Superstar Reba McEntire performed two nights at Parx Casino’s Xcite Center
By Samantha Bambino
The Times
The legendary Reba McEntire (finally) traded in her Colonel Sanders duds for something more befitting of country music’s spitfire queen. Sleekly styled in a black sequined top, the 15-time Grammy nominee graced Bensalem for a two-night residency at Parx Casino’s Xcite Center on Friday, April 27, and Saturday, April 28.
Both evenings saw a sold-out venue jam-packed with diehard fans of all ages vying to show the multi-talented star some love. Grown men proudly sported T-shirts emblazoned with McEntire’s smiling face while every red-haired female in the crowd attempted to replicate her signature bangs and flip.
On Saturday, McEntire kicked the concert off with Going Out Like That, a powerful anthem for anyone seeking strength and confidence after a breakup, followed by Love Revival. Without missing a beat, she then performed a seamless medley of The Fear of Being Alone, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, Walk On, Can’t Even Get the Blues, Little Rock, One Promise Too Late and Respect. Already nearly 10 songs into her setlist, the night was only getting started.
For close to two hours, the 63-year old was a poised ball of nonstop energy. It takes a special kind of artist to stand still for the majority of a show and still command a stage, but McEntire executed it flawlessly. Each song was sung with such an unbridled passion and honesty, it felt as though a favorite aunt was fondly reminiscing on stories from years past.
McEntire kept things moving with Whoever’s in New England before transitioning to Back to God, a track off her first gospel album Sing It Now: Songs of Faith and Hope, which was released last February. The album topped both the Billboard Country and Christian/Gospel charts for multiple weeks, upping McEntire’s already successful record of more than 56 million albums sold worldwide.
“It just fit in very naturally for me,” she said of the decision to record a faith-based album. “I always sang spiritual songs.”
After bringing back the country vibe with One Honest Heart and Somebody, McEntire took the show in a more personal direction, sharing tidbits and behind-the-scenes information on a handful of tracks she holds especially close to her heart.
The Greatest Man I Never Knew, a particularly tear-inducing song, was inspired by her father, who was a local rodeo star in their small Oklahoma town. Though McEntire’s time with him was sparse because of his long work hours, she knew he did it all to provide for his children and wife, who worked as a bookkeeper.
“My mom’s main job was to keep us out of trouble. She was a good bookkeeper,” McEntire said to her chuckling audience.
She then went on to tell the story of songwriter Bobby Russell, who penned The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia in 1972. Though he was extremely passionate about his creation, for whatever reason, it wasn’t catching on with producers. So, his wife Vicki Lawrence (The Carol Burnett Show, Mama’s Family) took a chance on the song, recording what would soon become her only №1 hit. McEntire loved the track so much, she decided to record it herself in 1991 as part of the album For My Broken Heart.
McEntire’s blast-to-the-past segment continued with “I Don’t Want to Be a One Night Stand,” which she said was her first song ever recorded in 1976. Fast-forwarding to the ’80s, she reflected on how producers continuously pitched her pop songs, which she refused to have any part of. After she approached the CEO of her label about the issue, it was suggested she find her own material. Naturally, McEntire accepted the challenge, discovering true country tunes such as “How Blue.”
At this point in the evening, the show turned into a delightful combination of music and comedy. The audience roared with laughter as she detailed her crew’s trip to Guatemala to film what was supposed to be a vibrantly colorful video for And Still. After days of work, they returned home only to discover the entire project was shot in sepia. Needless to say, McEntire wasn’t thrilled.
The audience received a special surprise in the form of a pre-recorded clip of Melissa Margaret Peterman, better known as Barbra Jean Hart on the hit series Reba. As McEntire sang the show’s theme song I’m a Survivor, Peterman hilariously lip-synced on the screen behind her, breaking out a red Reba-esque wig midway through.
Energy in the Xcite Center was at an all-time high as McEntire got the audience on its feet for (what it thought to be) her last two songs, Is There Life Out There and Turn on Your Radio. But of course, it wouldn’t be a true Reba show without the fiery hit Fancy. After a speedy wardrobe change, McEntire marched back on stage in a sparkling red dress most women half her age would struggle to pull off.
The crowd danced and cheered as she sang, “Here’s your chance Fancy, don’t let me down.”
You certainly didn’t let us down, Reba. ••
Parx Casino and Xcite Center are at 2999 Street Road in Bensalem. Visit parxcasino.com/xcitecenter for upcoming shows.
Samantha Bambino can be reached at sbambino@newspapermediagroup.com
