Reba McEntire Admits the Truth About One Country Icon — “I Never Realized How Different We Really Are”.LC
Reba McEntire and Miranda Lambertare two of country music’s most beloved stars, both celebrated for their incredible talent and contributions to the genre. Yet, when it comes to how they handle award season, their attitudes couldn’t be more different.
In a recent interview with Esquire, McEntire opened up about the surprising difference between her and Lambert’s approach to winning awards. While Lambert has a “share the wealth” kind of outlook, McEntire reveals she’s always driven to win.
“I’m very competitive,” McEntire admits. “I get a No. 1 record, I want another No. 1 record. I win an award, I want another one.”
McEntire assumed most of her fellow country artists shared this competitive spirit. That’s why she was taken aback during a backstage conversation with Lambert at an awards show.
“I’ll never forget Miranda Lambert coming up to me when she was nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year after she’d already won it, and I said, ‘Good luck, Miranda,'” McEntire recalls. “She said, ‘Oh, I already won, it’s time for somebody else.'”
“What person lets that come out of their mouth? I was shocked,” she says. “I thought everybody was just like me.”
Although they have different views on awards, Lambert and McEntire have collaborated creatively. Most recently, the two joined forces with Lainey Wilson to record the song “Trailblazer,” which they debuted at the 2025 ACM Awards.
Is Reba McEntire Engaged?
Outside of music, there’s exciting news in McEntire’s personal life. The country icon recently announced her engagement to actor Rex Linn, her partner since 2020.
The engagement was first revealed on the red carpet at the Emmy Awards on Sunday, September 14, when an E! News reporter referred to them as fiancés. McEntire and Linn later confirmed the news to People.
Back in 2023, McEntire hinted she was open to marriage, but wanted Linn to take the lead. “That would be up to him,” McEntire said on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen. “I’ve been married twice. He’s never been married. So, if he wants to [get married], that’s totally up to him.”
This story was originally reported by Parade on Sep 18, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
