Raised on a cattle ranch just outside of Chockie, Oklahoma (population: 18), McEntire traveled the rodeo circuit during her youth with her champion steer-roper father. She competed on horseback as a barrel racer. Along with her siblings, McEntire was taught to sing by her mother and formed the vocal trio The Singing McEntires, performing at social events and dance halls.

After graduating from high school, she studied violin and piano at Southeastern Oklahoma State University while majoring in elementary education. Her life changed dramatically when a songwriter named Red Steagall heard her sing the national anthem at the National Finals Rodeo and convinced her to make a demo recording in Nashville. She was soon signed to a record contract and her star took off from there.

Over the course of her 25+ year career, McEntire has established herself as country music's leading lady, rising to become the best-selling female country singer of the 20th century with more than 48 million records sold. She is an unprecedented four-time Country Music Association Female Vocalist of the Year and one of only five women to win the CMA's coveted Entertainer of the Year honor. She has won two Grammy Awards, multiple People's Choice and American Music Awards, and released a string of chart-topping hits. In November of 2003, McEntire released her first new studio album in four years. "Room to Breathe" is a classic yet contemporary collection of heartbreaking ballads and unstoppable up-tempo tunes. The CD produced two smash country radio hits, "I'm Gonna Take that Mountain" and the Billboard chart-topping "Somebody." McEntire now reigns as the female country artist with the longest span of #1 hits. In the summer of 2004, McEntire hit the road to support the album, touring in concert for the first time since signing on for the sitcom. She played to thousands of people throughout the summer and drew The Today Show's largest crowd of the spring for her concert on the plaza.

McEntire has found success as an actress as well.She made a memorable feature debut in the 1990 cult classic Kevin Bacon horror film Tremors as a gun-toting survivalist. She also appeared on the big screen in the dark romantic comedy One Night at McCool's, as well as North and The Little Rascals. On television, she played Annie Oakley in the miniseries Buffalo Girls and has appeared in the original movies The Gambler IV with Kenny Rogers, Secret of Giving, Forever Love and Is There Life Out There?

The hardest-working woman in show business, McEntire is also a successful author.Following her 1995 New York Times Best Seller List autobiography "Reba: My Story," she published "Comfort from a Country Quilt: Find New Inspiration and Strength from Old-Fashioned Values," a collection of personal essays. Her written works have sold a combined total of over 1 million copies.

McEntire currently divides her time between her home in Nashville, Tenn. and the television set of Reba in Los Angeles.