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Something Else To Know About Reba
Q: How does Reba McEntire do all that she does? (Amanda, Adrian, MI) A: Well, with simultaneously successful careers in music and sitcom TV, and a family, Reba McEntire does seem to have a lot on her plate. But, she says she can do it all, Amanda, because she has her husband and manager, Narvel Blackstock, keeping track of much of her career. She plans her time carefully so that she can do TV when that needs to be done, records and tours now so that is done right, but, at the same time, she plans specific family time including vacations abroad, that often includes her extended family and her husband’s extended family members. Reba figures you can do anything if you stay in control, plan ahead and work hard and it sure is working for her right now. CLICK HERE to discuss in our forum.
Everything you wanted to know about Reba McEntire
Reba McEntire never wanted to take four years between albums. But along the way she encountered a couple of diversions - including garnering commanding reviews for her starring role in the hit Broadway revival of Annie Get Your Gun and launching her successful new TV series, Reba. As much as she missed recording and singing, her absence allowed her a chance to recharge her musical batteries. Now she's ready to return to her first love with a renewed perspective and a stronger-than-ever commitment. In doing so, she's turned Room To Breathe into a celebration of the sum of her strengths, creating a stunningly emotional, wide-ranging album that underscores why she's the most remarkable and accomplished female country singer of her generation. "I'm proud of all the music I've recorded and not to sound egotistical " Reba remarks, "but I think this is the best collection of songs that I've ever had on one album." While she worried about staying away so long - this is also the first time she's ever gone more than two years without staging a concert tour - she figures that the break allowed her a chance to re-evaluate what she loves about singing country music. Like the title song says, it gave her room to breathe. Now, having exhaled, she savored the chance to record again, and she did so with more vigor and resolve than ever. "There's something about having been away from the routine of the music business that ended up being refreshing to me," she says with her typical aplomb. "By getting away from it for a little while, it all feels fresh and new again. It's got a crisp feeling to it. It's just felt so wonderful to get back to music again." It shows. Room To Breathe soars with exuberance and sighs with heartbreaking subtlety, showing the full range of Reba's remarkable powers. The album shows off the traits that transformed the redhead from tiny Chockie, Oklahoma, into the most important and influential female country singer of her generation. "I started with this CD the same way I did with all the others, I just tried to find the best songs I could," she explains. "But I wasn't going to be persuaded by anything other than one question: Does this song touch my heart? Even if someone else thought a certain song would be a hit, I wasn't going to record it if it didn't flat out move me to the core. I didn't want to pay attention to trends and politics. I just wanted to pay attention to what I felt inside." Of course, moving listeners is what Reba does as well as anyone alive. It's why she became the first country female artist to sell five million albums on one album since Patsy Cline. It's why she's now sold more than 48 million albums in her career. That's why stars like Faith Hill, Martina McBride and Trisha Yearwood cite Reba McEntire as a prime influence. That influence has manifested itself in many ways. As a role model, she's shown others how to handle fame with grace and good humor while never backing down from her values or goals. Just as importantly, she's shown others to refuse to accept limitations on what she can do or how much she can achieve. "Whatever I'm doing, I feel like I'm representing country music," Reba says. "It's always been my main career, and it's where my loyalties lie. I feel like I'm waving the flag of country music wherever I go, and I couldn't be prouder to do it." Room To Breathe confirms Reba's dedication to Nashville and the music that launched her one-of-a-kind career. To continue her fresh break, she collaborated with veteran producers Buddy Cannon and Norro Wilson, the latter of whom worked with Reba on her first album for MCA Records in 1984. “They're a great team. They're both such good song guys, and that's what this album is about for me - the songs,” she says. "I always wanted to work with Norro again, and I've always been a fan of Buddy's work. They're laid-back, fun to work with, and true professionals, I couldn't ask for more." For the up tempo songs, Reba wanted a contemporary sound that drew on traditional sounds like bluegrass, hardcore country and gospel. Her first single, "I'm Gonna Take That Mountain," features banjo, fiddle and dobro in a brisk, modern setting that allows Reba to show off her powerful voice and her equally powerful spirit. A song about conquering new peaks, it fits with Reba's recent accomplishments as well as her career-long attraction to songs that address women who go after what they want in life. Two other songs - the romping "Love Revival" and the stirring "Sky Full of Angels" - both bring a sense of spiritual strength to Reba's repertoire. "I love those songs because they make you feel so good when you sing them and they are so right for our times," she says. "They have a message that I think is really important. I'm so glad that patriotism and spiritualism are coming back to country music. It's more rooted and grounded in the values of home and family. We need that." Of course, Reba's always tapped into the tender aspects of human relationships with particular sensitivity. Room To Breathe presents several exceptional songs about life's complexities, including the title song, which finds a woman gently asking her lover for space to find herself. She doesn't want to lose him, but she also wants "to make sure I don't lose me." Similarly, "Learned To Be Lonely," "He Gets That From You" and "It Just Has To Be That Way" (the latter an exquisitely performed duet with Vince Gill) all find Reba breathing life and depth into individuals caught in moments of painful reflection and transition. Reba gives the lead character of each song a flesh-and-blood dignity that underscores why she attracts so many fans both within the country music faithful and from those who may not have considered themselves country fans in the past. Other songs celebrate the special bonds of family. "My Sister" honors the unique ties of female siblings with a kind of knowing detail that's personal yet universal. "My older sister Alice was in Nashville as we were recording that song," Reba recalls. "She came with us to the studio as we were putting harmonies on it, and when she heard the lyrics, oh she just cried. She loved it. We're very close." "Moving Oleta" deals with a more difficult reality - that of a loved one with Alzheimer's disease. Reba's tackled sensitive subjects like this before, and once again she creates an unforgettable performance that will bring tears in a way that encourages healing and discussion. "Alzheimer's has touched everybody's life in some way. 'If you don't have someone in your family or someone close to you who has Alzheimer's, you're in a minority.' As soon as I heard that song, I knew it had to be on the album." It's exactly those kinds of songs that have made Reba a household name. Like Oprah, another down-home woman whose compassion and talent turned her into the most approachable of entertainment idols, Reba has a way of raising issues and representing the dreams, desires and concerns that link people of all cultures and backgrounds. It's that quality that has allowed Reba to branch out beyond any one medium. Whatever venue she tackles, she brings the same strong sense of herself and the same ability to engage people with her personality and talent. Her move to Broadway obviously presented an enormous challenge - she'd never performed in a play, yet she leapt right into the starring role of one of the most successful and demanding shows on Broadway. She earned rave reviews across-the-board, winning over critics and audiences alike. The famous celebrity columnist Liz Smith crowned her "the Queen of Broadway," and USA Today suggested "you'd swear Irving Berlin wrote it just for her." New York Times critic Ben Brantley became one of her biggest champions throughout the run, at one point describing Reba as "a nonchalant showoff, making a highly polished performance seem so easy that you wonder why we aren't all Broadway stars." Reba brought the same naturalness to her leading role in the hit WB Network sitcom that bears her name. "I think the Reba character is a lot like me," she says. "The writers have gotten to know me, so they make her more like me all the time. We have spiritual people writing and working on this show. People with good hearts who want to set good examples like putting a lot of moral values into the character...the kind that Mama and Daddy taught me. That's what makes the show so special and fun for me." Meanwhile, Reba looks forward to taking her new music to the concert stage. "In 25 years, this is the longest break I've taken from live performing," she says. "I needed a break, to be honest. But now I'm ready. The fans always make it really special, and I miss it." That word - heart - keeps coming up as Reba talks about her music these days. For someone who's accomplished so much, who's reached so far beyond her wildest dreams, everything still comes back to the same quality that initially drew her to music and to performance in the first place. Reba McEntire has succeeded so well because she knows what's important: sharing her heart, and touching other people's hearts. CLICK HERE to discuss in our forum.
A HAPPY FAN
 11 year old Hannah Rich of Basehor, KS was very excited to get not only a guitar pick, but Brad's hat after giving him a rose at the Bonner Springs show Saturday night. One of Reba's crew members was able to get Brad to sign the hat. Brad said to tell Hannah "Thank you very much for the rose." -Wonda CLICK HERE to discuss in our forum.
TV Best Bets: 'Desperate' hunk visits 'Reba' in fun rerun
By Mike Hughes Tonight's Must-See: "Reba," 8 p.m., WB. On a night stuffed with reruns, several shows have episodes with key guests. This is a good one, bringing in James Denton of "Desperate Housewives." Reba's ex-husband and his wife, Barbara Jean, head to a marriage counselor (Denton). He's a handsome hunk and Barbara Jean is smitten. So is Reba. When Reba dates the guy, she ends up with some extra nudging from Barbara Jean. It turns out to be a funny episode. CLICK HERE to discuss in our forum.
Reba's Next Fashion Target: Shoes
Reba McEntire to launch shoe line./netmusiccountdown.com/ -- After successfully launching her own line of clothing, Larry King asked Reba McEntire what was next for her in the fashion world? "After about a year of the clothing line, I want to do shoes," Reba revealed to King recently. "I love to wear boots -- and shoes, I don't like at all. So, I want to design a shoe that's comfortable. I mean, I'm going to have to wear them." Reba doesn't like most shoes she buys because, "Men design them. They don't have to wear them. Isn't that terrible? That was awful for me to say. But I have to think, sometimes, that somebody who hates women designs shoes that are so uncomfortable, because I just come home crying sometimes." CLICK HERE to discuss in our forum.
Reba's revved up
 Dynamo's creativity pumps up music, sitcom, clothing lineBy Mark Brown For most interviews, you have to revisit and study the artist's music. For Reba McEntire you have to dig a little deeper. There is music, of course; the 2003 return to her country roots in Room to Breathe, as well as her tour that brings her to the Pepsi Center tonight, literally sharing the stage with Brad Paisley and Terri Clark, both of whom get to sing with McEntire. But there's the TV show. The clothing line. The movies. The humanitarian work. The awards. The new songs, the new release coming. There's 33 albums in 36 years. In June she'll do one night in South Pacific as a Carnegie Hall benefit. It's exhausting just to research Reba McEntire - imagine how much work it is to be her. With husband Narvel Blackstock, McEntire has been able to keep it all sorted out and make it all work. She continues to have artistic and critical success while raising money for good causes and doing good work. She's one of the most-respected and successful country singers of the modern era. Everyone likes her, everyone wants to work with her. She's exceedingly polite, gracious and well-mannered, even if she claims different. She's a relentless multitasker; this interview happened as she was being driven to a photo shoot in Los Angeles. News: How do you do all these things? Are you just completely swamped every single day? McEntire: "Uh huh. Yep. Absolutely. Couldn't put it better." News: How do you get downtime for yourself to refuel your creativity? McEntire: "Narvel and I have a philosophy of life. If you keep putting things into the top of the funnel, whatever comes out will be the good things you need to really work on. We have our downtime, our creativity time, and everything's coming out the bottom of the funnel at once. And it's all great stuff. The clothing line. The TV show is picked up for two more years. The concerts. New album coming out in the fall. It's very, very busy." News: What's with the album? McEntire: "It's a compilation album. All my No. 1 records. And two new songs I'll record in July. It'll come out in the fall." News: Many artists aren't very generous with giving their opening acts stage time, but you're doing a lot with Terri Clark and Brad Paisley. McEntire: "I've toured with both of them . . . they flew in our plane with us to Las Vegas for the ACMs (Academy of Country Music awards) and we got to sit and visit and kind of get to know each other a bit better. When you're touring you see each other a little bit and we do three songs onstage together but you don't get to really hang and get that uninterrupted time to visit." News: It seems like you're always sharing a stage with someone. McEntire: "It is more fun, but more than that, it's an added bonus for the audience to have all three acts onstage at one time. My dream would be to do a concert with one band and having several artists come out and sing their songs by themselves, then do duos and trios, just have a lot of fun and interact with each other." News: Can you make that happen? McEntire: "We've tried it several years. It's just a logistical nightmare. Whose band are you going to use? Everyone else tours more than I do. They want to use their band. It has never worked out. But hopefully someday I'll get to do that." News: You're more stripped down this time with no costume changes. McEntire: "I didn't want to change clothes 15 times during one show. I want to stay out with the audience. I'm missing so much when I'm going backstage and changing clothes. It's losing the focus on our relationship together. I didn't realize how much I missed that until I came back after a few years off. I just wanted to stay out there." News: The general consensus is the four years between albums really revitalized your love for country on Room to Breathe. McEntire: "Definitely. It was time off to refocus why I was in the business anyway. It's for the love of music. You get caught up in, 'What will radio play? What's the business doing right now? Who's hot, who's not? Where are they?' — that vein of thinking. It's the music that I love. When I went back in the studio in 2003 to record I just chose the songs I wanted to sing, not because that's what's radio is playing. It went back to what I used to do — just sing the songs I love to sing." News: When you started the TV show Reba, there was some concern that some of the issues raised there didn't reflect your actual values. It seems like you've molded the show in such a way that it now does just that. McEntire: "That's very true. . . . Reba McEntire and Reba Hart are pretty much the same person now. I still get myself in jams once in a while and so does Reba Hart. We're very loyal to our family and very protective. A little hot tempered every once in a while, say some things where we should have used the edit button. We're very similar and the writers see that. We all collaborate — 'What would you do if you were in this situation?' " News: Are you still hands-on running your own management company, Starstruck? McEntire: "Narvel takes care of Starstruck. Narvel is the guy who does all the day-to-day business. That way I can stay with the creativity of the TV show and the music and the clothing line. We make a lot of trips to New York for the clothing line, back to Nashville for the music. TV is out here in L.A., so we're very bi-coastal. "Narvel and I make a wonderful team. I don't know what I'd do without him. He's a great person to get things done. He's great for time management to figure out what we're working on now and what to put on the back burner for later." News: After seeing the way Starstruck has made you able to take hold of your career, do other artists come to you and ask how they can do it too? McEntire: "They'll ask me questions and I'll say, 'That's a Narvel question.' " News: You're doing this tour under Habitat for Humanity's sign. You've been supporting that organization for quite a while. McEntire: "I've been a big fan of them for a long time. Last year when Whirlpool came and asked me to heighten the awareness of Habitat — that's what they wanted me to do if they were the sponsor of my tour — oh my gosh, that was the easiest deal I ever had to make." CLICK HERE to discuss in our forum.
Happy Anniversary Reba & Narvel
In 1989, Reba McEntire married her manager, Narvel (NAR'-vel) Blackstock, in Lake Tahoe. FancyReba.com want to wish them a happy 16th anniversary! CLICK HERE to discuss in our forum.
New Dillard's Store Appearance
Reba will introduce her clothing line to fans in Denver at the Flatirons Crossing Dillard's Store on Saturday at 3:00 PM. CLICK HERE to discuss in our forum.
My Sister
Reba's current single, "My Sister," is at #25 this week, and looks to move up to 22 next week on Billboard's Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart. CLICK HERE to discuss in our forum.
New dates?
Pollstar has added 2 possible new dates for Reba: December 3rd and 4th in Friant, CA at Table Mountain Casino. CLICK HERE to discuss in our forum.
REBA McENTIRE WITH BRAD PAISLEY AND TERRI CLARK
 May 28 at Verizon Wireess Amphitheater— Andrea Lorenz Reba McEntire fans have had to wait more than two years to see her on tour — the longest she's gone without performing live in 25 years. But judging from the crowd's reaction Saturday night at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Bonner Springs, her show was worth the wait. She took the stage in a simple black tank top and black pants, her red hair layered chic — and radiating plenty of sparkle and shine. Reba smiles so wide (and so often), you'd think that by now at least her eyes would show signs of a career that has spanned almost 30 years. But she has aged gracefully, so much so that one wonders whether the pink-hatted cowgirls in the crowd — who sang along to songs from before they were born — have any idea she's from a generation that precedes Shania Twain and Gretchen Wilson. Some of those young fans made it clear they were there to see Brad Paisley by flashing “I Came Here to Meet Brad” signs during his set. He and Terri Clark opened for Reba in the tour, named “Two Hats and a Redhead.” But most were there to see Reba, whose many years of experience are evident in the confidence she shows onstage. Her love for performing showed throughout the 90-minute performance, and the crowd responded to it, either by dancing or just tapping their feet. She stepped aside to give each member of her nine-piece band some time in the spotlight. When your catalog of hits is as big as hers, it must be tough to pick a setlist, even one that comprises 25 songs. But she did, playing a mixture of old and new that should have satisfied everyone. She sang her first No. 1 hit, “Can't Even Get the Blues No More,” from 1982, then moved on to “Somebody,” a hit from 2004. After a medley of '80s and '90s favorites, such as “Little Rock” and “Rumor Has It,” she sang from her most recent album, “Room to Breathe.” Whether she was singing something upbeat or down tempo, she entertained. She skipped and boot-scooted to the fun stuff: “Love Revival” and “I'd Rather Ride Around With You.” Anyone who knows the sad, soulful songs from her 1991 album “For My Broken Heart” also knows that like no other female country singer out there, Reba can make you cry. She sang only two songs from “Broken Heart,” which she recorded after her band died in a plane crash. But there were plenty of other songs to draw the tears. She prefaced “Moving Oleta” by introducing writer Barry Dean, who was in the audience. The song tells a heartbreaking story about a man's love for his wife who has Alzheimer's. As she sang “He Gets That From Me,” a video of a widow and her young son played on the screen. Then she pulled her audience away from the grief and gravity of the cemetery scene with “The Fear of Being Alone.” Two songs later, she had the crowd out of their seats and out of their sorrow, scolding delinquent dialers in “Why Haven't I Heard From You?” By the time concert openers Brad Paisley and Terri Clark returned to help out on the encores, Reba had taken the audience through a gamut of emotions. From flirtatious to thoughtful, from heartbroken to hopeful, Reba hit them all. CLICK HERE to discuss in our forum.
Reba couture
Country star's fashion line blends comfort, style for career womanBy Lesley Kennedy Move over Jennifer Lopez and Gwen Stefani. You, too, P. Diddy. Because the latest singer/actor to enter the fashion game is a country-and-western star who cares as much about comfort as she does style, and that's something working women - not just teens - can get behind. Reba McEntire's self-named line premiered at Dillard's stores this spring, and, coinciding with a Pepsi Center concert here, she will introduce the line to the public at the FlatIron Crossing store on Saturday at 3 p.m. Popular music critic Mark Brown caught McEntire on the phone last week and asked her a few questions about the new Reba clothing line, which ranges in price from $48 to $289, and includes career- and sportswear. McEntire says it's a collection she's happy to wear. "If I wouldn't wear these clothes, why would I want my name on them?" she said. What made you decide to start a fashion line? Reba: "I didn't. They came to me about it. A company named Dream Design went to Dillard's and said 'Would you like a clothing line in your store by Reba McEntire?' They said 'Yes we would.' So they came to me and I said 'Nope. Not interested.' They said 'Can we have a meeting?' I said 'All right, it wouldn't hurt to do that.' "This was 2 1/2 years ago. We sat down and had a two-hour meeting. When they got through showing me all their fabrics and designs and samples of clothes they'd made up, I said 'Guys, honestly, I wouldn't wear a thing you showed me today, so thank you very much but I'm going to pass.' "They said, 'Wait a minute, what can we do to make this thing work?' I said, 'I'll go home and tear out magazine pages and catalog pages and show you what I like and what I don't like and we can go from there.' I sent them a huge stack of pages and three months later we had another meeting. The clothes were better fabrics. They were not so busy prints. I absolutely loved what they were doing." Who is the line geared toward? Reba: "Career women. Working women. Women who want to wear clothes that are comfortable but stylish, that have great designs and fabrics that feel good to them. My philosophy is if you're comfortable about how you wear your clothes, you're not going to be worrying about them. You can do your job better. You have more confidence." Will these show up on your TV show? Reba: "Definitely. We did get two episodes where I'm wearing Reba clothes." Have you always been interested in fashion? Reba: "I've always had interest in fashion, but I grew up ignorant. I grew up wearing hand-me-downs and I had no idea what was right or wrong to wear. "But being in the business for going on 30 years, I was working with stylists on television and movies and awards shows. I would watch and listen and learn and see what they did. You go spend time in theater; theater people have the coolest way of making something work. I learned from that, too." CLICK HERE to discuss in our forum.
Atlanta Dillards Appearance
    
CLICK THUMB FOR FULL SIZEPhotos by: Christy CLICK HERE to discuss in our forum.
With Alice
 After the show in Durant, Mary and I met Alice (Reba's sister) and her husband at the hotel. They were very nice and we got our picture with Alice. It's amazing how much Reba looks like her. -Wonda CLICK HERE to discuss in our forum.
Forever Love DVD Update
 GoodTimes Home Entertainment will release "Forever Love" on DVD Tuesday, July 26th, 2005. DVD Universe is taking pre-orders for $6.97. Lizzie and Alex Brooks have the perfect married life, complete with a little girl named Emma. Their idyllic existence is forever changed when at 24, Lizzie has an unexpected stroke. When the doctors tell Alex that Emma could be in a coma forever, he vows to wait for her awakening, taking her home to care for her. 20 years pass in which Alex, Emma, and Lizzie's best friend Gail form a surrogate family. When Lizzie miraculously wakes up, the whole family must readjust to what Lizzie's presence means in their lives. Starring Reba McEntire, Bess Armstrong, and Tim Matheson, "Forever Love" explores one woman's attempt to rediscover her life. CLICK HERE to discuss in our forum.
Reba Featured in CMT Programming
 CMT gets nostalgic about country music as it unveils its new series that will take you for a walk along memory lane. Each episode features a significant year in country music and highlights those who were making headlines. Reba will be featured in two upcoming episodes. Class Of 1990 airs Friday, June 3rd at 8 pm EST, and Class Of 1975 airs Friday, June 10th at 8 pm EST. Set your VCRs for these upcoming Reba TV appearances. CLICK HERE to discuss in our forum.
'Reba' Ratings for 2004-05 Season
'REBA' joined 'What I Like About You' as one of few network comedies to grow its audience, it has delivered growth this season across the 18-49 demographics, including gains of +13% in adults 18-49 (1.7/5), +15% in women 18-49 (2.3/7) and +22% in men 18-49 (1.1/4), while remaining steady year-to-year in adults 18-34 (1.5/6) and women 18-34 (2.1/7). 'REBA' improved year-to-year in total viewers (4.3 million, up +8%). 'REBA' ranked #2 in its time period among women 12-34 (2.0/7) and finished a solid #3 in persons 12-34 (1.5/6) and women 18-34 (2.1/7). 'REBA' is the network's top-rated comedy in most demos. CLICK HERE to discuss in our forum.
Reba's concert fills new coliseum to capacity
By Gary Carter With a goal of a half-million dollars in mind, Reba McEntire and scores of volunteers set out to endow Reba's Ranch House for years to come. Monday night's Reba concert filled the new Choctaw Coliseum in Durant to capacity and organizers say they're very close to reaching their lofty goal. Dr. Mackey Watkins, CEO of Texoma Medical Center, said the majority of the Memorial Day events surrounding the Reba concert was underwritten by major, local sponsors. As a result, much of what was made off the concert and golf tournament goes directly to the endowment. Several times during Reba's concert, of which an estimated 6,000 people were in the house to see, the lady of honor stopped the show to tell personal stories about TMC, about how she became involved in the fund-raising nearly 20 years ago, and about how much the North Texas and Southern Oklahoma area counts on volunteers to help "keep folks healthy." Joe Nichols, a rising star in country music, took the stage first Monday night, backed up by the vocals and guitar sounds of Denison native Brian Spradlin. Ladies in the audience swooned as he played some of the number one hits that garnered him three Grammy nominations. But halfway through the opening act, Nichols' drummer became ill and half his band left the stage. "We're going back to where it all started, in the bars," Nichols proclaimed, as he pulled up a stool and Spradlin brought out the acoustical guitar. The two never missed a beat, brining sultry sounds to the lyrics of George Jones and Merle Haggard. While he called for the audience to keep his bandmate in their prayers, Nichols brought the crowd to its feet when his time on the stage was through. Reba swarmed in to a medley of her number one hits, dating back to her meteoric rise in country music nearly 30 years ago. With favorites such as "The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia," "Sisters," "Somebody," and "I'll Be," the crowd laughed and cried with the star as she wove tales of her family life in rural Oklahoma and her tight bond with her friends and siblings. Keeping the show about the music, Reba never took a break, didn't change clothes or sets and gave the crowd a near-two-hour concert. Thunderous applause brought her and the band back out for an encore, as she donned a red shirt and sang her most notable hit, "Fancy." While she stopped short of saying when exactly she'll be back in Texoma for another Memorial Day concert, she did promise to "do this again just as soon as we can," and the crowd followed with a rousing ovation. CLICK HERE to discuss in our forum.
Hitting the links for a good cause
By Gil Brandt When you're fortunate enough to work for an NFL team and help control its destiny, your salary is partially paid for by the people in the community who buy tickets to the game. I always worked hard when I was the vice president of player personnel for the Cowboys, and it was great to receive adulation from the Dallas public. But I always felt that I wasn't doing enough. People say I gave back by helping the Cowboys win multiple Super Bowls, but it's not enough. When you live in a big city like Dallas, it's important that you give back and help the community get stronger. I would feel that way if I were a former Cowboys employee or a former sanitation worker. So I get a lot of satisfaction spending my time at charity events, including a recent one called the Reba McEntire Charity Golf Classic. This isn't the first time I've talked about Reba's event; last year around this time I was singing the praises like Reba sings her songs. Previously, the event helped a hospital in Texoma, the North Texas/South Oklahoma area, which is an area that didn't have much medical care before now. Since the hospital is up and running, this year's cause was for the Reba Ranch House, which is similar to the Ronald McDonald House. It's the 16th year this has been put on, and believe me, it's not losing any steam. The big part of the weekend is the golf tournament, which not only raises money -- about $100,000 -- for Reba's charity, but also awards tons of prizes. Sponsors will often put up nice prizes for the golfers to get by either shooting a hole-in-one or by winning a closest-to-the-pin contest, and there were about four prizes per hole. So participants can land a prize that way, or win money for finishing in the top 15. It's a nice win-win situation for everybody involved. My sixsome on the links included retired Major League Baseball pitcher Danny Darwin, who was a great golfer and a great guy. Believe it or not, Darwin was the starting pitcher on the day Reba first sang The Star-Spangled Banner before a Milwaukee Brewers game, so he had some obvious connections to the country music legend. Darwin is one of many celebrities you'll come across at charity outings like these. I happened to bump into David Parks, an ex-NFL wide receiver and the last person the 49ers selected with the No. 1 overall pick in an NFL draft. I asked Parks if he would have taken Alex Smith, whom San Francisco chose, and he said if it had been up to him he would have traded down and selected some linemen, which I found interesting coming from the mouth of a wide receiver. Parks and former Cowboys tight end Billy Jo Dupree were only two of the former NFL players in attendance; Dupree is one of the all-time good guys, both as a player and an individual. But alas, the star of the weekend is Miss McEntire, and she didn't disappoint. Despite two lengthy rain delays, Reba still made her on-course appearances and took pictures with every sixsome on hand. It sure doesn't hurt your eyes to look at her. Then after the drives and putts were done, Reba teamed up with Joe Nichols and played to a 6,000-person crowd, with all the money made from ticket sales going straight to the Reba Ranch House. When you walk away from a charity event like this, you can't help but feel like you've done your part to help give back to the community. Sure, I didn't build somebody a house or feed the hungry, but I didn't just sit on my couch this weekend and do nothing. I feel better about myself, better about my community, and I can't wait to see Reba again next year. CLICK HERE to discuss in our forum.
Local star still a friend
Reba continues to show love for hospital. CLICK HERE to read story featured in the May 31 issue of The Tulsa World. CLICK HERE to discuss in our forum.
Reba gives life to projects in Texoma
 By Gary Carter As the rain poured down, giving life to the earth, Reba McEntire spoke about her past, present and future in Texoma, giving life to projects that bear her name in the Texoma Health Care System. Her mission this Memorial Day? To check the progress of the facilities named for her and to tell everyone about this year's benefit concert, which will lend hundreds of thousands of dollars toward and endowment for Reba's Ranch House, keeping that project alive. Mackey Watkins, CEO of Texoma Medical Center, said the hospital family is "thrilled Reba's come back, we are so grateful to her for all that she's done." He said her concerts and golf tournaments have brought more than $4 million to the many projects she's lent her name to, such as Reba's Ranch House, the Reba Rehabilitation Center, Reba's Nurseries, and a mobile mammography unit. The Ranch House, which Watkins said took five years worth of Reba concerts to build and furnish, was a dream of Reba's to "bring comfort to families of those in the hospital struggling with illnesses. And this year's concert will help the Ranch House serve the community for generations to come." Reba is quick to say it's the community that built and provides for those in need, "for me, it's just a joy to come in here one or two days, be treated like a queen, and see this great community come together." Memorial Day afternoon, Reba visited with the patients at the Reba Rehabilitation Center. "The folks there, they're getting great care. And it's still as beautiful as the day we cut the ribbon." Cutting the ribbon for the rehab center and breaking ground on the Ranch House are two of her most favorite highlights from the past 18 years of her benefits. "And it's so nice to have my friends come in and enjoy this with me," she said, referencing Dolly Parton, Vince Gill, Brooks and Dunn, and Joe Nichols as those friends who've helped lend voices in the fund-raising process. She said it means a lot to her to come back and see the people using the facilities and getting the help they need. "Everyone is so grateful, so thankful and appreciative. But more than anything, they're healing." Reba alluded to her busy schedule, her sitcom Reba getting picked up for two more seasons and her recent launch of a clothing line with Dillard's. She's going to be at Carnegie Hall for a version of "South Pacific," and would play the lead role in "Annie Get Your Gun" if it ever made it to the big screen. But in the midst of her busy schedule, she continues to find the time to raise money for TMC. "I thank God every day for the gifts he's given me, and I have to give back ... the community motivates me to go on, and I'm grateful for everyone involved." She said that she always has a standing invitation to come back to Texoma on Memorial Day to perform and raise money for her cause. "The Texoma area is very near and dear to my heart, and anytime we can come back, we will." Jerdy Gary, director for TMC, surprised Reba Monday afternoon with a proclamation in hand. "Reba, I think you'll know how significant this is." He read aloud an official document from Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry stating that Memorial Day, May 30, is from now on Reba McEntire Day in the entire state of Oklahoma. With a hug and a wink, she accepted, humble as always CLICK HERE to discuss in our forum.
NEW DVD COLLECTION FEATURING REBA
 For the first time ever, Time-Life opens the vault to the greatest award shows in Nashville history, treating you to some of the most amazing performances ever filmed! From your front-row seat at the Grand Ole Opry House, watch Country Legends Live. All your favorite country stars are here---Conway Twitty, Alabama, Loretta Lynn, Johnny Cash, George Strait, The Statler Brothers, Vince Gill, George Jones, Reba McEntire and many more! Join country star Lee Greenwood as he presents legendary artists and gives you a front row seat! CLICK HERE to learn more. CLICK HERE to discuss in our forum.
Reba McEntire Back in Texoma; Along With Joe Nichols
 Two country music super stars stormed the stage north of the red river this evening. Texoman Reba McEntire made a long awaited trip back home to help raise money for her Ranch House at Texoma Medical Center. KTEN’s Emily Graham was at the concert this evening and has the story. Country music is near and dear to most Texoman’s hearts and tonight all hearts were on the line as Reba McEntire and Joe Nichols sang to a packed house. Friends and family of Reba sat in the stands along with fans from all over the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex. Joe Nichols performed some of his chart toppers and even got the crowd to sing a few tunes. When Reba took the stage, all feet were tapping and hands clapping. Reba sang songs she has recorded over the past 30-years. After a four-year hiatus, Reba McEntire made her way back to Texoma to raise awareness for her ranch house, mammography mobile unit, and rehabilitation center. They were all built from past Memorial Day Concert funds reaching $4 million. This is the 18th year the Texoma Medical Center Foundation has held Reba’s Memorial Day weekend events to raise funds for Reba’s Ranch House at Texoma Medical Center. The house has taken care of families of critically ill patients since 1992. “This is where I came for my healthcare and so it was just a natural place. I wanted to help out. I guess I would have never though of it myself; if Derris Magda had not taken me out to lunch one afternoon and said hey what lets put on a little concert and raise some money for the community. I said that's a great idea,” says Reba McEntire, country music sensation. Even though it was a night of music and fun. America's men and women serving overseas were honored as four area servicemen carried flags in a special ceremony. CLICK HERE to discuss in our forum.
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