As a child, Reba McEntire did not experience affection from her “cowboy” father as she had hoped. Fortunately, at a much older age, the singer decided to be an exceptional parent, bonding deeply with her only son, despite being loved by many worldwide.

Reba McEntire, dubbed the queen of country, with millions of record sales and awards, was once a little girl who learned to sing from her mother and struggled to earn her father’s attention.

On March 28, 1955, Clark Vincent and Jacqueline Smith McEntire welcomed their third child, Reba, who grew up with her other sibling on the family’s Oklahoma ranch.

Reba McEntire in Los Angeles, California on February 11, 2007 | Source: Getty Images

The McEntire family involved their children in their passions. Her father, Clark, who inherited his father’s steer roper talent and wanted to be known as a “champion cowboy,” won the World Championship a few times and had his family’s support.

Apart from traveling to various destinations to watch him compete, Reba also picked an interest in barrel racing competitions and was an active performer from age 11 to 21.

Her mother, Jacqueline, a former schoolteacher and secretary to the superintendent of Kiowa High School, had fantasized about being a successful country singer, so she taught her kids to harmonize, and they eventually formed a band.

Reba had ways of absorbing different talents and was excited to show them off. At age five, she had already honed her singing skills, yet she engaged in barrel racing and basketball.

Amid her abilities, she craved attention mostly from her cowboy dad, who never told his children he loved them. Reba recalled:

“I was the third of four kids… I was in the middle. I had to fight for attention.”

With her voice, she succeeded in getting noticed. Clark realized his daughter’s singing voice was exceptional, so he asked why she distracted herself with other interests.

The singer remembered him saying, “Reba, why do you always want to do something you’re not good at?” To her, this was the best attention she had ever received from the steer roper.

Though Clark proved tough and barely showed affection to his kids, he worked closely with his wife to raise successful children by teaching them core values.

The Country music icon affirmed that some of her background values had remained a part of her personality. She was raised to honor promises and promptness.

But despite being raised in a united family, Reba did not quite enjoy a long-lasting marriage like her parents. After eleven years of marriage, the “The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter” singer fell in and out of love with his first husband, Charlie Battles.

Battles was a national steer-wrestling champion, and together with his former wife, he had lived on their ranch near Stringtown, Oklahoma.

Shortly after their divorce, Reba moved on with Narvel Blackstock, her manager and music business associate of nine years. They married on Lake Tahoe and started a family after welcoming their only child, Shelby Blackstock.

Many fans found the divorce a bitter pill to swallow; they complained that Reba had behaved contrary to the family-oriented image she had portrayed for years.

The “Read My Mind” star confirmed that the critics did not understand her plight, adding that her sincerity with the public made her appear untrustworthy.

Reba McEntire and Narvel Blackstock on September 5, 2014 in Florence, Italy | Source: Getty Images

But what bothered her was that fans used her songs as an excuse to remain in marriages. Reba unapologetically advised women not to dispense domestic loyalty because of her—she only strived to be responsible for her personal affairs.

The queen of country music had the perfect marriage with Narvel until 2016 when the celebrity couple shocked the world by announcing their divorce.

Neither party revealed the reasons for their split, but Reba assured fans that divorcing her husband of twenty-six years was not her idea. She said:

“The divorce was not my idea. I didn’t want it in any shape, form, or fashion. So it was really hard to make the adjustment.”

Despite the difficulty, she pulled through thanks to her fantastic team and faith. Since her 2016 divorce, she has focused on other things, including her career and motherhood.

Reba McEntire’s Motherhood with Her Only Child, Shelby

In her early years, the former Oklahoma cowgirl turned successful singer had quite a busy career involving touring and working late into the night. Although she felt fulfilled with having platinum albums and international fame, she also yearned for motherhood.

Even as a doting mother, while playing card games with her son, she never allowed him to win. Reba emphasized that she wanted him to be likable and not a spoiled brat.

At first, Reba never believed she could handle both simultaneously and still be fulfilled. But following her first divorce, she hoped to become a mother with her second husband.

The singer described her pregnancy with her son Shelby as the “greatest thing” she had ever experienced. It also happened at the right time, when she was concluding her 1989 tour.

In addition to having her wish, the singer was blessed with lots of help—she had hands-on nannies. However, she would still sacrifice time to be with her only child. Reba would fly home after concerts just to take her son to school and return to pick him up.

But while Reba always longed to be with him, was always generous with her emotions around him, she still toughened him up. Even as a doting mother, while playing card games with her son, she never allowed him to win. Reba emphasized that she wanted him to be likable and not a spoiled brat.

This did not stop her though from expressing her feelings—a luxury she never got from her father. Today, Reba and Shelby are as thick as thieves. She once confidently talked about their relationship, revealing:

“Shelby is a gift from God. We’re very close.”

Unlike his parents, Shelby’s interest has always been in car racing (even though he was surrounded by music and once joined his mother on stage).

However, he has been assured of his mother’s love and belief in him through the years. Reba loves to attend his games, but watching her son race in those fast-paced cars makes her nervous.

Reba McEntire’s Bond with Her Married Son

Besides being the son of a famous country singer, Shelby is a 33-year-old, happily married race car driver. The younger Blackstock married his beloved wife, Marissa Branch, in 2022, and they live in Nashville. But his relationship with his mother has remained intact.

Reba, who is in a relationship with Rex Linn and is working on the NBC drama with him, still keeps in touch with her married son. The singer claimed she is a regular visitor at his home. In her words:

“Shelby and Marissa are very busy with their jobs, but when I do get to go home to Nashville, we have brunch or a dinner and see them.”

This reunion often includes fun-packed activities like an annual cook-off, gala date night, Christmas holidays, and birthday celebrations, all of which Shelby delights in sharing with his fans online.

Reba raised her child her own way without discarding the values she learned from her parents. Instead, she was inspired to be a better parent, showing and expressing her affections as often as possible.