Remember When: Reba McEntire Caused a Scandal at the CMA Awards With Her Revealing Red Dress

Reba McEntire recalls reaction to scandalously low-cut 1993 CMA Awards gown: 'Did you have that dress on backwards?'

All eyes were on Reba McEntire by the time she hit the red carpet of the 27th annual CMA Awards at the Grand Ole Opry in 1993. Backstage, Kris Kristofferson even stopped to tell McEntire “Wow, you look beautiful tonight” before she stepped on stage to perform her hit “Does He Love You?” with Linda Davis.

Designed by Sandi Spika Borchetta, executive vice president of creative at Big Machine Label Group, McEntire thought the dress was a little too low cut at first but was assured it was “just the lighting.” When she walked, she heard the audience gasp and thought “Oh this is good.”

McEntire’s sister Susie was sitting with her mother in the audience when she walked out. “Momma just grabbed her arm and said ‘Oh Susie,’” said McEntire. “So I sang the song. Here comes Linda Davis and she does her part. After the show, we go back to the office to meet up with Mom and Daddy and everybody. Daddy comes over to me and says ‘Reba did you have that dress on backwards?’ So I guess it was a little low.”

Compared to what artists wear today, McEntire says her red dress was “granny stuff” at the time. “Back then I was pretty straight-laced,” said McEntire. “I’m sure it shocked everybody that I would [wear] a low dress. It was pretty scandalous for me.”

She added, “Everybody was just surprised. I don’t think anybody burned my records or anything.”

1991 Plane Crash

Just two years before McEntire wore the shocking red dress, she performed on the CMA Awards, months after a tragic plane crash on March 16, 1991, killed seven members of her band and crew, her longtime tour manager Jim Hammon, pilot Donald Holms, and co-pilot Chris Hollinger.

In tribute to those she lost in the accident, McEntire performed her song “For My Broken Heart” at the CMAs. That evening then-President George H.W. Bush attended, the only president to attend a CMA awards ceremony.

“Sandi Spika worked her fingers to the bone to make me the most beautiful outfits that night and I felt like Cinderella,” recalled McEntire of the white ball gown she wore at the 1991 awards ceremony. “I think it was her effort to get me out of the depression and the loss that we had. And it did help tremendously. And then to have the president there and Mrs. Bush, what an honor for country music. It was a very special night.”

The 2018 ACM Awards

Remember When: Reba McEntire Caused a Scandal at the CMA Awards With Her Revealing Red Dress - American Songwriter

McEntire never regretted wearing the red dress in ’93 and said she still owns it to this day. “I didn’t win an award,” she said, “but I did make the front page of the paper the next day.”

On April 15, 2018, McEntire hosted the 53rd annual ACM Awards and pulled the dress out of the closet for the ceremony at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“I was really wanting to wear this dress again one of these days,” said McEntire at the ACMs. “And 25 years later, here I am.”

Photo: Reba McEntire performs onstage during the 53rd Academy of Country Music Awards on April 15, 2018, in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Emma Mcintyre/ACMA2018/Getty Images for ACM)