Reba McEntire marks 50 years in music with fresh cuts and TV comfort
The country star told Daily Variety about her EP series, NBC sitcom Happy’s Place and her Oklahoma venue Reba’s Place.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
3 min read
Reba McEntire is celebrating 50 years in music by sending fans a little new and a lot classic.
In an interview on Variety’s Daily Variety podcast, the country star said her golden anniversary project is built around a run of EPs, each pairing one newly recorded song with several older tracks from her catalog. The releases started in April and are scheduled to continue through December through her longtime label, MCA, according to Variety.
McEntire credited her manager, Justin McIntosh, with the release concept. The next EP, “Ring, Ring,” is set to arrive July 24.
The plan also includes special playlists curated for fans who want to dig further into her decades of music, Variety reported.
McEntire told the podcast that the mix of fresh material and familiar songs makes sense because concert audiences may welcome a new tune, but they also crave the music they already know. She said older songs can bring listeners back to a first memory, a friend or someone they love.
“It’s genius to be able to bring a new song to the fans along with five songs that are in the catalog,” McEntire said on the podcast.
Happy’s Place heads back to NBC
McEntire is also riding a broadcast TV win. Her NBC comedy “Happy’s Place” is returning for Season 3 on Oct. 23, Variety reported.
The sitcom reunites McEntire with key members of the team behind “Reba,” her WB Network series that ran from 2001 to 2007. On “Happy’s Place,” she stars with actor Rex Linn, identified by Variety as her husband.
McEntire said the four-camera comedy format has a nostalgic pull for her because it reminds her of the TV shows she watched growing up. She described the series as family entertainment, built around comedy, writing and the cast.
The show also brings her back together with Melissa Peterman, along with showrunner Kevin Abbott and producers Mindy Schultheis and Michael Hanel, according to McEntire’s comments on the podcast.
McEntire said the atmosphere on set is part of the appeal, adding that the team treats one another like family.
Reba’s Place keeps it close to home
Beyond music and television, McEntire spoke about Reba’s Place, the retail and entertainment center she has invested in at Atoka, Oklahoma, near her hometown of Chockie.
Variety reported that the site is inside a refurbished 15,000-square-foot building dating to 1907. The complex includes a diner called Reba’s Place, live music, a store, a speakeasy and a library.
McEntire said the restaurant serves family food and has a stage where she and her siblings, Pake and Susie, have performed. She described a second-floor dining area with a cutout that lets guests look down at the stage, plus a third-floor shop selling items ranging from T-shirts to wooden spoons.
The library carries special meaning for the family. McEntire said her mother, Jacqueline McEntire, left behind many books when she died in March 2020 at age 93. After family members took some, they placed others inside the Atoka restaurant and named the space Jackie’s Library.
This story draws on original reporting from Variety.