The singer reveals she almost quit singing after her mum passed in 2020. Despite the fact that it has been three years since Reba McEntire’s mother died, the “Queen of Country” still recalls how the loss of her mother almost brought an end to her illustrious musical career.
“Oh, I didn’t want to [sing]. When we were working on the house, I said to my younger sister Susie, “I don’t know if I want to sing anymore.” Why? she questioned. I responded, “Because I always sang for Mama,” McEntire, 68, recalled during an appearance on the Today show on Tuesday, October 10.
Jacqueline McEntire passed on March 14, 2020. She was 93 years old.
“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,” The Voice coach recalled. Reba recalled her mother encouraging her to pursue a career as a recording artist so she could live vicariously through her.
“I will be living my fantasies through you, Reba, she said. So why wouldn’t you want to go sing, I ask you?”
On Friday, October 13, the 33rd album by the three-time Grammy winner, Not That Fancy, will be made available. The album contains the song “Seven Minutes in Paradise,” which was inspired by her mother.
The album bears the title Not That Fancy: Basic Lessons on Living, Loving, Eating, and Dusting Off Your Boots, which was released by Reba on Tuesday. It includes recipes, stories, photographs, and lifestyle advice.
Since 2020, the country legend has been dating actor Rex Linn. With the passing of her mother, they reconnected after first meeting in 1991. Reba revealed during her appearance on Today that Linn helped her deal with her mother’s demise.
“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 admitted. “And Rex is a very uplifting, positive man, and I love him with all my heart.”
The country singer paid tribute to her mother when she announced her passing three years ago via X (formerly known as Twitter).
“Our Mother, Jacqueline McEntire, made that wonderful cross over into Heaven today. She had a wonderful, full, healthy life and was absolutely ready to go,” she wrote at the time. “The cancer might think it won the battle but we’re giving God all the credit on selecting the time for her to go home to Him.”
She continued: “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 caregivers with their huge hearts, and the time God gave us with Mama.”