Reba McEntire Celebrates 40 Years As Opry Member With Vince, Dolly, And Carrie

Photo: Rachael Black

Reba McEntire celebrated the 40^th Anniversary of her Grand Ole Opry debut last Friday night (Sept. 22) with two sold-out shows and a surprise appearance from Dolly Parton. During the shows she performed the first song she ever sang at the venue, “Invitation To The Blues,” her induction song “Somebody Should Leave,” the theme song “Survivor” from her six-season sitcom Reba, and her signature tune “Fancy.” Fellow Opry members Vince Gill and Carrie Underwood also got in on the fun, joining her onstage for “Oklahoma Swing” and “Does He Love You,” respectively.

As part of the special celebration commemorating McEntire’s induction into the Opry family on January 17, 1986, surprise guest Dolly Parton stopped by and recalled how she made a last-minute Opry appearance on the night of Reba’s debut. Unknowingly reducing McEntire’s set to one song, Parton jokingly “gave the time back” and sweetly celebrated her friend.

She was also surprised during the celebration by RIAA President Mitch Glazier with a plaque commemorating more than 40 million in RIAA certifications across 27 albums. Reba is second only to Barbra Streisand for female recording artists with the most Gold (or higher) albums, which count sales and streams in the United States only. Streisand has sold over 56 million total albums worldwide.

“It was a lot of fun. It was nerve-wracking; it was scary. This means the world to me,” Reba said. “It’s been a wonderful 40 years. I couldn’t have done it without you, and I wouldn’t have wanted to!”

The superstar also just announced a new partnership with the Justin Boot Company, the REBA by Justin collection, which will launch Holiday 2017 at select retailers nationwide. The new line features Reba’s take on classic western boots, booties and casuals, and draws inspiration from pieces of her life story.

Pictured (L-R): Big Machine Records/Nash Icon Records’ Jim Weatherson, Reba McEntire, The Grand Ole Opry’s Sally Williams, RIAA’s Mitch Glazier. Photo: Rachael Black

Vince Gill and Reba perform at the Grand Ole Opry.

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Lorie Hollabaugh

Hollabaugh, a staff writer at MusicRow magazine, has over 20 years of music business experience and has written for publications including American Profile, CMA Close Up, Nashville Arts And Entertainment, The Boot and Country Weekly. She has a Broadcast Journalism and Speech Communication degree from Texas Christian University, (go Horned Frogs), and welcomes your feedback or story ideas at lhollabaugh@musicrow.com.

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