It’s a great time to be a Reba McEntire fan. For starters, fans can tune in every week and see her on The Voice. More than that, though, McEntire released her acoustic album Not That Fancy on Friday, October 6.
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On October 10, she’ll release her lifestyle book Not That Fancy: Simple Lessons on Living, Loving, Eating, and Dusting Off Your Boots. In short, the undisputed queen of ‘90s country music is everywhere you look these days and it’s great.
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Not That Fancy isn’t just a play on the title of one of McEntire’s biggest hits, it’s also a look at how the Oklahoma native lives her life. She might be a country icon and TV personality, but she doesn’t let it go to her head. Instead, she brings her simple way of life into the world of glitz and glam in which she’s more than earned her place.
The album contains stripped-down acoustic renditions of 13 of McEntire’s biggest hits as well as one new single. As a result, the album’s title is a spot-on description of its contents. There’s nothing fancy here.
However, that doesn’t mean the album is unremarkable. These are great songs that have stood the test of time. The acoustic arrangements allow McEntire’s vocal delivery to shine. Additionally, the stripped-down recordings don’t have slick production to get in the way of the messages or emotions contained in the lyrics.
In a recent interview with Parade Magazine, McEntire revealed which of her songs best represents her as a person. “I’d say ‘Fancy’ because it’s about a rags to riches way of life,” she said. “Persevere, stay in there, work hard, and you’ll achieve your dreams,” she added.
It isn’t a surprise that “Fancy” resonates so deeply with her. McEntire started life in a small town in Oklahoma before breaking into the music business. Then, sales of her albums didn’t take off for years. It wasn’t until she took creative control of her career in the mid-‘80s that she started to see real success.
McEntire added that “I’m a Survivor” is another song that resonates with her. That song, she said, is “for all those people who have been through hard times.” She added, “I’m a survivor. I’ve been through things, and I know you have too. So, let’s help each other and be supportive and move forward.”
Fans can find acoustic renditions of both of those songs on Not That Fancy.
Not That Fancy Track List
- “The Fear of Being Alone”– Acoustic Version
- “Consider Me Gone”– Acoustic Version
- “Somebody Should Leave”– Acoustic Version
- “How Blue” – Acoustic Version
- “If You See Him, If You See Her” – Acoustic Version feat. Brooks & Dunn
- “Till You Love Me” – Acoustic Version
- “Seven Minutes in Heaven”
- “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia” – Acoustic Version
- “Does He Love You” – Acoustic Version feat. Dolly Parton
- “One Promise Too Late” – Acoustic Version
- “The Last One to Know” – Acoustic Version
- “New Fool at an Old Game” – Acoustic Version
- “I’m a Survivor” – Acoustic Version
- “Fancy” – Acoustic Version
Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images
