Reba McEntire was already well into her career as a country music singer by the time she was formally inducted into the Grand Ole Opry on Jan. 17, 1986. Her induction came nearly a decade after her first appearance on the hallowed stage, and the night was not without controversy.
McEntire’s induction took place on a night that marked a special milestone for the Opry. She joined the cast of the country music institution during a televised broadcast celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Grand Ole Opry, and while it was the realization of a lifelong dream for the country superstar, it was a difficult evening for another leading light of the genre.
As the Boot reports, classic country star Hank Snow bowed out of his planned appearance after the show’s producers asked him to limit his performance of “I’m Moving On” to one verse.
McEntire’s triumphant evening came nine years after her first-ever appearance on the Grand Ole Opry on Sept. 17, 1977. That evening also had a couple of glitches; McEntire was not well-known at the time, and when she got to the venue, an Opry guard refused to admit her backstage when he couldn’t find her name on his list. McEntire had to call her booking agent on a pay phone to get the situation corrected in time to perform.
She sang a cover of Roger Miller’s “Invitation to the Blues,” and she had planned to sing a second song before Dolly Parton showed up to perform by surprise, which resulted in McEntire’s second song getting cut to make room.
McEntire says the Opry is still one of her favorite places.
“The Grand Ole Opry is a home,” she states. “It’s a family. It’s like a family reunion, when you come back and get to see everybody.”
See Inside Reba McEntire’s California Estate:
PICTURES: See Inside Reba McEntire’s Stunning $5 Million Nashville Mansion
Reba McEntire lived the good life in a spectacular waterfront mansion outside of Nashville, which she sold in 2017. The property boasts seven bedrooms, five full bathrooms, a chef’s kitchen, home theater, wine room, eight-car garage, pool, guest house, barn and more top-dollar luxuries.
Gallery Credit: Sterling Whitaker
Sterling Whitaker is a Senior Writer and Senior Editor for Taste of Country. He focuses on celebrity real estate, as well as coverage of Yellowstone and related shows like 1883 and 1923. He’s interviewed cast members including Cole Hauser, Kelly Reilly, Sam Elliott and Harrison Ford, and Whitaker is also known for his in-depth interviews with country legends including Don Henley, Rodney Crowell, Trace Adkins, Ronnie Milsap, Ricky Skaggs and more.
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