Today, the wonderful Reba McEntire is 69 years old and she truly deserves all the praise she can get. Personally, it feels like she has been around all my life and I still listen to her, several times a week.
But everything hasn’t been milk and honey in Reba’s life.
Born to ride and work the land
Reba McEntire wasn’t just born country — she lived it.
The legendary country queen was born in McAlester, Oklahoma, in 1955. But she grew up on her family’s massive 8,000-acre ranch in tiny Chockie, Atoka County. Reba’s childhood was all about hard work, determination, and western traditions.
Life on the ranch didn’t allow for much downtime, and even as a little girl, Reba was expected to pull her weight.
Uncle Keno gave me that rock necklace.Posted by Reba McEntire on Monday, April 6, 2020
The legendary country singer grew up in a family steeped in rodeo history. Her granddad, John Wesley McEntire, was a world-champion steer roper in 1934, and her dad, Clark, followed in his footsteps, winning the title three times.
Her childhood wasn’t glamorous
But Clark McEntire wasn’t just a rodeo legend — he was old-school when it came to parenting. Reba’s father didn’t believe in handing out hugs or saying “I love you” to his kids. His way of showing love was through high expectations and teaching them the value of hard work.
Reba later admitted in her autobiography, For My Broken Heart, “When we were growing up, I used to regret that Daddy never told us he loved us.”
Her childhood wasn’t glamorous. The McEntire children — Alice, Pake, Reba, and Susie — grew up in a modest gray house with just one bathroom for all six family members.
”We weren’t no wealthy West Texas people or nothin’. It’s mostly rocky, mountain country, but enough to run a few steers on,” Reba recalled.
Even though Reba mastered and appreciated farm life from an early age, she always had another dream tugging at her heart — she loved to sing. Her mother, Jacqueline McEntire, had once dreamed of becoming a country singer herself but instead dedicated her life to being a public school teacher, librarian, and secretary.
”My mama, they used to say she coulda been as big as Patsy Cline if she’d had any breaks, but she was teaching’ school by the time she was 16 or 17,” Reba once said.
She got her big voice from her dad
When Reba’s father struggled to show affection, Jacqueline was warm and nurturing. Music became a family bond, much thanks to their mother’s encouragement. On long car rides to her father’s rodeo events, Jacqueline would teach her kids to sing in harmony, turning the backseat into a mini choir.
It was during these moments that Reba’s passion for singing truly blossomed.
Reba always said her mama taught her to sing, and all her music roots come from her. As for the big voice, she got that from her dad. Growing up on a ranch, he had to shout across the fields to call the cattle, and that power in his voice passed down to Reba.
”I’ve always been loud. Mama said that when all three of us’d sing, she could always hear me over Pake and Susie. They’d always say, ’Reba , shut up. Back up. Way bay.’ That’s always been my history,” she told Chicago Tribune.
Reba’s journey into music began early, and her talent shone even as a young girl. In first grade, the blazing redhead stood in front of her classmates at an elementary school Christmas pageant and sang “Away in a Manger,” captivating everyone with her sweet voice. By fifth grade, she had joined the 4-H club, where she won first place in the Junior Act Division by singing “My Sweet Little Alice Blue Gown.” It was clear that Reba’s love for performing was already blooming.
The McEntire family band
Reba early years in life wasn’t just about music — she lived a full, active life. She played basketball, ran track, and even spent summers at basketball camp. At home, she learned to play the piano and guitar, while her passion for the rodeo led her to train as a barrel racer.
“Anytime anybody needed an opinion of who’s off — Susie’s on my part, I’m on Susie’s part — Mama would come in with her spatula after she was frying potatoes,” McEntire recalled, mimicking her mother’s pointing gesture with the utensil. “She would say, ‘OK, Reba, you’re on Susie’s part. Sing it again.’ We’d sing it, and she’d say, ‘Oh, that’s perfect,’ and she’d go back in and keep frying potatoes.”
The siblings often performed together and soon caught the attention of local audiences. In 1971, they released a single, “The Ballad of John McEntire,” paying tribute to their grandfather, a celebrated rodeo star. Although the song was only distributed regionally, it marked an important milestone in Reba’s early music career — one that hinted at the superstar she would become.
Kids barely out of puberty
The Singing McEntires were more than just a family trio — they were a local sensation. With Reba, Pake, and Susie leading the charge, the group began playing at small-town events and dances. As their talent grew, so did their reach. They eventually formed a band called The Kiowa High School Cowboy Band, taking their music to dance halls and even bars in Oklahoma City. Reba later joked, ”We were just kids barely out of puberty, staying up until sunrise after some of those shows.”
When her brother graduated high school, the band dissolved. Reba, meanwhile, graduated from Kiowa High School in 1973 and headed to Southeastern Oklahoma State University, majoring in elementary education with a minor in music. Even during college, she balanced her studies with her responsibilities on the family ranch, proving her grit and determination.
In 1974, a unique opportunity arose. Reba’s father encouraged her to sing ”The Star-Spangled Banner” at the National Finals Rodeo in Oklahoma City. Nervous but determined, she reached out to family friend and rodeo announcer Clem McSpadden, who helped secure the gig. Little did she know, that performance would change everything.
A defining moment
Country music legend Red Steagall happened to be in the audience that night, and Reba’s powerful voice stopped him in his tracks. After hearing her sing, he invited her and her family to a hotel party during the rodeo. At the gathering, Reba performed an a cappella rendition of Dolly Parton’s “Joshua.” It was a defining moment.
