Reba McEntire’s 1977 Opry Debut Wasn’t Short Of Surprises

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Country Queen Reba McEntire made her debut at the Grand Ole Opry on Sept. 17, 1977. At just 22 years old, Reba fulfilled her lifelong dream of performing on the iconic stage she held since her first visit to the Opry when she was was only seven. 

McEntire performed a moving cover of Roger Miller’s “Invitation to the Blues” which was featured on her self-titled debut album. Her family traveled hundreds of miles from Oklahoma to the iconic Nashville stage to witness her performance, not yet knowing just how big of a star she would end up becoming. However, her family may have just gotten a clue to how big of a star Reba was transforming into when none other than Dolly Parton showed up. 

“Dolly came walking in, and she was like a vision,” McEntire tells Nashville’s Tennessean. “It was worth the drive from Oklahoma just to see Dolly.”

McEntire became an official member of the Grand Ole Opry nine years later in 1986 in a special televised event in honor of the Opry 60th anniversary and performs at the famed stage any chance her strenuous schedule allows.

“The Grand Ole Opry is home,” she says. “It’s a family. It’s like a family reunion, when you come back and get to see everybody.”

McEntire was set to perform a second song of Patsy Cline’s “Sweet Dreams” but was unable to due to Parton’s surprise performance and finally lived out her dream of performing the iconic song at the 1987 CMA Awards ten years later. 

You can watch Reba’s enchanting performance of Patsy Cline’s “Sweet Dreams” in the video below!