Search - Reba Mcentire :: Reba #1's

Exceptional Artist, Exceptional Career and Exceptional Value

C. Crooks | Salt Lake City | 11/22/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This amazing album represents the best of an amazing career which spans more than 30 years. It is an exceptional value because you receive almost 3 hours of music for the price of one disc.



It will take you on a trek through three decades of one country music. Not only do you see how Reba has progressed and changed, you also get a glimpse of the progression of country music. Reba may not be the mainstay of country music that she once was, but she will go down as one of the most influential artist in the genres history.



This disc is full of memorable songs, that you may not have heard in quite some time, but will transform you to another place in time. It is worth the price, by far, and would be a welcomed gift to any country music fan, even if they have not purchased any of her recent efforts, or even if they have never purchased one of her albums.

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Best Reba Collection, includes several hits that didn't reac

James E. Bagley | Sanatoga, PA USA | 11/23/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Despite its title, not all of the recordings on this two-disc, 35 track set made it to number one. After including her first two chart-toppers on the Mercury label, the main selection criteria seemed to be to incorporate at least one single from all of her subsequent MCA albums, regardless of their chart peak (for instance, "Ring On Her Finger, Time On Her Hands," from the Starting Over album of cover tunes is found here, even though it barely knicked the top 10).



Given the leniency in assembling tracks, they should have included Reba's remake of Bobbie Gentry's "Fancy." Although it only hit #8 on the Billboard charts, it frequently tops fan polls asking for their favorite Reba single or video. The omitted AIDS saga "She Thinks His Name Was John" has also remained one of Reba's most memorable recordings (in spite of peaking outside the country chart top 10).



There are also two new tracks on this set for the Reba fan who already owns all of her prior hits. "You're Gonna Be" is a touching tale of a mother offering encouragement to her child while "Love Needs A Holiday" is a catchy romp depicting a married couple's need for some time to themselves. Both are first-rate.



Over the past twenty years, Reba has reigned as the most successful female country artist at radio and retail. Her evolution from jilted sob sister on early hits such as "Somebody Should Leave" and "The Last One To Know" to independent woman on more recent recordings like "Is There Life Out There" and "I'm A Survivor" has been impressive, and a hefty box set covering all of Reba's Mercury and MCA singles will surely prove to be one of country music's most essential retrospectives someday. For now, #1s serves as a strong Reba sampler.

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Reba is being smart.......let me explain!

Reba Fan | Charlotte, NC | 07/02/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Now I must agree to some extent that we really don't need a reminder that Reba is still a viable performer. It's pretty obvious considering her illustrious career. However, I can see why Reba took this route. In a span of 30 years, Reba has gone from being strictly a name familiar to country music fans and has become a household name. Gone are the days of big hair, ridiculous clothing and corny dance sequences, which I honestly found entertaining. What remains is her untarnished vocal ability.....My point is that there are lots of people who do not have a clue about her material and by doing a summary album i.e. #1's, it has allowed her to establish to everyone that she is capable of successfully crossing-over. Furthermore, it gives newbies a chance to get a grasp of what this lady is about. As most people know, nobody can make fluff resonate quite like her. I mean the lady could take a paper cut, sing a song about it and make it a hit. Personally, I think it was wise to let everyone know that she's more than just a simple country girl singer. I imagine it is very hard to span 30 years and still be capable of reaching the platinum mark, so she did what I would do in the same situation. It's not always about being fresh, it's about sales and reaching new fans too. I am excited about the new duets album coming out and her cover of Barbara Mandrell's "Country When Country Wasn't Cool" with Kenny Chesney. I think that Reba #1's successfully kept Reba from falling out of the music industry. I truly believe it will help her to continue her reign as the Queen of Melodramatic Heartbreak, which is what I believe Reba does best......"