Reba McEntire

Has a son, Shelby Steven McEntire Blackstock (born 1990). She was briefly married to the actor Emilio Estevez. Since 2001, she has starred on the hit WB television show, Reba. Paula Abdul is most often remembered as a respected choreographer and dancer whose talent in those fields were used as a springboard to propel her singing career, leading her to become one of the most successful recording artists in history. Even without the major label support she had enjoyed in the 80s, McEntire continued to hit the charts through the 1990s, as well as appearing in television and film, most notably Tremors, a cult horror movie, Forever Love, and One Night at McCool's. She began to resurface at awards shows, and was even given the job of co-anchor on the television magazine program Entertainment Tonight. Reba's entire band died in 1991 in a plane crash. Abdul, who had seemingly emerged from obscurity, won back the hearts of America as the sympathetic and compassionate judge (paired next to co-judge Simon Cowell, who was often cruelly blunt in his appraisal of the contestants' performances).

After divorcing Battles in 1987 (see 1987 in music), McEntire married Narvel Blackstock, a noted steel guitarist and the couple took control over all aspects of her career. On this show, her job was to judge the talent of a group of young amateur singers and eventually whittle a group down to just one performer (the "idol" in question). She won the Female Vocalist of the Year award from the Country Music Association four times, and had dozens of Top Ten hits during the 80s. In 2002 Abdul was offered the job of judge on the television contest show American Idol. With more pop-oriented balladry, McEntire began to expand her audience during the early 1980s, signing to MCA Records in 1984 (see 1984 in music) and becoming one of the best-selling country artists of the time. The inclusion of the song on the Greatest Hits cd "Bend Time Back Round" was only previously found on the 1993 soundtrack to the hit television series "Beverly Hills 90210". "Three Sheets in the Wind"/"I'd Really Love to See You Tonight" became her first charting single in 1978 (see 1978 in music), and was followed by the bigger hit "(You Lift Me) Up to Heaven" (1980, 1980 in music). The CD featured an array hit singles from all three of her previous albums, as well as other noteworthy tracks.

She soon married Charlie Battles and earned a teaching degree. In the year 2000 a greatest hits CD, very originally titled Greatest Hits, was released. With a contract to Mercury Records, McEntire began her professional career with a hard honky tonk sound, which didn't go over well at a time when country music was dominated by outlaw country artists like Willie Nelson and David Allan Coe. movie was made in 1998, The Waiting Game, which was neither panned or praised. After singinig the "Star Spangled Banner" at the National Rodeo Finals in Oklahoma City in 1974, Red Steagall suggested that McEntire go to Nashville to pursue a solo career. (In particular, fans were disgusted to see their favorite sweetheart-singer discuss performing fellatio on a character only to eject the semen into a film canister as proof of his rape crimes.) Another T.V. She soon formed a band with her sisters, Alice and Susie, and her brother, Pake, and the quartet had a local hit with "The Ballad of John McEntire", a tribute to their grandfather. In a genre that is hardly well respected to begin with, her performance (as a rape victim who discovers her boyfriend was her rapist) was massively rejected by both fans and critics.

Born in McAlester, Oklahoma, McEntire grew up learning to ride in rodeos as well as play music. In an attempt to revitalize her career as a performer, she began accepting acting roles, starting with the television movie Touched by Evil in 1997. Reba McEntire (born March 28, 1955) is one of the best-selling country music performers of the last half of the 20th century, best known for pop ballads that include eighteen American #1 hits. Abdul had never had a real career as an actress, barring an appearance as "Sherri" in a low-budget musical movie from 1981 called Junior High School. The latter two featured on the Japanese Import Album of "Head Over Heels", and is a highly prized and now rare collectible item amongst Paula Abdul fans. The album also spawned three b-sides: "Didn't I say I Love You" (B-side to "My Love is For Real" Single), "Crazy Love", and "High School Crush".

Despite this, the album Head Over Heels remains her lengthiest album in terms of the number of tracks out of all her albums. Furthermore, many fans believe the 4 year hiatus between the release of the album Spellbound and Head Over Heels may have cooled off her core record buying public, and this may have affected the overall success of Head Over Heels. The album did not sell even remotely as well as previous efforts, and it seemed due in great part to her new image. In the follow up to the single "My Love is For Real", her image became much more sexual, and she was seen scantily clad in her music video "Crazy Cool", riding a mechanical bull and pouring beer over her t-shirt/breasts.

However, the single stalled at the American top 30 charts. Its fusion of R&B and traditional Middle Eastern instruments with its accompanying "Lawrence of Arabia"-inspired music video had all the trappings of a marketable hit single. The first single off the album, "My Love is For Real", is perhaps one of the most unique songs in her music catalogue. With modest radio hits with the singles "My Love is For Real", "Crazy Cool" and "Ain't Never Gunna Give You Up", she showed that she was able to still create popular music while moving with the times.

In 1995 Abdul released her fourth album, Head Over Heels. In 1995 Abdul participated in an ABC television interview with Diane Sawyer where she discussed her weight problem and her personal battles with bulimia. Abdul took a break from the business, and resurfaced in 1993 with an exercise video. This seemed to have a dramatic impact on her popularity.

Then, in an appearance on the MTV Video Music Awards, Abdul did a live performance of "Vibeology" wearing a sequined boustier/swimsuit outfit that revealed she had, indeed, put on weight. In her music video for "Promise of a New Day," camera angles were used to pinch the screen image, and tabloids claimed this was because of Abdul's weight. At only 5 ft 2 in (157 cm), Abdul did not have the height commonly associated with dancers/choreographers. As Abdul's image shifted slowly from "beautiful" to "sexy", gossip began to circulate about her weight.

Even more interesting is the funk laden track "U", which was penned by Prince. The album Spellbound, though it retained much of the dance oriented formula heard on her debut album, songs from the album such as "Rush, Rush", "Will U Marry Me", "Blowing Kisses in the Wind", and "Alright Tonight" showcased her growing versatility as an artist and vocalist. Prior to the release of "Rush, Rush", many critics had labelled Paula Abdul as a dance artist with limited vocal range who relied solely on choreography and visually appealing music clips. The single "Rush, Rush" surprised many fans and critics at the time of its release, not only for its lush, stripped down production values and beautiful lyrics, but also because it was a "ballad".

Instead, it introduced the American top ten hits "Rush, Rush," "Vibeology," "Promise of a New Day," "Will U Marry Me" and "Blowing Kisses in the Wind". Abdul made such an impact in late 1980s music that when her second effort was released in the early 1990s, everyone assumed it would be less successful. Her follow up album, Spellbound, is often overlooked in musical history. In a sign of Paula's enormous popularity, even MC Skat Kat went on to record his own solo album later that year.

The video for "Opposites Attract" featured an animated cat named MC Skat Kat. The album spawned five American top five singles (out of just ten songs): '"Forever Your Girl," "Opposites Attract," "Straight Up," "Cold Hearted" and "The Way That You Love Me." A remix album, Shut Up and Dance, was also released. In 1988, she released her debut album Forever Your Girl and, after a fairly long time, became a smash hit star. She started choreographing the live tour for The Jackson Five, and got her big break as the choreographer for the 1980s videos of singer Janet Jackson.

Her mother is French-Canadian; her father is of Syrian Sephardic Jewish origin. Paula Julie Abdul (born June 19, 1962 in San Fernando, California) is an American dancer, choreographer and singer who began her career as the head cheerleader and choreographer for the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team. Has received two Emmy Awards for "Outstanding Achievement in Choreography": in 1989 for her work on The Tracey Ullman Show and in 1990 for The 17th Annual American Music Awards. In the video for "Opposites Attract," appeared with an animated cat named MC Skat Kat who went on to record his own album.

Is working on her next album, entitled Paula'ticks of Love. Co-wrote Kylie Minogue's 2000 hit single "Spinning Around". Spouse of clothing manufacturer Brad Beckerman (1996, 2002; presently filed for divorce). Former spouse of actor Emilio Estevez (1992–1994).

Choreographed the dance sequences in the films Coming to America, and American Beauty as well as Cuba Gooding Jr.'s touchdown celebration in Jerry Maguire. Has choreographed the stage shows for Suzanne Somers and Toni Basil. Has choreographed music videos for The Jackson Five, Janet Jackson, Debbie Gibson, ZZ Top, George Michael and Dolly Parton, and choreographed and appeared in Toto's 1986 music video for "Till The End". Paula Abdul: Greatest Hits (2000) Sold 0.5 million copies worldwide.

Head Over Heels (1995) Sold 2 million copies worldwide. Spellbound (1991) Sold 6 million copies worldwide. Shut Up and Dance (1990) Sold 2 million copies worldwide. Forever Your Girl (1988) Sold 12 million copies worldwide.