One thing that Reba learned from her mother was about passing judgement. Reba was baptized when she was still part of the Singing McEntires. One night when they were going to a gig, Reba said to her mother that she would be telling everyone present there that night that they should all go to church and hear the word of God the next morning.
Her mother asked why she thought of this, and then told her that she didn’t know if those people are already going to church. Reba learned a valuable lesson then. She said, “You don’t know what other people do. You don’t know their heart.” From then on, she decided to focus on herself rather than worrying about what others were doing. Solid logic.
Miss Ford Country
Just like any other girl with dreams, Reba looked up to some of the famous superstars like Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, and Tammy Wynette, not knowing that she would become a superstar herself one day. In fact, she would go on to win the title of being the best-selling female country singer of all time!
Reba won a truck when she was 16, by writing an essay. She was named Miss Ford Country then. This must have been another fact about Reba that you haven’t known. She had the privilege to drive a new Ford for winning the contest. For six months, she took full advantage of it, drove over 18,000 miles before it was returned.
Honky-Tonking
The Singing McEntires – Reba Pake, and Susie – sang at local rodeos, country music bars, and dance halls. Together, they recorded "The Ballad of John McEntire." The song was about their grandfather, and was written by a family friend. The song sold about one thousand copies, and it appeared on the album, The Rodeo Man, in 1982.
The Singing McEntires were quite successful together in music as a group. The group’s greatest hits were “God Never Cried” and “If I Could Only Be With You.” The siblings used to perform live, and you could hear their songs play on Oklahoma local radio stations. Later on, the group disbanded. Pake went on to focus on his ranch, Susie became a successful Christian music singer, and Reba went on to go solo for country music.
Education and Music
Reba planned to become an elementary school teacher, like her mamma, and attended Southeastern Oklahoma State University with a major in education and minor in music, after she graduated high school. She and Garth Brooks, who also became a country star, were classmates back then.
But, let’s face it, music was her passion. She grabbed every opportunity she had to sing, and continued to perform locally. Reba thought she would be a school teacher like her mother once she graduated from college, but it turned out that her love of music and singing brought her to a much more fulfilling career. It seemed like she fulfilled her mother’s dream of becoming a country artist, as well.
The 1974 National Rodeo
In 1974, Reba performed at the National Rodeo in Oklahoma City, singing the national anthem, where Red Steagall discovered her talent. The country artist was also performing at the event. From that day onward, her plan of being a teacher changed, as she went on to a path that led to success and the fulfillment of her passion.
Hearing Reba sing that day, Steagall was so impressed by her vocal ability. He proposed to help her launch a singing career in Nashville, Tennessee. After recording a demo tape, Reba signed a contract with Mercury Records one year later. This was her first recording contract.