Question 1

Does Reba McEntire write her own songs?

Accepted Answer

Mostly no. She is chiefly an interpreter who finds and records songs written by professional Nashville songwriters rather than writing her own material. She has taken occasional co-writing credits, but her reputation rests on song selection and her vocal delivery, not authorship.

Question 2

Who wrote 'Fancy'?

Accepted Answer

'Fancy' was written by Bobbie Gentry, who first recorded and released it in 1969. Reba McEntire recorded her hit version for her 1990 album 'Rumor Has It', so the song came to her as an outside cover rather than an original.

Question 3

Who wrote 'Whoever's in New England'?

Accepted Answer

'Whoever's in New England' was written by Kendal Franceschi and Quentin Powers. Reba recorded it as the 1986 title track of the album of the same name, and her performance won the Grammy for Best Female Country Vocal Performance in 1987, her first Grammy. She did not write the song herself.

Question 4

What is Reba McEntire's real name?

Accepted Answer

Reba is her real name. Her full birth name is Reba Nell McEntire, and she was born on March 28, 1955, in McAlester, Oklahoma. 'Reba' is not a stage name or a shortened form of anything else.

Question 5

How many number-one hits does Reba have?

Accepted Answer

She has reached number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart 25 times, out of more than 100 singles she has placed on that chart since the 1970s. That total makes her one of the most consistent hitmakers in country music history.

Question 6

Is Reba in the Country Music Hall of Fame?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Reba McEntire was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2011, with Dolly Parton presenting her at the May 22 ceremony. The induction recognized a recording career that began in the late 1970s.

Question 7

Has Reba McEntire won a Grammy?

Accepted Answer

Yes. She won Best Female Country Vocal Performance in 1987 for 'Whoever's in New England', her first Grammy, and later won Best Roots Gospel Album in 2018 for 'Sing It Now: Songs of Faith & Hope'. Both wins came for recordings of songs she selected rather than wrote.

Question 8

How many records has Reba McEntire sold?

Accepted Answer

She has sold more than 75 million records worldwide, ranking her among the best-selling female country artists in history. Those sales come from a catalog built largely on outside songs she chose and interpreted.

Question 9

Why is Reba considered a song-picker rather than a songwriter?

Accepted Answer

Reba sourced material from music publishers and pitched songs early in her career instead of writing her own, and that approach defined her whole catalog. Her signature hits, including 'Fancy' and 'Whoever's in New England', were all written by other people. Her craft is choosing the right song and inhabiting its story, which is why she is described as an interpreter.

Question 10

Was Reba McEntire named CMA and ACM Entertainer of the Year?

Accepted Answer

Yes. She won the CMA Entertainer of the Year in 1986, becoming only the second woman to take the top CMA honor after Loretta Lynn. She later won the ACM Entertainer of the Year in 1994.