- The Oklahoma-born woman shown in the cover photo lived with a “cruel” dad when she was younger.
- Years later, she became a hugely successful country star and found love after her ex moved on with her friend.
- She found love again with someone new years after her divorce.
Before becoming a successful country star, the woman in the photos, who came from a long line of ranching and rodeoing, was born in southern Oklahoma and grew up in a small town called Chockie. She has four siblings, making her the middle child.
As a result, she said she had to fight for attention and desired it to a large degree, especially from her dad. Sadly, the country artist revealed that her father never told any of his children that he loved them.
While speaking about the kind of person their father was, the star’s older sister explained that their father liked being recognized as a champion cowboy. According to her:
“You didn’t have to worry about what was on his mind. He would tell you in a heartbeat. By our standards, they would say he was cruel.”
The tough dad would even question his daughter, who became a star, about why she enjoyed doing activities he thought she wasn’t good at. Some of these hobbies involved playing basketball and barrel racing.
According to the music star, though she won championships and prizes for those activities, she was never as good at them as she was at singing. She discovered her musical gift when she turned five and said she garnered a lot of attention from it.
Reba McEntire’s Ex-husband, Narvel Blackstock, Divorced Her After 26 Years and Moved on With Her Friend
The woman being talked about is none other than iconic country music star Reba McEntire. Outside of her musical prowess, McEntire, 68, was also the wife of TV producer Narvel Blackstock.
The former couple were married for 26 years and welcomed a son, Shelby Blackstock, who has since become a race car driver and is McEntire’s only child. McEntire’s ex-husband ended up demanding a divorce after over two decades of marriage, which left the “I’m a Survivor” singer completely blindsided.
Narvel and Shelby Blackstock, and Reba McEntire at the 2000 ALMA Awards | Source: Getty Images
To add insult to injury, McEntire found out that Narvel had started a romantic relationship with one of her friends who were close to her. According to another friend of McEntire’s explained:
“Narvel was her protector, her business partner and manager, and it was really tough on her…”
Narvel Blackstock and Reba McEntire at the 50th Academy Of Country Music Awards in Arlington, 2015 | Source: Getty Images
Though McEntire was left heartbroken by Narvel’s actions, she picked herself up and carried on. In fact, while speaking on her emotions after the whole ordeal, McEntire said she looked forward to seeing what was next for her.
Reba McEntire at the CMA Fest in Nashville, 2023 | Source: Getty Images
Reba McEntire Found Love Again With a New Partner She Calls the ‘Love of [Her] Life’
As it turned out, what was next for the star was finding love again with a new partner, Rex Linn. Before meeting Linn, McEntire disclosed that she was not interested in finding love again after her divorce.
However, when she met Linn, she reported being incredibly happy that he came into her life. McEntire said she had known Linn since 1991 when the two had worked on “The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw.” After meeting again in 2020, Linn asked her out to dinner, and they have been going strong ever since.
In a previous interview, McEntire revealed endearing details about her and Linn’s romance, which involves her making him coffee and him rubbing her feet and shoulders. While speaking about Linn, McEntire gushed:
“He’s the love of my life. We’re pretty much inseparable.”
Reba McEntire and Rex Linn at the 56th Annual CMA Awards in Nashville, 2022 | Source: Getty Images
When it comes to what she loves about her relationship, McEntire said it’s the little things that she admires so much. She also emphasized the importance of being attentive and listening to one’s partner continuously.
