NEED TO KNOW
The world knows Reba McEntire as the charismatic country icon and sitcom queen — but to her family, she’s still just the redheaded rodeo cowgirl from McAlester, Okla.
“My sister Alice, for Christmas one year, gave me a toilet seat cover. On the top of the toilet seat it said, ‘The Twinkle,’ to let me know I’m not a star — I’m a twinkle. Keeps me grounded,” McEntire, 70, tells PEOPLE in this week’s cover story.
But contrary to her lavatory decor’s message, she’s had a stellar career.
This year, McEntire marked 50 years since she signed her first record deal in 1976. She’s sold more than 75 million albums, scored 24 No. 1 country hits and earned three Grammys. She’s also had soaring TV success and is currently on two NBC shows this fall: season 2 of Happy’s Place and season 28 of The Voice.
Despite her success, McEntire keeps a humble perspective on fame.
Margaret Norton/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty
“Time flies when you’re having fun. Wow, I still see where I was signing the contract 50 years ago… I had no idea about the music business,” McEntire says. “I was a rodeo cowgirl; I was a rancher’s daughter, and a rodeo brat. To get into the music business was scary, leaving all my friends and my family, but I had great people that guided me. That was the thing I got out of this whole career — my friends.”
When asked if her life turned out the way she imagined, McEntire says she had “no idea what to expect,” but she’s grateful for every opportunity that’s presented itself.
“See, I thought when you got a record label to sign, you had a record on the radio, well, you got a tour bus, and you’re rich. My first tour bus was years later, and it broke down every day,” she recalls. “Before that, I was in vans and pickup trucks with campers and horse trailers to haul the gear and stuff. My imagination wasn’t big enough to even create what I’ve gotten to do in my career.”
Now, McEntire is passing on that wisdom to contestants on The Voice.
“The biggest piece of advice that I like to give any contestant that’s on The Voice is to have fun and make sure you want this as a career because it’s a lot of hard work. It’s a lot of dedication, it’s a lot of commitment, it’s a lot of sacrifices,” the “Fancy” singer says. “So if you want to be a star, well, you’ve got a long way to go before you become a star.”
As the singer and actress looks ahead, she wants to enjoy her life with fiancé Rex Linn, live in the moment and “continue having fun.”
John Russo
“How about a third, fourth, fifth season of Happy’s Place? I would love that,” she says. “It’d be so much fun. Then to still have my music.”
Though she has no imminent plans of retirement, the “I’m a Survivor” songstress says she eventually sees herself slowing down.
For more on McEntire, pick up this week’s issue of PEOPLE, available on newsstands everywhere.
“It could be in 20 years. I think I’ll know when it’s the time. Dolly [Parton] and I talked about that an awful lot when she did the Reba show, and I said, ‘Are you going to retire?’ She said, ‘Why would I? What in the world could I do and have as much fun as what I’m doing in this job right now?’ I agree with her a hundred percent. Slow down, maybe, but no plans of retiring,” she says.
John Russo
After all, as McEntire enters her 70s, she feels nothing short of “deliriously happy.”
“I used to think being content was a no-no, because if you’re content, you’re not going to strive to continue to do better. That’s not true because you always try to improve your health. I love this chapter in my life. I’m very grateful,” she concludes.
Happy’s Place season 2 premieres Friday, Nov. 7, on NBC and will stream the next day on Peacock. The Voice airs Mondays and Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.
