‘The Pioneer Woman’: Ree Drummond’s Real Name Might Surprise You
The Pioneer Woman star Ree Drummond has been a household name ever since her Food Network show premiered back in 2011. Drummond, who started out as a blogger, has built an empire from cooking recipes in her Oklahoma kitchen.
A little known fact about Drummond? Ree is not her real name.
Ree Drummond has built a massive business
Growing up, Drummond envisioned herself starting a career in law. She attended University of Southern California and had big plans to move to Chicago to pursue a law degree. However, after visiting home one night and meeting Ladd Drummond at a bar, plans changed.
Soon enough, Drummond was married and settling into life on an Oklahoma ranch. Ladd’s family owns more than 400,000 acres of land in rural Oklahoma, and needless to say, it’s a lot to keep up with. The two had four children, and Drummond found herself working full time as a stay-at-home mom, keeping up with her kids’ homeschooling and putting food on the table each night.
Drummond’s real name is Anne Marie
It’s not uncommon for celebrities to go by a stage name, though that wasn’t Drummond’s intention when friends and family started calling her “Ree.” Long before she was famous, she was born Anne Marie Smith in a small town called Bartlesville, Oklahoma. “Ree” became her nickname, and it’s the name she has stuck with throughout her life. When she started the blog, she introduced herself as Ree, and that’s the name she’s carried with her through the fame.
Now, Drummond lives in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, where she owns The Mercantile — a restaurant, bakery, and store. Drummond also has a cookware line and a magazine.
Drummond stays grounded by being a mother to four kids
When Drummond’s blog blew up, it was followed by a timeslot on Food Network. From there, Drummond’s other business ventures fell into place. Over the years, though, Drummond has remained the sweet, Southern home cook she has always been. Anyone who follows her on social media knows she puts her family first and keeps a sense of humor about everything (some of her jokes might be slightly corny, but that’s why we love her, right?).
Fans have watched Drummond’s kids grow up on camera, as they often appear at one time or another throughout each episode.
Her kids have been filming her quarantine episodes
These days, Drummond’s oldest daughter is out of college, and her youngest son is in high school. And throughout lockdown, Drummond has been spending all of her downtime with the family. Still, the show must go on, and she continues to produce episodes of The Pioneer Woman. This time, though, her kids are behind the camera rather than in front of it.
Drummond might have started out as Anne Marie, but now, her more well-known nickname is certainly The Pioneer Woman.
