September 29, 2000
Jam
Music
      Artists A-Z
      Album Reviews
      Concert Reviews
      Concert Listings
      SoundScan Charts
      Lowdown Column
      Pop Encyclopedia

Movies
Television
Video
Theatre
Books
Country




ENT Blog
RSS Feed

MACCA



Reba's life, live
Saddledome show features slices of country star's past
By ANIKA VAN WYK


Reba McEntire is giving fans a peek inside her diary.

Her Saddledome show Sunday is titled Singer's Diary and turns the spotlight on her life.

"It's a two-act play," Reba tells the Sun. "The first act is basically a play about my life story and I play myself. I have my dancers and my band and my crew to help me tell the story. The second act, without an intermission, is a full-blown concert."

It was her husband-manager Narvel Blackstock who came up with the idea.

"When you tour for 24 years, it's hard to be creative and find something that hasn't been done before," says the famous redhead.

"It starts in 1974, because that's when I first got discovered singing the national anthem at the National Final Rodeo at Oklahoma."

There are too many career highlights for her to pick one and since she's talked openly for her entire career, she doubts there is anything that will really surprise her fans.

Along with the good, there's been bad -- the worst being the 1991 plane crash which killed seven members of her band.

"It's been nine years and it's the first time we've paid tribute to them -- it's the first time we could," says Reba, who still keeps in touch with some of the families.

Reba's own family keeps her busy, especially her 10-year-old son Shelby.

It's difficult to picture the superstar doing everyday mom stuff, but she does. One ritual the two have shared since Shelby was born is reading.

"I've been reading to him since he was a baby and now it's his turn to read to me.

"Before he goes to bed, he reads for 15 to 20 minutes and I sit there and he reads to me," says the mother, who is currently listening to Black Beauty.

Reba has handed over the tutoring duties.

"(Helping with homework) was pretty easy when he was in kindergarten and the first grade, but now I've turned that over to my housekeeper and his nanny. She has a lot more patience with it and goes to the school with him," says Reba.

"He's in Grade 5 and it's harder than what I remember in the eighth grade. I think it's already gone past me," she adds with a chuckle.

Another shared love of the McEntire family is golf. She conducted this phone interview from Las Vegas, where she and Blackstock had flown in Shelby so he could golf with the family.

"He's getting to where he's better than I am now."

Last year, in late summer, the family vacationed in Banff and Lake Louise.

Reba had finished a tour in Alaska and chose Alberta to relax with her family for a few days.

"We were golfing and sightseeing."

When asked if she'd seen much wildlife, she laughs: "All these female elk were on the golf course. We had to skip a couple holes because they were on our tee-off box."

Since Reba has spent so much time travelling, she has also picked up the hobby of photography.

"I love my pictures. I love to organize them and take care of my pictures. I have the little shoe boxes," says Reba, whose been reorganizing the photos since they were pulled out of the boxes to be considered for the books she's written.

At the rate Reba is going, she may have to think about another book.

A new album is on schedule for next year, but first she's off to star on Broadway.

Reba starts rehearsals for Annie Get Your Gun in the new year. Her four-month run will end May 31.

"I'm eager and I'm ready for it," says the singer, who has appeared in several TV movies and feature films. "I've already recorded two songs for promotion."

Cheryl Ladd is currently starring in the show and Bernadette Peters walked the boards before her.

"I saw it three times with Bernadette Peters ... But I have to do my personality."


HOT MUSIC HEADLINES
Kathleen Edwards in T.O.
2012 Grammy Awards preview
Winehouse coroner suspended
'TLC' singer's bankruptcy case tossed
McCartney rehearses for Grammys
Whitney Houston dead at 48
Grammy stars honour McCartney
Live Review: City and Colour in T.O
Springsteen set to kick off Grammys
V-Day theme tops CD reviews
More Headlines
Meet Blue Ivy Carter
Madonna calls out M.I.A. gesture
Adele sings for Anderson Cooper
Canuck Grammy class of 2012
Gotye speaks on Walk Off signing
Elton seeks advice on raising son
Pickler considering adoption
Adele brushes off 'fat' comment
McCartney gets Walk of Fame star
Brown loses bid to end probation


Who's coming and when
Want to know when your favourite band is coming to town? Check out Clive, JAM Music's extensive Canadian concert listings.
TV Listings
Wondering what's on tonight? Check out our TV listings for the complete schedule in your area.
Movie Listings
Find out what's playing at a theatre near you.

1. Leonard Cohen: Old Ideas

2. Adele: 21

3. Lana Del Rey: Born To Die

4. Various: 2012 Grammy Noms

5. Gotye: Making Mirrors

Courtesy Nielsen SoundScan Cda








What did you think of Madonna’s halftime show?
She’s still got it
I wasn’t impressed


Results