Reba!!!

I grew up listening to Reba McEntire CDs.  I memorized every lyric, sang along with every line, and tried like heck to yodel out every single string of notes that rolls of those one-of-a-kind vocal cords of hers.  There’s nobody else in the world who can sing like Reba.  In this age when we seem to put expiration dates on our female artists after age 35, she’s the only woman left from my childhood days who is still sending her songs to the top of the country charts.  She sang about love and heartache…about parent/child relationships…about prostitution...about murder…even about HIV.  What a fearless lady.I just finished opening Reba’s Western Canada tour.  I got to stand alone in front of sold-out arenas packed with thousands of people, armed with only my guitar (and a grand piano for variety), and sing my songs.  What an honour.

I also got to sit next to Reba when she ate her dinner at backstage catering next to her crew and band, just like a regular Jane.  I got to thank her in person, not only for the incredible opportunity this tour was for me, but also for the years of inspiration she has given me as a singer, as a songwriter, and as a woman in the music business.

And every night, I got to stand at the side of the stage and sing along with every lyric, every line, and every wonderful yodeling string of notes in her entire set.

Wow.