Here’s How Reba McEntire Feels About Being Called A ‘Legend’
“It’s a huge responsibility…”
Reba McEntire; Photo by Justin McIntosh
When Reba McEntire thinks of country music legends, she correlates that high honor to pioneers such as Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Tammy Wynette, Barbara Mandrell, Murray and Minnie Pearl. Following in their footsteps, McEntire has joined this list of greats for her own actions as a trailblazer.
While sitting with the host of NBC News’ Sunday TODAY, Willie Geist, the country star weighed in on what it’s like to be considered an “icon” and a “legend” to the fans and rising country artists of today.
She Hopes To Pass Along Her Knowledge To The Next Generation Of Artists
“It’s a cool feeling. It’s a huge responsibility because I definitely want to, in my span that I get to do this, I wanna find ways of doing it better, so it’ll make it easier on them,” McEntire explained. “Then it’s their responsibility to move forward, find a better way of doing something for the people coming up next behind them. So we’ve all got responsibilities and it’s always to make it better.”
As McEntire shared, this isn’t a role that she takes lightly because she sees it as an opportunity to continue paving the path for the up-and-coming singer/songwriters who look to her as a role model.
“Daddy always said, ‘if you lease a place to run cattle on, always leave it better than the way you found it.’ So that’s what we have to do in the music business,” she said in conclusion.
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McEntire recently got the chance to pass on some of her wisdom with the remaining Season 23 contestants of The Voice when she returned as a Mega Mentor. This opportunity allowed her to offer words of advice to the hopeful singers and also reconnect with this season’s judges, Blake Shelton, Kelly Clarkson, Chance The Rapper and Niall Horan.
“Oh, it’s so much fun to be back on The Voice again,” she shared in a preview clip. “It’s always a lot of fun to give advice because I study people when they perform and I want to be touched when they’re singing to me.”
“Not That Fancy”
Following her appearance on the show, the “Does He Love You” singer unveiled her new lifestyle book titled, Not That Fancy: Simple Lessons on Living, Loving, Eating, and Dusting Off Your Boots.
“Well, the book is a fun book,” she Carson Daly on TODAY. “You know, sometimes you have books, autobiographies, that are really diving into stuff. This is just a fun book. You can look through it. You can read it front to back. It’s got recipes, stories, new pictures people haven’t seen before. Talking about my family, my faith, my friends, and then recipes that are from the restaurant in Atoka, OK called Reba’s Place.”
This upcoming book will feature lifestyle tips, and never-before-seen photographs and never-before-told stories from Reba’s personal and professional life. Included in these stories are memories and lessons taken from her parents over the years.
Additionally, readers will get an inside look into Reba McEntire’s true southern lifestyle through over 50 food and drink recipes that stem from her family traditions and new restaurant in her home state of Oklahoma.
Book Arrives This Fall
Published by Harper Celebrate, a gift imprint of publisher Harper Collins, the 288-page book will be available as a hardcover, digital book and audiobook at Barnes & Noble, Target, and many other book retailers.
The book is available for preorder now and will be released on October 10, 2023.
McEntire has also announced an accompanying album also titled NOT THAT FANCY. Joining forces with Grammy Award-winning producer Dave Cobb, McEntire has created a record that includes stripped-down versions of some of her most iconic songs along with a brand new single, “Seven Minutes In Heaven.” The album is set to release Friday, October 6.
“It’s great music along with a fun book,” she told Daly.
Reba McEntire recently wrapped up the 14-city spring leg of her latest tour, which kicked off on March 9 and featured special guests Terri Clark and The Isaacs.
Next up, she is set to take the stage of CMA Fest in June. Reba McEntire will appear as the Artist of the Day at Fan Fair X on Friday, June 9, and then take to the CMA Close Up Stage to share an up close and personal look into her life and career with fans.
Madeleine O’Connell graduated from North Central College with a bachelors degree in Journalism and Broadcast Communications before deciding to pursue her studies further at DePaul University. There, she earned her masters degree in Digital Communication & Media Arts. O’Connell served as a freelance writer for over two years while also interning with the Academy of Country Music, SiriusXM and Circle Media and assisting with Amazon Music’s Country Heat Weekly podcast. In addition to Country Now, she has been published in American Songwriter, Music Mayhem, and Holler.Country. Madeleine O’Connell is a member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.
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