When it became clearย that Reba McEntire would sing the national anthem before the Super Bowl, I was beyond excited, to say the least.
And letโs just say she didnโt disappoint usโฆ
Thereโs only one Reba McEntire, and she delivered a memorable and unforgettable moment in front of an Allegiant Stadium crowd in Paradise, Nevada.
Her magical rendition of โThe Star-Spangled Bannerโ had the audience cheering, and us viewers at home were also left with goosebumps. Chris Jones, the Chiefsโ defensive lineman, was visibly moved by the moment and tears began to flow.
It was truly a performance to remember by the three-time Grammy winner โ and what we all needed to start the game off!
As we know, thereโs no bigger stage than belting out the anthem before the opening kickoff at the Super Bowl, and considering Chris Stapletonโs fantastic rendition last year, the expectations were sky-high for the legendary Oklahoma native.
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The applause was thunderous once Reba concluded, setting a splendid tone for the game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers.
According to , 2024 was the fourth year in a row that the NFL booked a country singer to perform the national anthem.
A month ago, the 68-year-old Reba revealed some intriguing details about her performance. In an interview with CBS Mornings, the country star said that she accepted the invitation to sing the national anthem for a specific reason.
โI got the news from my managerโฆhe said they wanted me to sing the national anthem at the Super Bowl, and I said, โOh my gosh, well, let me think about that,’โ McEntire recalled. โAnd Rex Linn, my boyfriend, who is a huge football fan, he said, โYes! Sheโll do it! Absolutely!โ
According to herself, she was well-prepared for the big moment โ she had practiced diligently.
โIโve been singing the national anthem in the shower [and] when we get in the car,โ said McEntire.
Reba also expressed that she felt โhonored beyond wordsโ to sing at the Super Bowl for the first time, she told Apple Music host Nadeska Alexis.
โI get to sing a very special song for all Americans, people all around the world, who have really worked so hard for our freedom and to give us peace. Itโs not about me โย Iโm the representation of this song, and Iโm just honored to get to sing it. Itโs a good one. Iโve been doing it for 50 years, and Iโm really proud to get to sing it.โ
Reba McEntire boyfriend
Reba McEntire started dating Hollywood actor Rex Linn in 2020, but the two had known each other since 1991 after meeting on the set of โThe Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw.โ
After enduring a painful divorceย and her motherโs cancer diagnosis, Rex Linn extended an open invitation to Reba to reach out whenever she needed someone to talk to. True to his word, the country star turned to him for a listening ear, comfort, and guidance.
Throughout the COVID19 pandemic, the two texted each other to get better acquainted and even had virtual coffee dates as Reba was based in Tennessee and Linn in California.
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Linn is best known for playing the role ofย Frank Trippย in the television seriesย CSI: Miami, but his movie credits includeย Cheaper by the Dozen,ย Rush Hourย andย Django Unchained. Like Reba, the 67-year-old actor was also raised in Oklahoma after his parents moved from Texas when he was 13 years old.
Reba says if they ever got married theyโd have to hold more than one ceremony for all the people theyโd want there.
โWeโve talked about it and giggled about it,โ McEntire said. โWe thought, โMan, if we ever did have a ceremony, we would have to have a 2 oโclock, 4 oโclock, 6 oโclock and an 8 oโclock because we have so many friends, acquaintances and family.โโ
Almost left the industry
In a recent interview onToday with Jena and Hoda, the musician โ who is widely regarded as the Queen of Country โ candidly shared how she considered quitting music following her mother Jacquelineโs passing from cancer in March 2020.
McEntire, aged 68, recounted a moment when she and her sister Susie were going through their parentsโ belongings after Jacquelineโs death. It was during this introspective period that she contemplated her future as a singer.
She recalled: โI was going through pictures. I said, โI just donโt think Iโm gonna do this anymore.โ She said, โWhat?โ I said, โSing,โโ she explained. โI said, โI always did it for Mama.โ She said, โOh, youโll get it back.โ I did.โ
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Before the career of the โFancyโ performer took flight in the 1970s, she and her siblings Susie, Alice, and Pake learned the art of singing from Jacqueline, and it was this that ignited Rebaโs passion for music. She fondly remembered her motherโs encouragement, saying: โShe was really encouraging for all of us kids, whatever we wanted to do. She taught us harmony.โ
During their high school years, the McEntire siblings were known as โthe singing McEntires,โ thanks to Jacquelineโs willingness to offer feedback, especially if they missed a note.
โAnytime anybody needed an opinion of whoโs off โ Susieโs on my part, Iโm on Susieโs part โ Mama would come in with her spatula after she was frying potatoes,โ McEntire recalled, mimicking her motherโs pointing gesture with the utensil. โShe would say, โOK, Reba, youโre on Susieโs part. Sing it again.โ Weโd sing it, and sheโd say, โOh, thatโs perfect,โ and sheโd go back in and keep frying potatoes.โ
Weโre glad youโre still here entertaining us, Reba โย and you makes signing the national anthem look so easy!
Your iconic voice, coupled with the significance of the moment, created a timeless and unforgettable Super Bowl 2024. Share this article if you agree!
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