Ol’ Man River (From: Unlimited)
A cut from her early Mercury album Unlimited, she showed the promise of where she was headed as a vocalist with a powerful version of this song – made famous by another famous Okie, Mel McDaniel.
I’m Gettin’ Over You (From: Just A Little Love)
From her 1984 MCA debut Just A Little Love, this cut had an undeniable flow, and was one of her many “Should-Have-Been” singles.
To Make That Same Mistake Again (From: Whoever's In New England)
In 1986, McEntire released the classic Whoever’s In New England album, which put her name in places she had never been before. One of the best cuts on that disc was this uber-traditional cut, where she shows that natural Oklahoma twang.
Take Me Back (From: What Am I Gonna Do About You)
In the fall of 1986, McEntire released her What Am I Gonna Do About You album, and though ballads will always be her strong suit, she shows on this cut that she could rock out with the best of them. The song had a definite 50s flavor to it, and she handled it with sass and class.
You’re The One I Dream About (From: Reba)
1988 saw Reba change her style a bit with the mainstream sound of Reba. But, as this key ballad proved, no matter what style she performed, her vocal chops remain timeless.
You Remember Me (From: Rumor Has It)
From Rumor Has It, arugably her finest disc, this cut showed the dramatic flair that she was becoming known for in mid-career. An injustice this was not a single.
Bobby (From: For My Broken Heart)
One of the biggest tear-jerkers that McEntire ever recorded, if you make it through this cut without a tear, check your pulse.
If I Had Only Know (From: For My Broken Heart)
Along with “Bobby,” this was from For My Broken Heart. From the pen of “Nashville Now” singers Craig Morris and Jana Stanfield, this poetic ballad was the perfect tribute to the fallen members of her band and road crew who perished in the tragic airplane crash in March 1991. Maybe her best-ever vocal moment.
Baby’s Gone Blues (From: It's Your Call)
Though she was recording more cross-over oriented material at the time, this 1992 track from It’s Your Call proved that she still had the Okie blood flowing in her veins.
I Wish That I Could Tell You (From: Read My Mind)
From her 1994 disc Read My Mind, McEntire showed the perfect mixture of pain and loss on this song about a woman who knows her relationship is over – but doesn’t know how to tell her significant other.
Roses (From: So Good Together)
As the 1990s were coming to an end, McEntire reached into the songwriting catalog of veteran singer-songwriter Melba Montgomery for this cut, which was beautiful sonically, but lyrically one of her most tragic.
Does The Wind Still Blow In Oklahoma (From: Reba Duets)
Though most would possibly consider Vince Gill to be McEntire’s most successful duet partner, there is also something special that comes across when she teams up with Ronnie Dunn, as she did on this gorgeous cut. Part of her 2007 album Duets, her final project for MCA.
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