She remembers it like it was yesterday. Reba McEntire and her sister Susie sitting on the banks of a pond in southeastern Oklahoma.
Fishing poles in hand, the two would sing “Jesus Loves Me,” and wait for the fish to bite. In between singing and giggling, their Grandma Smith would tell them Bible stories. The country music legend vividly remembers hearing about Jonah being swallowed up by the whale.
“That gets your attention,” McEntire recalled, laughing. “The whale, that was something else, like, ‘Really, how did that happen?’ God’s always been in my life. Angels have always been in my life. It’s just the way of life for me.”
Following her 2015 divorce from husband Narvel Blackstock, McEntire knew the only place her heart needed to be was with God. The two had been married for more than 25 years, and leaning on her faith, she pressed into her relationship with the Lord and figured out quickly what her next steps were.
McEntire began recording her new album, Sing It Now: Songs of Faith & Hope. The 22-track album is a mix of gospel classics and new songs, like “Back to God.”
“The project is so special because it illustrates the strength of Reba, taking a chance and singing with a purposeful conviction like never before,” said Jim Weatherson, General Manager of Nash Icon Records.