Why Reba McEntire Almost Quit Singing After Mother’s Death
By Movieguide® Contributor
When country star Reba McEntire’s mother died in 2020, the singer almost ended her career.
She revealed why on the TODAY show—her mom was her inspiration.
“Oh I didn’t want to [sing]. I told my little sister Susie when we were working at the house, I said, ‘I don’t know if I want to sing anymore.’ She said, ‘Why?’ I said, ‘Because I always sang for Mama,’” McEntire said.
“Mama was the one that inspired us kids, taught us kids how to sing, took us to our singing gigs and was our biggest cheerleader,” she continued.
“We didn’t have radio in the car. It was four kids in the backseat, rough-housing and, you know, Mama would get us to sing to pass the time,” she said. “We were the singing McEntires.”
McEntire’s mother loved music and wanted to be a singer herself. She felt happy that McEntire could do what she loved.
On the one-year anniversary of her mother’s death, McEntire released a music video for her song “You Never Gave Up on Me” in honor of her mother.
The video starts with an old clip of McEntire accepting an award and saying, “The first time me and Mama came to Nashville she told me, she said, ‘Reba, I couldn’t do this. So I’m living my life and my dreams through you.’”
Movieguide® reported:
“When she was my age, Mama would have given just about anything to have had the opportunity I was getting a chance at now.,,” McEntire recalled.
McEntire drove to the country music capital as a 20-year-old with her mother.
“We’d always had a special bond. Maybe it was because of my singing. Music had gone way back in Mama’s life. But right out of high school she had to take a teaching job, working in a two-room schoolhouse. Then she married, worked as an assistant to the school superintendent, and did all the bookkeeping on our ranch while raising four kids,” McEntire said in an article from 1994. “I remember in the second grade, my music teacher, pretty Mrs. Kanton, helped me learn ‘My Favorite Things’ from The Sound of Music. When I went home and sang it for Mama, her eyes met mine and just sort of glowed. It tickled me to think I could make Mama react like that, and to hear adults say that I was gifted.”
On the day of her mother’s death, McEntire tweeted, “She left knowing how much she is loved and we all know how much she loved us. We are very thankful for all the prayers, cards, calls, visits, the care-givers with their huge hearts, and the time God gave us with Mama.”
Even though she lost her biggest inspiration, McEntire didn’t give up on her career. She continued doing what she knew her mother would want her to do—sing.
Today is #TeacherAppreciationDay and I am thanking my original teacher, my Mama, Jacqueline McEntire. Not only did she teach us kids to sing harmony, but she also served five school districts for almost 20 years as a teacher, secretary and librarian! pic.twitter.com/whnICdauFN
— Reba McEntire (@reba) May 8, 2018
Jackie, Jac, Ms McEntire, Mama, Mama Jac, Momo Jac, Grandma, Grandma Jac, whatever the title was at the time – she gave you her undivided attention. We’re all going to miss her but we have so many wonderful memories. Thank you Lord for that. pic.twitter.com/NUhkRdWWKW
— Reba McEntire (@reba) March 14, 2020
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