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September 29, 2000
Reba's life, live
Saddledome show features slices of country star's pastBy ANIKA VAN WYK
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." |
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