With a contract to Mercury Records (1975), McEntire began her professional career singing heavily pop-influenced ballads, a far cry from the neotraditionalist movement she would help lead a few years later.
"I Don't Want To Be A One Night Stand" became her first charting single in 1976. Her first Top 10 hit "(You Lift Me) Up to Heaven" followed four years later, and in 1982 she scored her first #1 hit with "Can't Even Get The Blues."
Frustrated at her limited commercial success, McEntire left Mercury and signed with MCA Records in 1984. 1984's "Just A Little Love" wasn't much different form her Mercury material and was only moderately successful. However, another album followed later that same year, titled "My Kind of Country." This was a return-to-roots record, complete with fiddles and steel. It was comprised largely of covers of classic country songs, as well as original songs such as "How Blue" and the Harlan Howard-penned "Somebody Should Leave", both of which reached #1 on the Billboard country singles chart.
In the early 1990s McEntire expanded her audience by adopting a softer, more pop-oriented sound. She became one of the best-selling country artists of all time, releasing three volumes of greatest hits collections.
Since that first #1 hit in 1982, she's forked out 21 more chartbusters, which are all recapped on "Reba #1s" released on November 22nd, 2005. The 2-disc compilation features all 22 number one singles (according to Billboard magazine) in chronological order, including two new tracks "You're Gonna Be" and "Love Needs A Holiday." "Reba #1s" also contains 11 singles that reached the #1 spot in publications other than Billboard.
She won the Female Vocalist of the Year award from the Country Music Association four times in a row (a record she holds with Martina McBride), and had dozens of Top Ten hits during the 80s. For her contribution to the recording industry, Reba McEntire has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7000 Hollywood Blvd. In 1995, she was inducted into the Western Performers Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
She is one of only six solo women (others include Shania Twain, Barbara Mandrell, Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, and Taylor Swift), to win the Country Music Association's highest honor, "Entertainer Of The Year". McEntire continued to hit the charts through the 2000s, as well as appearing in television and film, most notably Tremors, a cult horror movie series, Forever Love, and One Night at McCool's. She also starred as Annie Oakley in Annie Get Your Gun on Broadway, receiving critical acclaim.
From 2001 to 2007, Reba starred in the hit WB television show, Reba (with Texan actor Christopher Rich as her philandering ex-husband), even getting a visit from fellow country star Dolly Parton who played Reba's character's supervisor at a real estate firm.
State Of Grace
Reba McEntire Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For thirteen years she punched that clock
Ten weeks without a day off
She never gave it too much thought
'Til one morning in the mirror
Two new lines opened her eyes
And suddenly it hit her
She still had wings to fly
Attention blue-light shoppers
Two for one on broken chains
That's the state of grace
It's the weak made strong
It's finding what you're missing
Was right there all along
It's an open road
To a better place
It's a life worth living
In a state of grace
Grace cleaned out her bank account
Bought a beat up camper truck
Turned her pink slip in to personnel
And tore her time card up
As she drove away she wondered
What New York City would be like
Would the stars really keep you up
On a clear desert night
With a front seat full of road maps
To help her lose her way
That's the state of grace
It's the weak made strong
It's finding what you're missing
Was right there all along
It's an open road
To a better place
It's a life worth living
In a state of grace
Grace knew when she looked up
There wouldn't be a sky
If the dreams we've been given
Weren't supposed to fly
The song "State of Grace" by Reba McEntire tells the story of a woman named Grace who has been working at K-Mart for 13 years without ever taking a day off. One day, she notices new lines on her face in the mirror, and it causes her to realize that there is more to life than just her job. Grace decides to take a chance on her dreams and leaves her job behind to travel the open road in a beat-up camper truck. The song is about finding the courage to take risks and follow your heart, even when it's scary or uncertain.
The lyrics are a reminder that life is about more than just the daily grind, and that sometimes we have to take risks to truly live. The imagery of the road maps and the open road is a symbol of the journey that Grace is taking to find herself and discover what truly makes her happy. Even though she doesn't know what the future holds, she's willing to take a chance and see where the road takes her. The song is ultimately about finding freedom, and the courage to pursue your dreams.
Line by Line Meaning
Grace worked at the K-Mart
Grace has been employed for thirteen years at K-Mart
For thirteen years she punched that clock
Grace has been very punctual for thirteen years by using the timecard system
Ten weeks without a day off
Grace did not take a single day off for ten weeks
She never gave it too much thought
Grace never found a need to think about or assess her job and life
'Til one morning in the mirror
Grace had an epiphany while looking at herself in the mirror one morning
Two new lines opened her eyes
The wrinkles on Grace's face made her realize that life is fleeting
And suddenly it hit her
Grace suddenly came to a realization that life is short
She still had wings to fly
Grace still had enough time to pursue her dreams
Attention blue-light shoppers
An announcement to the shoppers to draw their attention to the good on sale
Two for one on broken chains
A sale offering two broken chains for the price of one
That's the state of grace
This is an illustration of what the 'state of grace' is
It's the weak made strong
'State of Grace' is synonymous with the phrase 'from rags to riches'
It's finding what you're missing
'State of Grace' is about realizing the need for change
Was right there all along
What someone is missing has been around them for a long time
It's an open road
'State of Grace' speaks to the freedom that comes from making a change
To a better place
The end destination is a better place, typically referring to a more satisfactory life
It's a life worth living
The benefits of the 'state of grace' make life worth living
In a state of grace
This is the final step, where one can reap the benefits of their hard work and be at peace
Grace cleaned out her bank account
Grace withdrew the entirety of her life savings
Bought a beat-up camper truck
Grace used that money to buy an old trailer truck
Turned her pink slip in to personnel
Grace gave her resignation notice to the personnel at K-Mart
And tore her time card up
Grace destroyed the timecard that symbolized her thirteen years of service
As she drove away she wondered
Grace contemplated her future while she was driving away from her old life
What New York City would be like
Grace was curious about the big city of New York
Would the stars really keep you up
Grace contemplated whether the bright city lights would make it difficult to fall asleep at night
On a clear desert night
A hypothetical starry night in an empty desert
With a front seat full of road maps
Grace packed her truck with roadmaps to help her navigate on her journey
To help her lose her way
These roadmaps would help Grace when she got lost on her journey
Grace knew when she looked up
Grace knew that the only way was up
There wouldn't be a sky
If there were no dreams and aspirations, the sky would have no purpose
If the dreams we've been given
Dreams are innate, given to someone without their own choice
Weren't supposed to fly
Dreams are not just supposed to be kept inside of someone - they are meant to be achieved
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Round Hill Music Big Loud Songs
Written by: LISA A DREW, TREY BRUCE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind