Reba takes the house — or in this case, the Grand Theater — by storm

Mary Jane Farmer | December 1, 2016 | Reply

Feature and photos by Mary Jane Farmer reba-2-8x10-name

Reba McEntire has to be one of the most gracious ladies in country music — following (or maybe even leading) the old-fashioned footsteps of other classics singers including her peers Tanya Tucker and Emmylou Harris, people who were raised with country values such as kindness, hard work, and honesty. Reba exhibited these plus her own unique sense of humor and incredible music style when she and her 8-piece band took the Grand Theater stage at Choctaw Casino in Durant, Nov.26.

Gracious to the nth-degree, Reba (and it’s just almost impossible to call her by her last name, which would be in better keeping with good journalism.) Reba introduced her mother Jackie, her brother Pake, and her sister Alice, all of whom were in the audience. Sister Susie didn’t make this concert, but had accompanied Reba to a major event in her honor in Denison several weeks before, where the two of them later joined the Thursday night musicians at Loose Wheels Texas for a few songs.

Gilley’s staff, aka Gilley Girls, threw t-shirts out into the sold-out audience before the Reba concert.

Once, Reba commented to a reporter that when she goes to hear her favorite musicians in concerts, she likes to hear their classic hits along with the newer songs they have out. That’s exactly what Reba gave her audience – a good listen to her many, many hits sprinkled with a few destined to also become classics.

The next show in the Grand Theater will be on Dec.9 when regional favorite Aaron Watson takes the stage. Click on the Choctaw Casinos link above to go into that Website, then follow the links to get to the Grand Theater upcoming line-up along with finding how who is performing at Gilley’s and at the Parrot Bar.