Top 40 Reba McEntire Quotes

Everything I’ve done in my career is a result of growing up in rural Oklahoma, because if I hadn’t had the training from Mama and Daddy to work hard, to do what I’m told, to take directions, to mind and to do a good job at anything I set out to do, then I wouldn’t be where I am today.

It’s funny how many people will come to Vegas to see your show where they might not come out to see you unless you come to their hometown.

Besides, I’m a gypsy at heart and I like to travel around.

It’s very important to surround yourself with people you can learn from.

I was singing a lot of waltzes. And I was with Jerry Kennedy, my producer, and he was playing me some songs, and he said, hey, I want to play you this song that I’m going to get Jackie Ward to record.

For no. 1, it’s great writing, super writing. The second thing is that it’s great chemistry with all the actors. We just all got along from the very start. Very get-go, we all got along. We just – it was just like we were all meant to be there together.

I had lots of breaks.

You’ve got to stay current and up with the competition. The main thing, though, is finding the greatest songs you can possibly find.

And so we were asleep there in San Diego. And our pilot called us. And his brother was on one of the other planes. And when he was leaving the airport, he saw in his rear view mirror that there was an explosion.

But I like to listen to demos. I like to hear the finished product. It’s like listening to a song – I mean, a story. If you’re going to sit here and tell me a story, I just like to listen. I don’t want to make them up.

Being a strong woman is very important to me. But doing it all on my own is not.

My goals have changed throughout my life. At one time it was winning awards, selling out concert dates, selling more albums than anyone else. Now, my goals are to see my grandchildren grown, live a long and healthy life with my family and friends and travel the world.

To succeed in life, you need three things: a wishbone, a backbone and a funny bone.

I have the attention span of a 2-year-old. I like to jump from project-to-project.

I’ve never turned my back on country music.

I use all my skills that I can muster up, but the fun thing is that I find some untapped skills every once in a while. I get that from my daddy.

When I left, after my divorce, when I left Oklahoma, I never looked back. It was the future. It was looking forward from then on.

The biggest challenge in my life is getting all these kids raised. I’ve helped with nieces, stepchildren and my own son, so the biggest challenge is making sure the kids are raised and finding enough quality time with them.

When onstage, I always try to take my audience through as many emotions as I possibly can. I want them to go from laughter to tears, be shocked and surprised and walk out the door with a renewed sense of themselves – and maybe a smile.

All the money in the world can’t buy you back good health.

You know, I get a lot of people pitching songs to me.

The upside to anger? Getting it out of your system. You got to express your anger. Then you have room for more positive things. If I hold something in a long time, and then I speak it, it’s amazing how the light shines so much brighter.

I think it’s a wonderful time for a woman.

A good song has to have a great melody, and the lyrics have to touch my heart. Now, if it’s just a little toe-tapper, got to make me feel good somehow or another, or when I sing it I can’t make you feel good.

And I was mischievous. I was always into something. So when I got good attention from the singing, I knew that was probably where I needed to land.

I’ve got CDs in my car, listening all the time for that next song, because everybody’s looking.

Finding a good bus driver can be as important as finding a good musician.

To me, being popular means I’ve got more friends. You’ve got to watch who your friends are, if you want to get close to them, but I’ve got a lot of acquaintances. And then, you’ve got to be real careful who your friends are, because you never know why they’re your friend.

You don’t waste your entire life waiting to go back to dust.

Be different, stand out, and work your butt off.

Being sexy is kind of funny to me. You know, I can get kind of spunky or I can get tough, you know, that kind of tough, sexy look. But sexy? No, I don’t think so.

I always wanted to be an actress. I always wanted to be a movie star.

So, we come out to Los Angeles. And we met with every network. We met with show runners, directors, writers, everything. And what we had an idea for, they didn’t like. And what they had an idea for, we didn’t like. So, we went home.

I have a lot to be thankful for. I am healthy, happy and I am loved.

Growing up is not being so dead-set on making everybody happy.

I just love motherhood.

I think it’s the way I talk. I think they thought I was too country. And I’m not ashamed of that by any means.

When I got into the music business in 1976, there weren’t many women on the roster. As a woman, you don’t complain; you work twice as hard, and you do your job.

Waiting makes me restless. When I’m ready, I’m ready.

That’s what is so great about being able to record a 13-song album. You can do a very eclectic group of songs. You do have some almost pop songs in there, but you do have your traditional country, story songs. You have your ballads, your happy songs, your sad songs, your love songs, and your feisty songs.