year from 1983 to 1993. She also had No. 1s in 1995, 1997 and 1998 before "Somebody" went all the way.

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