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.’”

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.

SESAC took over hotspot Kelly’s Caribbean during a packed showcase at the Key West Songwriters Festival. The event was hosted by No. 1 songwriters Rob Hatch (“Goodnight Kiss”) and Lance Miller (“Drink To That All Night”) and offered performances by John & Jacob, Ken Johnson, American Young, Cary Barlowe, Greg Barnhill, Justin Wilson, Phillip Coleman, Karyn Williams and Andi Zack.
The annual Key West Songwriters Festival is five days of music on 25-plus stages featuring over 150 songwriters.
See more pics here and here.
Photos by Sheel.

Each year, Nashville’s CMA Music Festival teams with not only Country fans from around the world, but the festival also welcomes international Country artists from all over the globe. Artists travel to Music City to perform at CMA World GlobaLive!, a free showcase featuring international Country Music artists. This year’s event will take place Monday, June 2 (6:00-11:15 PM/CT) in downtown Nashville.
The CMA World GlobaLive! concert will be held on an outdoor stage on Broadway and First Avenue. The concert is open to the public and will feature performances by Country artists from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Sweden, and the U.K.
“Each of these acts has already achieved a high degree of momentum and success abroad,” said Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer. “They are performers that we think are capable of attracting industry attention.”
More than 150 artists were submitted for consideration to perform on the CMA World GlobaLive! stage, according to Jeff Walker, CMA Board member and Executive Producer of CMA World GlobaLive!.
Artists performing during CMA World GlobaLive! include Jaida Dreyer,who was nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year in Canada and is signed to U.S. label Streamsound Records; Canadian group Emerson Drive; Kira Isabella, the reigning Canadian Female Vocalist of the Year and HitShop Records artist; Kaylens Rain, who was recently named CRA winner by radio station professionals throughout Australia; Wes Mack, the Canadian Country Music Association’s Discovery Winner; One More Girl, the rising Canadian duo comprised of sisters Britt and Carly McKillip; Australian duo, O’Shea, who are routinely found in the Australian Top 5 and also host an Australian television show on the CRC; David Park, rising star in his native Sweden; Jared Porter, the reigning winner of the Star Maker talent search in Australia; Cameron Scott, the New Zealand Horizon Award winner; Dallas Smith, previous frontman of rock group Default, who was already a huge star in Canada before he made the transition from rock to Country; and Tamara Stewart, the recent winner of a CMAA Golden Guitar for her composition entitled “Women in Song.”
Additional international artists making appearances during CMA Music Festival’s Kick-Off Concert on the Chevrolet Riverfront Stage on Wednesday, June 4 include vocalist/guitarist and Stoney Creek Records artist Lindsay Ell of Canada; Morgan Evans, a rising Country star in Australia; Canadian artist Tim Hicks; and Canadian brother and sister duo Small Town Pistols, made up of Amanda and Tyler Wilkinson who were previously part of the Grammy-nominated trio The Wilkinsons.
U.K. artist David Bradley will host both the CMA World GlobaLive! and CMA Music Festival Kick-Off concerts. Bradley will also perform on the Samsung Galaxy Stage in Walk of Fame Park on Friday, June 6 (2:45 PM/CT). Sam Hollyman, will perform on the same stage Sunday, June 8 (10:45 AM/CT).