Country Superstar Reba McEntire Talks Life, Music, Oklahoma Roots On The Porch

Country icon and Oklahoma native Reba McEntire has won more than 50 awards, from ACMs to Grammys and beyond; but one award brought her back home to celebrate her life's achievements thus far.

McEntire was recently honored with the Western Heritage Lifetime Achievement Award by the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, as a testament to her profound impact on the country music industry and her deep-rooted connection to the Western way of life.

"It's so special because it is from the Western way of life," McEntire said. "It is the life that I grew up being around."

McEntire grew up on her family's ranch outside of Atoka and said she credits her success to the grit and determination she was raised with.

"I lived on a working cattle ranch all of my life. I was one of Daddy's hired hands, and I was paid by room and board. So it was a rough way of life, but it taught me a lot," McEntire said.

Her love of music developed at a young age through her mother, Jacqueline.

"My first time behind a microphone was in the first grade. I was singing 'Away In A Manger.' Mama was the one that encouraged us kids to sing. She taught us how to sing because she could sing," McEntire said.

She said her singing is a God-given talent, but she would not have been so successful without hard work, luck, and encouragement from her family.

"When Mama and I were going to Nashville to meet with Red Steagall to sing a couple of the songs that he had written, I was hem-hawing around, wanting to pull over and get an ice cream. 'Can we take a detour?' And (Mama) said 'Reba, if you don't want to do this we can go home,' but she said, 'Reba, if you do this I will be living my dreams through you.' I said 'Well, shoot, why didn't you say that in the beginning? Let's go,'" McEntire said.

She said she was doing it for her mom and loved every minute of it, which made it harder when her mom died in 2020.

"When Mama passed, I told Suzy, because we were cleaning Mama and Daddy's house out, I said, 'I don't have it anymore,' and she said 'What do you mean?' I said 'Mamas gone, I don't have anybody to do it for anymore," she said

'You'll get it back," McEntire said.

With time and faith, she said, she got it back about a month later.

She says faith is something she has relied on for her whole life and career.

"I have known about the Lord all of my life, so to be at a point where I don't have him with me, I don't know how I would even exist," McEntire said. "I don't think I could deal with life. So it inspires me. It comforts me. It encourages me, and I am never alone -- and I have someone on my side."

She says no matter how successful she becomes, Oklahoma will always be her home.

"It's the people. I love Oklahoma, the heritage, the history, everything about it I love...except the tornadoes," McEntire said.