Reba McEntire's Full Transformation Is A Sight To See

Reba McEntire has been a staple in country music for decades. With her instantly recognizable red hair and warm southern twang, she's become one of the most iconic stars of her generation. But she's not just famous for her voice. You're just as likely to see this star on TV as you are to hear her when you "Turn On The Radio."

Reba's fame didn't happen overnight. "When I started in the music business, I didn't make big leaps and bounds. I didn't have one thing that catapulted me into success," Reba told Us Weekly. "My growth was little bitty steps every year, but steady." But while many hopefuls pray for instant notoriety on the likes of TikTok and Instagram, Reba's grateful she didn't reach stratospheric levels of fame too quickly. 

"I knew nothing about the music business, so when good things happened, I was very thankful," she said. "It also gave me time to build a team of friends and people in the business who could teach me, and I had fun learning." Even though Reba's transformation from small town Okie to global star of stage and screen wasn't the quickest, that certainly doesn't make it any less extraordinary.

Reba McEntire entered the world in 1955 in Oklahoma. She grew up a stereotypical country kid, spending time with her parents Jackie and Clark McEntire, and playing in the dirt with her three siblings. Reba's penchant for stardom was obvious early. She didn't waste time sharing her voice with the world — at age 4, the confident youngster performed "Jesus Loves Me" in a hotel lobby while in town to see her dad in a rodeo.

"Best attention I ever got. I was the third of four kids. I wasn't a boy. I wasn't the youngest or the oldest. I was in the middle. I had to fight for attention," she told The Washington Post. Reba's passion for music was also inspired by her mom, who was her biggest supporter. "Performing gained Mama's adoration. I yearned to hear her say, 'That was real good, Reba,'" she told The Wall Street Journal. And Jackie couldn't have been prouder. "She sang a solo in the Christmas play," she told The Oklahoman Video Archive about Reba's first big public solo.

Young Reba performed again at her third grade graduation, attended by former House Speaker Rep. Carl Albert. And he made a bold prediction about the young redhead. "I predict that this child will be as well, or better, known and famous as her daddy if she continues on," Jackie recalled him saying, referencing Clark's career as a professional steer roper. 

In 1974, Reba McEntire's music career began to take off. While performing at the National Finals Rodeo in Oklahoma City, she caught the attention of a music executive. "He invited mama and me to Nashville to record a demo," Reba said on TikTok. But Reba didn't experience the instant success that was part of fellow country music darling Carrie Underwood's transformation. She released her debut single "I Don't Want to Be a One Night Stand" in 1977, the same year as her eponymous debut album, but neither set the country charts alight. 

Reba's career didn't truly take off until she dropped "Can't Even Get the Blues" in 1982, which became her first number one hit on Billboard's Hot Country Songs. But while success was a long time coming, she didn't mind. "Slowly, the foundation grew. If I had a first number one hit after my first single, I wouldn't have known anything," she told The Washington Post.

As Reba's star was on the rise, she married and divorced Charlie Battles. The two tied the knot in 1976, but split in 1987. "I loved Charlie with all my heart. I wanted to marry him ... We rodeoed together, we ranched together," she told CNN. Reba blamed her increasingly busy schedule for the breakup, admitting, "He asked me to slow down off the road after I won [CMA] Entertainer of the Year in '86 ... I kind of chose my career over my marriage."

By 1989, Reba McEntire was one of the biggest stars in country music. She was a member of the Grand Ole Opry and made a permanent move to Nashville. But it wasn't just music on her mind. She made her big screen debut in "Tremors" in 1990.  Reba was personally chosen by executive producer Gale Ann Hurd, who had seen her on "The Pat Sajak Show." "So they called and asked if I'd be interested, and I said, 'Absolutely!' I went and auditioned twice," Reba told Esquire.

As her career thrived, so did her personal life. Reba and her manager Narvel Blackstock tied the knot in 1989, despite it being one of the busiest times in her life. "I was touring on the weekend, flying to L.A., getting on a puddle jumper to Olancha, California, and them driving to Long Pine to stay in a motel. And then they'd come get me at six in the morning to come to set," she recalled. 

"I even got married in Lake Tahoe during the filming 'cause I had shows at Caesars in Lake Tahoe. So I finished the week, got married, did two or three shows, then went back to filming," she added. Clearly, this star's work ethic was next to none, which propelled her career to new heights. 

Just when we thought Reba McEntire couldn't have more on her plate, she became a mom. In 1990, the superstar and her then-husband Narvel Blackstock welcomed their son Shelby. "Being a mom is the best thing in the world and it shows you what unconditional love is all about," she gushed to Justin Boots. 

Mom life wasn't totally easy for the "Fancy" singer, though. Reba shared that Shelby was diagnosed with ADHD and struggled with reading as a child, but worked hard to overcome his learning difficulties. "I'm very proud of him ... He's always trying to improve and do better," she told People.

The year after Shelby's birth, Reba experienced tragedy when she lost several band members in a plane crash. The accident killed 10 people, including eight members of the singer's band. Reflecting on the horrific time, Reba told People she was so devastated she considered ending her career. "I didn't know if I was going to be able to continue. But it showed me how precious life is, and by the grace of God and my faith, I realized that they went on to a better place," she said.

Reba McEntire pushed through the tragic time to become a true multi-hyphenate in 2001. The star added another arrow to her quiver when she appeared on Broadway in "Annie Get Your Gun," where even philanthropic icon Dolly Parton headed to the Big Apple to see her perform. 

"Wanted to do it. Had to do it. Couldn't wait. They had to shoo me off the side of the stage because I wasn't in it for the first 17 minutes. The thrill of my life. Six months, eight performances a week," she told The Washington Post. She later told Us Weekly she'd love to take on the role again. "I love being on Broadway. And [Annie Oakley] was someone I admired, even before I started school," she said.

2001 was also the year Reba became a bona fide sitcom star, when her series "Reba" premiered, which saw her portray single mom Reba Hart. She also served as executive producer. The show ran for six seasons and was beloved across the world. "People related to it because there are many in that situation across the United States — teen pregnancy, moving in with mom, challenging things happening," Reba told Us Weekly. "But primarily, it's the heart of it. It was funny, clever, mischievous, dorky, but it had a lot of heart."

After decades of non-stop work in all facets of entertainment, Reba McEntire took time off for herself in 2002. She told The Washington Post she took her longest time ever away from touring — a single summer — after she underwent a hysterectomy.

But while Reba lightened her workload a little, she didn't step away from the spotlight completely. In addition to appearing in and producing "Reba," she released her 25th album (yes, 25th) in 2003, entitled "Room To Breathe," a reference to her state of mind. "The reason I named the album 'Room to Breathe' is because I needed a little room to breathe," she told Billboard.

"Reba" ended in 2007, but the star continued working on movies and TV. She returned to the small screen with "Malibu Country" in 2011, which ran for a single season. As one of the most recognizable celebrities in the country, Reba could be selective about the gigs she took on. Before its debut season aired, she turned down a role as a coach on "The Voice." "I watched the tape, and I said, 'No, I'm going to pass on that,' because I don't think I could ever be able to tell somebody that they're terrible or go find another job or hope you like your nighttime job," she explained on "Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen."

Reba McEntire experienced a heartbreaking loss in 2014 when her father Clark passed away at age 86. Reba's sister Susie McEntire confirmed the sad news in a since deleted Facebook post, explaining Clark had been ill for half a decade. "He had been in the nursing home for a while and we're very thankful he is not suffering anymore," she wrote (via Q106.5). 

In a tribute to her dad posted on her own Facebook four years later, Reba opened up about how much she missed Clark. "Since he passed on, I've wanted to ask him so many questions. I wish I had listened better. I'll always love you, Daddy," she wrote alongside several photos of him.

The sad personal news kept coming for the "What Am I Gonna Do About You" singer. In 2015, she called it quits with Narvel Blackstock. Reba took more responsibility for her career and finances as Blackstock stepped down as her manager and she also parted ways with her production manager and CEO. 

"Four men who were rock and pillars of my world were gone," she reflected on Apple's "Time To Walk." "I started taking over signing the checks and then I started realizing how much water cost, and the electric bill, and all the things that was going on in my life ... It was a huge, huge change for me," she admitted.

Reba McEntire experienced further family heartache in 2020 when her mom passed away. The star was so devastated by Jackie's death she almost abandoned her music career. "I told my little sister Susie ... I said, 'I don't know if I want to sing anymore.' She said, 'Why?' I said, 'Because I always sang for Mama,'" Reba said on "Today."

But, thankfully, she had someone by her side who helped her stay positive. In 2020, Reba got back into dating after her divorce and began seeing Rex Linn, whom she'd first met almost 30 years prior. "It was just like good friends getting back together and having dinner. Then we started ... getting to know each other better during the quarantine," she said on "Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen." Linn was Reba's rock when she thought she couldn't go on. "When you have somebody to share the grief with, when you have somebody to share the fun [and] the sad times, it's always so much better," she said on "Today."

Reba didn't just continue on, she thrived. She landed a recurring role in "Young Sheldon" in 2020 and appeared in the TV holiday movie "Christmas in Tune" in 2021. The following year, it was announced she'd be expanding her impressive acting resume further with a series regular role in "Big Sky."

Reba McEntire showed off her impressive acting chops again in 2022 when she announced her new role playing a judge in the Lifetime movie "The Hammer." But this is Reba, so of course that wasn't the only gig in the pipeline.

Despite turning down a role on "The Voice" in 2011, the Oklahoma native was finally ready to embrace a coaching role in 2023. The country legend joined the NBC singing competition for Season 24, having previously appeared on the show as a mentor and an advisor. She stayed on through Season 26, but left prior to Season 27, likely due to her busy schedule. 

At the same time, Reba was appearing in the NBC sitcom "Happy's Place" as Bobbie, a woman who inherits her dad's tavern but is forced to work with an odd couple-esque business partner. "It's been fast and furious to say the least," she told Glamour. Reba also took her gorgeous hair transformation up a notch as she entered her late 60s and started experimenting with new styles. Having being open about wearing wigs in the past, she tried a chic faux bob.

Reba McEntire was visibly, and vocally, the happiest she'd ever been as 2024 rolled around, continuing to practice good life habits in her 60s. "I've got two great jobs. I have a love of my life, Rex Linn ... And my health is good, his health is good. My family is healthy. What more could I ask for?" she told Us Weekly. Clearly, this superstar found the secret to a happy life, explaining, "Once you're confident in your love life, your at-home life, then you can go out and conquer the world." 

But despite seeing decades of success and amassing millions of dollars and adoring fans, Reba's feet were still firmly on the ground. She told Glamour she still does her own laundry on days off and enjoys going to the grocery store. "I'm a normal person. Very normal," she said.

The beauty was also preparing for her 70s — with no plans to retire. "In the next decade, I hope I'm doing what I'm doing now. Having fun, loving my work, loving my days off from work ... Spending time with my family and my friends," she added to Us Weekly. "Wow. If it can get any better, I can't wait to see it," she added. If the first six decades were anything to go by, neither can we.