Reba Entertains Students During CMHoF Educational Event

Photo Credit: Rick Diamond / Getty Images

Reba McEntire took an opportunity yesterday morning (May 13) to welcome a crowd of impressionable Middle Tennessee youth to the CMA Theater at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, where her All the Women I Am exhibit is nearing conclusion (June 22).

Titled All Access: Reba McEntire, 700 privileged pupils from Apollo Middle School, Cameron Middle School, Cane Ridge High School, Coopertown Middle School, I.T. Creswell Middle Arts Magnet School, John Early Museum Magnet Middle School, Smyrna Middle School, Watertown Elementary School and homeschool students were able to question the queen of Country during a 90-minute program, aimed at providing students a way to interact and work with world-class musicians and artists.

Addressing a largely post-millennial audience, McEntire treated the crowd with adapted anecdotes from “the good ole days,” which her grandson refers to as “the nineteen’s.” Some students were more familiar with her career history than others. One student mistakenly thought the Reba TV show originated on CMT (where it currently airs), but others recalled her 1994 appearance as A.J. Ferguson in Little Rascals.

McEntire, who presumed she would have been a second grade school teacher had stardom not panned out, reminisced of the lessons she has gained through the life she ended up leading. “One thing I learned growing up on a cattle ranch was how to take direction,” she said. “I learned the same thing playing sports. I wasn’t a good basketball player, but I learned from taking direction. And when I started doing the [Reba] TV show, that’s one thing the directors always said: ‘Reba works hard, and she takes direction well.’ So that’s what I’ve learned.

“Whatever you do in life, just remember that it takes a great team,” McEntire said, mentioning all the family members and associates who helped her along the way and continue to boost her career today. “That team is what gets you where you are. I didn’t get here by myself. It takes lots and lots of help.”

On finding her own voice, McEntire commented that her mother told her, ‘There’s only one Dolly [Parton], there’s only one Loretta [Lynn], you have got to be Reba.’”

Pictured (L-R): CMHoF’s Ali Tonn, WSM-AM’s Bill Cody, Reba McEntire, Starstruck Entertainment’s Justin McIntosh. Photo Credit: Rick Diamond / Getty Images

Students engaged with inquisitive questions about life on a tour bus (answer: she prefers a jet), how to handle nerves on stage (be prepared), the most outrageous thing that has happened on stage (ripping her britches over a stage monitor), and her favorite Country artist (Dolly Parton).

Even more pertinent questions were aimed at adolescent curiosities–what inspired her to become a singer (attention), were her parents supportive of a singing career (yes), how does she deal with stress (walk outside), and how difficult was it to leave parents for the road (hard, until you make friends with band and crew).

Afterwards, classes were able to view the museum exhibits.