Reba McEntire Opens Up About Why She Performed in ‘Beer Joints’ When She Was 13

Despite being popularly recognized as a country music legend, Reba McEntire has not forgotten where her singing career began. In a recent TalkShopLive appearance alongside her close friend and fellow country star Garth Brooks, the 68-year-old revealed how her mother played a vital role in launching her music career right from when she was young.

“It was mama who encouraged us, kids to sing, taught us how to sing, took us to our singing jobs,” McEntire stated on the show. “Thirteen years old playing beer joints and honky tonks, Peg, Susie, and I getting up there and singing.”

Reba McEntire reveals that people were surprised to hear her career story

“The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter” crooner while speaking during the interview, also discussed people’s reactions whenever they heard she began her career in bars. “And people would say, ‘You’re playing clubs at 13?’ I’d say, ‘Yeah, mama and daddy are sitting right there.’ Took us. Took us home, encouraged us, and kept us out of trouble,” McEntire said. “We were [doing] rodeo, and playing basketball and singing. So Mama was there for all three events.”

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McEntire also opened up about the passing of her mother and revealed that her new single, “Seven Minutes in Heaven,” is a meaningful tribute to her late mother. “Mama had passed in 2020, and so we’re hearing that song, and I said I definitely want it, but I couldn’t record it,” she stated. “I mean, I couldn’t sing it in the studio probably the first two or three times through.”

Reba McEntire says that recording “Seven Minutes in Heaven” was intense for her

McEntire claimed that she had a torrent of emotions while recording the tribute song. “I got so choked up because if I had seven minutes in heaven, I know exactly what I’d do. I would pass by all of the formal introductions and go find Mama and sit down and ask her if she gets to go fishing up in heaven,” she said. “And then I’d say I’ll come back and see you soon.”

During the show, Garth Brooks, who was interviewing McEntire about her upcoming book, Not That Fancy, also shared his own thoughts about what he will do if he ever got seven minutes in heaven. “Yeah, you have dreams of your family back together. We had eight of us in total. Six, then Mom and Dad,” Brooks revealed. “And all my dreams, we’ve lost four of the eight. It’s just tough… And I don’t care if we’re back together fighting again like we used to at Thanksgiving, that would be fine with me! Whatever just to be together again. You know Okies.”