When Reba did country

Alan Shank · Post by **Alan Shank** » 26 Jul 2000 12:37 pm

Remember when Reba sang real country music? In 1985 she recorded "Have I Got a Deal for You," for MCA records (MCAD 31109 & MCAC 39319) For my money, side 1 of this album is one of the great sides of modern country music ever recorded. The arrangements are great, with some excellent instrumental breaks and fantastic backup, particularly from Weldon Myricks on steel and Johnnny Gimble on fiddle. Emory Gordy played bass, Matt Batten drums and Larry Byron, Reggie Young and Billy Joe Walker all played guitars. The producer was Jimmy Bowen. I got this info from the AMG All-Music Guide Web site.

"I'm in Love All Over" is an up-tempo rocker with some hot picking.
"She's Single Again" is a classic honky-tonk song, with some neat guitar/steel unison riffs. Compare this arrangement to Janie Fricke's pop version of the same song. This is just a matter of preference, but for me this just blows Janie away completely.
"The Great Divide" is an early Reba tear-jerker, with the steel guitar crying along with her.
"Have I Got a Deal For You" is a swing tune, with an awesome fiddle solo.
"Red Roses" is a slow, sad country lament, also with great fiddle and steel backup.

Needless to say, Reba was one Heeeeeeeel of a country singer. BTW, she sang "Right or Wrong" on a recent Asleep at the Wheel album ("Ride with Bob"); she can still do it. (The Dixie Chicks did "Roly Poly.")

The other side is OK, but when I play side 1, I'm in Country Heaven!!

I don't know whether this album is still available or not, but I highly recommend it to anyone who likes "New Traditional" country.

Cheers,
Alan Shank

Dean Dobbins · Post by **Dean Dobbins** » 26 Jul 2000 5:01 pm

Sorry, but that ain't Reba's country.
Songs like "Is This How It Is When It's Over"
and "Sombody Should Leave", and a couple more
that I can't think of at the moment, was
Reba's real country records.
I think most of those recordings were in-
cluded in her first album.
Anything after, is pure Las Vegas crap!
Of course, not taking anything away from
the lady's talent, I just wish wish she'd get
away from the smoke-bombs, and strobe lights,
and get to really (not going by the philosophy, that why sing one note, when
fifteen will do just fine) singing, like we all know she can.
Just my opinion,

------------------
Dino

Jerry Hayes · Post by **Jerry Hayes** » 26 Jul 2000 6:00 pm

I don't know if you'd consider it country or not but Reba recorded one of my favorite songs of all time called "The Greatest Man I Never Knew". Every time I hear it it makes me want to cry as it reminds me so much of my dad. I also liked the duet she did with Vince Gill of "Oklahoma Swing".

------------------
Have a good 'un! JH U-12

Louie Hallford · Post by **Louie Hallford** » 26 Jul 2000 7:54 pm

If you want to hear Reba sing real country(No way do I consider this album over produced) get a copy of her 1984 album"My Kind Of Country" .It was released on MCA

This is Reba at her best,not a bad song on it and with a lot of good steel from Sonny Garrish and Doyle Grisham.

This is right up there with some of the Connie Smith things.

Alan Shank · Post by **Alan Shank** » 26 Jul 2000 9:25 pm

IIRC, "Is This How It Is When It's Over" was on a very early album that had mostly crap on it other than that song. It was a good one, though. I certainly disagree that "Have I Got a Deal for You" is "Las Vegas crap." Have you listened to it? The side I "reviewed" does not seem to me to be at all "over-produced." I think there's nothing but steel, fiddle, guitars, bass and drums on it.

I have "My Kind of Country," and it's another of my favorite Reba albums. Has a couple of Patsy Cline songs on it.

Cheers,
Alan Shank

Billy Johnson · Post by **Billy Johnson** » 26 Jul 2000 11:42 pm

I liked her best when a sang a 1 syllable word, with 1 syllable.

Alan Shank · Post by **Alan Shank** » 27 Jul 2000 7:41 am

OK, I checked the discography on the AMG All Music Guide Web site. She did an album on Mercury called "Reba McEntire" in 1977, whith which I'm not familiar. The review on that page said it was more-or-less traditional sounding. I may buy it.

She did a couple more, then "Heart to Heart," in 1981 contained "Today All Over Again" and a lot of pop stuff. That's the first one I own. 1982's "Unlimited" had "You're the First Time I Thought about Leaving," which someone mentioned and "I'm Not That Lonely Yet."

In 1984 she went to MCA from Mercury and did "Just a Little Love," which I'm not familiar with, then "Have I Got a Deal for You," "Reba Nell McEntire" (ugh!) and "My Kind of Country" (1986). At this point, she was one of my favorite country artists. I saw her live and she was great!

Her next two albums, both still in '86, were "Whoever's in New England" and "What Am I Going to Do about You," which really, to me, defined a new direction for her. Many of these were the overly dramatic, "soap-opera" songs that have become her trademark. The next time I went to see her live, in the Oakland Arena, she did about 3 costume changes. The only country-sounding stuff she did was a medley of the "early stuff," after which the steel and fiddle players might just as well have left the stage. I walked out before the end and haven't bought any Reba since.

Cheers,
Alan Shank

Huey Moore · Post by **Huey Moore** » 27 Jul 2000 8:00 am

I liked Reba best when she didnt twist her mouth up like a mule's a** to get her words out....Sam

------------------
Sam

Jeff Evans · Post by **Jeff Evans** » 27 Jul 2000 9:17 am

Alan: You can listen to some of those titles you mention at cdnow, for example.

A rough rule of thumb for her music is: the best stuff was generally done when she had a last name--before the transiton to the pretentious one-name-only. [groan]
----------
Jeff

Alan Shank · Post by **Alan Shank** » 27 Jul 2000 11:41 am

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>
I like the one Reba did, "I Want to Hear it From You." I believe it was an old Price tune, but she did a great job on it. I also had the opportunity to put it on my album, and have Gregg Galbraith do the guitar part on it--Gregg did the guitar part for Reba on that song.

"The Fiddlist,"
Jeneé <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
That one was on the "My Kind of Country" album so Louie referred to, an excellent set also.
Cheers,
Alan Shank

Fred Ermentrout · Post by **Fred Ermentrout** » 27 Jul 2000 7:25 pm

I agree with dixieflyer and to take that a step further let's just say she never met a syllable she didn't like.

C Dixon · Post by **C Dixon** » 28 Jul 2000 4:44 am

My wife has the best description of Reba's singing I ever heard. She says, "Reba looks like a cow chewing its cud!" And the sad part of it is, after Reba started that obnoxious singing habit, other stars like Lori Morgan picked up on it too.

Sad. Very sad!

And I have to go a long with Dean Dobbins on this one. While she did sing some country, most was never and is not country IMHO. She like sooooo many more go the pop route and turn their backs on what "brung 'em to the dance!"

This yelling, hollering, bellering form of singing that she, Faith Hill, Martina and others do is a far "cry" from country I believe.

God bless true country music,

carl [This message was edited by C Dixon on 28 July 2000 at 05:46 AM.]

Steve B · Post by **Steve B** » 28 Jul 2000 7:54 am

"I know what I like, like Fritos." Thats her best work yet

Jeff Evans · Post by **Jeff Evans** » 28 Jul 2000 9:37 am

This yelling, hollering, bellering...

Obviously, you're a smitten fan, Carl. Quit being so generous with your praise.

[This message was edited by Jeff Evans on 28 July 2000 at 10:39 AM.]

C Dixon · Post by **C Dixon** » 28 Jul 2000 9:47 am

Peter Dollard · Post by **Peter Dollard** » 31 Jul 2000 5:56 am

Rebas first top ten record "Can't Even Get The Blues"(Summer of 83) showed where her true intentions were; if that wasn't a "Pop" inspired record I can't think of one. Her course became firmly "Pop" with "Whoever's in New England"(although Weldon played some nice E-Bow steel on it). Since then she could care less about the state of country music.Peter.

BJ Bailey · Post by **BJ Bailey** » 31 Jul 2000 1:44 pm

Thats for sure she ain't country no more

kyle reid · Post by **kyle reid** » 31 Jul 2000 2:22 pm

Where she went wrong was when she tried that Aretha Crap!

gene brown · Post by **gene brown** » 2 Aug 2000 7:15 pm

On her c.d. Oklahoma girl Reba does the best recording of Invation to the blues you will ever hear. When she was with Red Stegal she did some real good country. Snuffy Elmore on fiddle, James Wood on steel.

Smiley Roberts · Post by **Smiley Roberts** » 3 Aug 2000 2:01 am

When Reba sang "Country"?? I'm sorry,I can't remember that far back

------------------
<pre> ~ ~
©¿© ars longa,
mm vita brevis
-=sr€=-</pre>

Bill Cunningham · Post by **Bill Cunningham** » 8 Aug 2000 2:31 am

A great country singer, just look back through this thread at the songs! Granted she has taken on a more pop style.

One of the most memorable concerts I have ever seen was when she introduced her band and they played a medley of Four Wheel Drive, Sugar Foot Rag, and OBS! Donny Lavalley on steel. Where is he now? It was one of the tightest bands I've seen. Unlike some of the greats who put on sloppy shows.

Bill C.

------------------
Carter D-10 8+9, BCT, TPPP

Dayna Wills · Post by **Dayna Wills** » 8 Aug 2000 11:11 pm

Hi, First off, nobody does that Aretha crap like Aretha.
I was driving somewhere in Texas when I heard a gal singing something like Pick me up on your way down. I didn't even recognize it as Reba. Must have been an early recording cause she sang it straight and very well.
I didn't care for her version of Right or Wrong with the Wheel. I thought Jason Roberts' version of End of the Line was one of the hotter tunes on the CD.

------------------