Reba on Her New Album: ‘It’s Something That Will Live Forever’

Reba recently began a new chapter in her career with the release of her very first Gospel album, Sing It Now: Songs of Faith and Hope.

Written by Lauren Jo Black
Reba on Her New Album: ‘It’s Something That Will Live Forever’
Reba; Photo Credit: Justin McIntosh for Reba’s Business, Inc.

These days, it’s very rare for Reba to have a career first. It seems as if the Oklahoma native has done it all since releasing her debut single in 1976; she’s won countless awards, starred in a Broadway play, played the lead in a successful sitcom, released her own fashion line, and became a member of the Grand Ole Opry (and those are just some of the highlights!).

Last week, the legendary entertainer began a new chapter in her career with the release of her very first Gospel album, Sing It Now: Songs of Faith and Hope. The album includes two discs; one with traditional hymns of “faith” and another with more contemporary-sounding tracks of “hope.”

“It wasn’t my idea to do the album, my ex-manager Bill Carter form the 80’s, he kept encouraging me to do it,” McEntire tells Sounds Like Nashville of how the project came to life. “Tony Brown, my producer, he kept saying, ‘Boy now’s the time to do an inspirational album.'”

Brown was right. It turns out there couldn’t have been a better time for the singer to work on an inspirational album as she had just separated from her husband, Narvel Blackstock, after 26 years of marriage.

“I’ve always believed timing is everything and this was the perfect time to do it,” she shares.

The project came together fairly quickly. The tough part was deciding which songs would make the cut.

“I had 15 or 16 songs and we let Scott Borchetta and Jim Weatherson and everybody listen to it, the whole team. And we were like, ‘Okay which ones are we gonna take out?'”

They couldn’t decide which tracks to cut, so they ended up keeping all of the songs and made plans to release a double-disc album with 20 tracks.

Among the album’s highlights is a cut with Kelly Clarkson and Trisha Yearwood as well as a song featuring Bluegrass and Gospel band The Isaacs. Additionally, Reba’s mother and sisters lend their vocals to “I’ll Fly Away.”

Working with all the album’s special guests was a blast for the superstar, but working with her family takes the cake. “It’s something that will live forever,” she says with a smile.

See what else Reba told us about making the album in the video above. Sing It Now: Songs of Faith and Hope is available for purchase HERE.