When we found out Reba McEntire would sing the national anthem at the Super Bowl, I was really excited. And let me tell you, she did not disappoint!
Reba McEntire is one of a kind, and her performance at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada, was unforgettable. Her version of ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ had everyone cheering, and those of us watching at home got goosebumps too. Even Chris Jones, a player for the Chiefs, was moved to tears.
It was a performance we won’t forget from the three-time Grammy winner – just what we needed to kick off the game!
.@reba sings the National Anthem at Super Bowl LVIII! #SBLVIII pic.twitter.com/yEQi89hYGg
— NFL (@NFL) February 11, 2024
As we know, there’s no bigger stage than belting out the anthem before the opening kickoff at the Super Bowl, and considering Chris Stapleton’s fantastic rendition last year, the expectations were sky-high for the legendary Oklahoma native.
After Reba finished singing, the crowd erupted in loud applause, creating a fantastic atmosphere for the game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers.
This was the fourth year in a row that the NFL chose a country singer to sing the national anthem, according to Taste of Country.
About a month ago, 68-year-old Reba shared some interesting details about her performance. In an interview with CBS Mornings, she said she accepted the invitation for a specific reason.
“I heard the news from my manager…he said they wanted me to sing the national anthem at the Super Bowl, and I said, ‘Oh my gosh, well, let me think about that,’” Reba recalled. “And Rex Linn, my boyfriend, who is a huge football fan, said, ‘Yes! She’ll do it! Absolutely!’”
She said she was well-prepared for the big moment – she had been practicing diligently.
“I’ve been singing the national anthem in the shower and when we get in the car,” Reba said.
Reba also said she felt “honored beyond words” to sing at the Super Bowl for the first time. She told Apple Music host Nadeska Alexis, “I 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. It’s not about me — I’m the representation of this song, and I’m just honored to get to sing it. It’s a good one. I’ve been doing it for 50 years, and I’m really proud to get to sing it.
Reba McEntire started dating Hollywood actor Rex Linn in 2020, but they had known each other since 1991 after meeting on the set of “The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw.”
After going through a painful divorce and her mother’s cancer diagnosis, Rex Linn told Reba she could always talk to him if she needed someone. True to his word, she reached out to him for comfort and guidance.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the two texted each other to get to know each other better and even had virtual coffee dates since Reba was in Tennessee and Linn was in California.
Linn is most famous for his role as Frank Tripp in the TV show CSI: Miami. He’s been in movies like Cheaper by the Dozen, Rush Hour, and Django Unchained. He grew up in Oklahoma after his family moved from Texas when he was 13, just like Reba.
Reba says if they ever get married, they’d have to have more than one ceremony because they have so many friends and family they’d want to invite.
“We’ve talked about it and laughed about it,” Reba said. “We thought, ‘Wow, if we ever have a ceremony, we’d need one at 2 o’clock, 4 o’clock, 6 o’clock, and 8 o’clock because we know so many people.’”
In a recent interview on Today with Hoda & Jenna, the musician – who is widely regarded as the Queen of Country – talked about how she thought about quitting music after her mom Jacqueline died from cancer in March 2020.
Reba, who is 68 years old, remembered a time when she and her sister Susie were going through their parents’ things after Jacqueline’s death. That’s when she started thinking about giving up singing.
“I was going through pictures. I said, ‘I don’t think I want to do this anymore,’” Reba said. “I meant singing. I always sang for Mama.” But her sister told her she’d get her singing spirit back. And she did.
Before Reba became famous in the 1970s, she and her siblings learned to sing from their mom, Jacqueline. Reba remembers her mom being supportive of whatever they wanted to do.
During high school, people called them “the singing McEntires” because Jacqueline would give them feedback, even while she was cooking.
“If someone needed to know who was singing the wrong part, Mama would come in with her spatula after frying potatoes,” Reba said, pretending to point with the spatula. “She’d say, ‘Okay, Reba, you’re singing Susie’s part. Sing it again.’ We’d sing, and she’d say, ‘Oh, that’s perfect,’ and she’d go back to cooking.”
We’re glad you’re still making music, Reba – and you make singing the national anthem look easy!