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Being Reba
I guess you could say I lived and breathed Dolly Parton. But sooner or later, I had to break away from copying her and learn to be Reba. That was the hardest thing.In high school, we had a country-western band, and Mama would get after me. She'd say, "Reba, there's only one Dolly Parton. You've got to find your own style of singing. Dolly would be the first to tell you that."
Mama was right. You can still hear a lot of Dolly on my first records, but I worked hard to get her sound out of my voice. It was impossible to get her entirely out of my thoughts, though -- especially when it came to the way I dressed. I'd always heard Dolly say she wanted stuff that was shiny, so I wanted shiny stuff too. I even hired her designer, Tony Chase, to create clothes for me. He made me dresses that were all rhinestones and sequins, beaded from top to bottom. And guess what? It didn't work. It just wasn't me. Like my mama told me, Dolly wouldn't have worn something she wasn't comfortable in either.
When it comes down to it, I guess I'm a lot more like Annie Oakley than Dolly, and it took some time, and a lot of trial and error, to realize how to dress like my own self.
For years, I had people telling me what to wear. I would go with what they said, but when I walk out in front of somebody, if I'm not comfortable, I'm inhibited. If I put on clothes that I feel sassy and spunky in, the at-ease Reba comes out. Then I'm at my best.
So now I have my own style and know what I like. I like bright colors, nothing that emphasizes my stomach, none of those big bold prints for a skirt and a jacket.
And, still following Dolly a little, I've turned my style into a business -- a clothing line called Reba. I worked hard to get the line right, making sure things don't pinch and bind, and, yes, I would wear everything in it. I don't want to be performing one day and feel like I want to cringe when somebody in the front row stands up and says, "Hey, I'm wearing Reba."
But back to Dolly. She can be a real cutup; the first time I called her on the phone, she answered and said, "Is this really Reba McEntire or some squirrel who thinks she's Reba McEntire?" Well, I am the real Reba. Even if it took me a little while, I finally know who Reba is. Just between us, though, I'm also still Dolly's biggest fan.
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