The result was Reba’s 1984 release My Kind of Country, featuring old country covers once performed by Connie Smith, Ray Price, Faron Young, and others. The CMA named McEntire Female Vocalist of the Year, recognizing her pointed affiliation with the “New Traditionalists” and attempt to move country music back to its roots. The album went gold, as did her follow-up, and McEntire earned a second CMA Female Vocalist of the Year Award. A string of neo-traditionalist hits followed, notable for their subject matter addressing women’s concerns.

With Reba, released in 1988, McEntire turned to a smoother country sound and, in the mid-‘90s, she began to experiment with other styles of music – notably pop and R & B – all with continued success. In 2001, she a took a brief turn as the star in the Broadway revival of Annie Get Your Gun to glowing reviews. Later that same year, the half-hour situation comedy Reba, starring McEntire in the title role, premiered on the WB television network. It would remain a popular show for six seasons. In 2007, she released her first LP to enter the pop charts at No. 1: Reba Duets, featuring Justin Timberlake, Carole King, and a host of country stars.

The only female country artist to achieve solo No. 1s in four straight decades, Reba was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2011 and, in 2018, received the Kennedy Center Honor. She continues to record and tour to sell-out crowds.

Born: March 28, 1955, McAlester, Oklahoma

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