Reba McEntire Celebrates a Special Anniversary by Sharing a Throwback Grand Ole Opry Performance
Reba McEntire has enjoyed an accomplished career that, like many country music success stories, can be traced back to the Grand Ole Opry. So, to celebrate one of her milestone anniversaries, she delighted fans with a throwback video of a special Opry performance.
Read on to learn more about McEntire’s career landmark and see what country music legend she paid an impressive tribute to in her first recorded performance at the Opry.
Reba McEntire’s self-titled debut album is more than 45 years old
On Aug. 15, 2022, McEntire took to social media to announce to fans the day was a special anniversary for her. She captioned a Twitter post, “On my first recorded [Opry] performance in 1978, I sang ‘Why Can’t He Be You’ from my first album, Reba McEntire, which is celebrating its 45th anniversary today!”
Discovered at Oklahoma City’s National Finals Rodeo in 1974, McEntire once had dreams of being a famous rodeo barrel racer. But she also wanted to be a singer and released her debut album in 1977. Of course, singing was the talent that would make her a star and take most of her attention, though she’s still got plenty of love for the rodeo.
While that first album from McEntire contains songs fans eventually grew to love, it didn’t quite make her famous. She wouldn’t score a number one hit until 1983 with her 14th single, “Can’t Even Get the Blues” (per Taste of Country).
Reba McEntire sang a Patsy Cline song during her first recorded Grand Ole Opry performance in 1978
One way to prove you have a talent for country music is belting out a song initially recorded by Patsy Cline and doing so in front of an Opry audience. And that’s precisely what McEntire did when she sang “Why Can’t He Be You” in 1978.
If anyone has forgotten that the “Fancy” singer’s voice was meant for singing country music, the short clip might serve as a bright reminder. McEntire’s first number one was still years ahead, but her talent was obvious. And her perseverance paid off big time in the end.
Reba McEntire went from the Grand Ole Opry to other stages and screens
Of course, music fans have long loved McEntire for offering more than four decades of country songs. But she’s met fans that didn’t even know she was a singer. And that was because they knew her as an actor.
McEntire’s first film role was in the 1990 cult horror film Tremors. She eventually scored the lead in her sitcom, Reba and has had parts on shows like Young Sheldon. She even did a stint on Broadway as Annie Oakley in Annie Get Your Gun!
In 2022, she’s joining the cast of ABC’s Big Sky for the show’s third season, which will include fan Jensen Ackles. She will also star in a Lifetime movie, The Hammer, with her boyfriend, Rex Linn, and her Reba co-star, Melissa Peterman.
To top it all off, McEntire will be on tour in the fall, showing how her career is still swinging after more than 45 years.
