Reba McEntire’s “Stronger Than The Truth” Will Be Her “Most Country Record”
Reba McEntire has a new album coming out on April 5th called Stronger Than The Truth, and she’s promising fans that it will be the most country record she’s done in a long time, if not in her career. That says a lot considering just how country many of Reba McEntire’s earlier albums were, even though later on she spent some time dabbling in the pop realm.
Back in October of 2018, Reba first hinted about the album, saying “I’m really excited about getting back in the studio, working with Buddy Cannon on a new project. It’s gonna be probably the most country album I’ve ever recorded.” Then when announcing her new record, Reba doubled down, saying, “This is the most country record I’ve done in a long time and I can’t wait for you to hear it.” If you’re a true country fan, Reba’s saying all the right things.
Along with Buddy Cannon, Reba co-produced Stronger Than The Truth, and also boasts a handful of co-writes in the track list. Other notable songwriting contributors include Erin Enderlin, Ronnie Dunn, Hillary Lindsey, and Brandy Clark on a song called “Tammy Wynette Kind of Pain.”
“The response to ‘Sing It Now: Songs of Faith & Hope’ reinforced my love for recording songs that speak to the heart,” Reba says. “So when I started selecting songs for this album, I stuck with that same formula—go with the songs that touch my heart, and hopefully when you hear me singing it, they’ll touch yours too. That honesty once again revealed itself. I grew up on an 8,000-acre family ranch singing at dance halls, honky-tonks and rodeos with my brother and sister. ‘Stronger Than The Truth’ takes me back to that kind of country music that I grew up with. I haven’t gotten to do that in a while, so I’m thrilled to pieces to release this new music.”
The album will be released on Big Machine Records, which Reba has been working with in recent years. But there is no mention of the NASH Icon imprint that originally signed her to the company, potentially validating the rumors that the imprint has been mothballed, or at least downgraded amidst the bankruptcy reorganization of Big Machine’s partner in the endeavor, radio station company Cumulus Media.
The title track for the record will be released on Friday, February 15th.
Stronger Than The Truth Track List:
1. “Swing All Night Long With You” | Written by Sidney Cox, Jon Randall
2. “Stronger Than The Truth” | Written by Hannah Louise Blaylock, Autumn McEntire
3. “Storm In A Shot Glass” | Written by Mary Browder, Will Robinson, Leslie Satcher
4. “Tammy Wynette Kind Of Pain” | Written by Brandy Clark, Mark Narmore, Shelley Skidmore
5. “Cactus In A Coffee Can” | Written by Steve Seskin, Allen Shamblin
6. “Your Heart” | Written by Kellys Collins
7. “The Clown” | Written by Dallas Davidson, Hillary Lindsey, James Slater
8. “No U In Oklahoma” | Written by Reba McEntire, Ronnie Dunn, Donna McSpadden
9. “The Bar’s Getting Lower” | Written by Kellys Collins, Erin Enderlin, Liz Hengber, Alex Kline
10. “In His Mind” | Written by Reba McEntire, Liz Hengber, Tommy Lee James
11. “Freedom” | Written by Jay Brunswick, Tommy Cecil, Jaida Dreyer, John Pierce
12. “You Never Gave Up On Me” | Written by Billy Aerts, Burton Collins
February 14, 2019 @ 9:39 am
I consider this good news, love Reba’s voice on a good country song. I have always been disappointed that just as the “new traditionalist” movement started gaining traction in the late 1980s-early 1990s, country music’s most marketable traditional female voice decided she wanted to be Cher.
February 14, 2019 @ 9:47 am
Assuming the title cut is from the former lead singer of eden’s edge? May have gotten married and added Louise to her name.
February 21, 2019 @ 3:14 pm
One in the same, she actually recorded it with autumn. https://m.soundcloud.com/ctm-writers-ink/01-stronger-than-the-truth
February 14, 2019 @ 9:53 am
I’m sure it will be a lovely collection of digital overdubs – just like everything else dumped out there for your purchase…
February 14, 2019 @ 9:56 am
Not a crack at Reba, by the way…love Reba. More at what has been being passed off as a “record” by anyone, anymore.
February 14, 2019 @ 10:17 am
I’ll believe it when I hear it. It’s been more than 30 years.
Judging from some of the writers on the track list it looks fairly promising, though.
February 14, 2019 @ 11:55 am
Other than that one Dallas Davidson song…
February 14, 2019 @ 6:45 pm
Had that thought.
I’d like to think he has at least one semi-decent song in him, but I am not holding my breath.
February 14, 2019 @ 10:18 am
I swear I can hear some of these songs when I read the titles (and I haven’t)! If 2018 was the year of the woman, maybe ‘19 will be the year of the comeback? Reba, George Strait, Tanya Tucker…
One odd thing of note …. did you see the presale package (should have looked if it was kickstart or pledgemusic)? It was the usual standard shit (shirt, poster, banner, headband….) plus a bartender kit. The drinking will be heavy and often on this album.
I’m hoping she’s true to her word. At one time, Reba was my favorite artist. Between 1991 (my first concert) – 2008 is saw Reba in concert 12 times. Only one artist/group have I seen more.
February 14, 2019 @ 12:50 pm
Correction:
1990
Hampton Coliseum (Virginia)
Reba McEntire
Ricky Van Shelton
Doug Stone
It was before the plane crash and she still encored with “Sweet Dreams.”
I was 14 years old
February 15, 2019 @ 7:13 am
I was stationed at Fort Eustis from 87-89. Saw Ratt, Whitesnake, and Motley Crue at the Hampton Coliseum during that time. My musical tastes eventually got better!
February 15, 2019 @ 8:23 am
Hey G , those bands kicked asses!!
February 15, 2019 @ 11:52 am
G,
You won’t believe this (because I can’t). After I wrote that comment, around 3:30 pm I got a call for a job – pickup Bridgeport, WV, drop off Norfolk, VA (aircraft part to PSA Airlines). I drove past Hampton Coliseum twice! I haven’t been in that region in 25 years!!
February 16, 2019 @ 10:34 am
I love those kind of cosmic coincidences. Like thinking about someone you haven’t talked to in 10 years and they call you hours later. Good shit!
February 14, 2019 @ 10:24 am
With song titles like Cactus in a Coffee Can and Tammy Wynette Kind of Pain you know its going to be full country. Since coming back in 2015 with Love somebody her music seems more focused and I don’t think it will be any different with this new album. Reba has one of country music’s recognizable voices along with her being one of its greatest storytellers that I can’t wait for this new album and for the new single out Friday.
February 14, 2019 @ 10:42 am
I am excited for this release! Hope it lives up to the hype of being really country!
February 14, 2019 @ 11:09 am
Trisha Yearwood’s Sinatra tribute, new Strait, Caroline Spence’s label debut, now this. Dammit, record labels – my wishlist was packed enough without all these enticing projects!
And one of the writers of “In His Mind” (Liz Hengber) is also behind one of my favorite Suzy Bogguss tracks (“Live to Love Another Day”, from her GIVE ME SOME WHEELS album), too? I’m in!
February 15, 2019 @ 8:16 am
Jman,
Nice to hear somebody mention Suzy Boguss. She seems to fly under the radar these days although she still makes new music and performs. I had an opportunity to see her perform a few years back in a small venue for a crowd of 100 or so. Just her and her acoustic and a guy playing leads . Wow, she was stunning. Her back catalog is tremendous.
On topic : Reba , tremendous talent great legacy. Loretta may be the queen of country but Reba is up there. Looking forward to hearing what she’s come up with. Track list looks promising. This just might be a win for country music.
February 15, 2019 @ 2:57 pm
Speaking of Suzy Bogguss, in the late 1980s I worked weekends at a little country radio station in Illinois. This was about the time her first album came out on Capitol which had a couple of singles that we spun a few times, plus a duet with Lee Greenwood that spent some time on the charts. Then she more or less disappeared and went back to being, for those of us in my part of the country, the girl singer that the Ozone Ramblers (popular regional group) took on their 1982 Mexican tour. I figured her 15 minutes were up and we’d never hear from her again.
Fast forward to the spring of 1991, I was working a seasonal job in Colorado with a girl whose last name was also Bogguss. I asked if she was related to Suzy, and she said she was but that she’d never met her. A guy who had stopped by just to pass the time asked who Suzy Bogguss was and I told him she was an obscure country singer who grew up near me in Illinois.
Of course her breakout album, Aces, came out that summer, and by the time I crossed paths with that guy again the next spring she’d had a couple of major hits and several TV appearances. The first thing the guy says to me is “How ’bout that obscure country singer you were telling me about?”
Suzy definitely got the last laugh on me that time, and she didn’t even know it.
February 15, 2019 @ 3:51 pm
Cool. Yeah her version of Hiatt’s Drive South and of course Nancy Griffiths Outbound Plane are pretty epic.Someday Soon is a WOW. She did a record with Chet Atkins later on that’s also worth listening to!
February 14, 2019 @ 3:21 pm
I always like Reba- I love the name BTW- I saw her do Somebody Should Leave on TV one night- they did a close up and she had tears in her eyes- Damn- onions.
February 14, 2019 @ 4:13 pm
Reba went all romance novel at some point. If she’s turning more Patty Loveless, that’s good for team country.
February 14, 2019 @ 5:34 pm
I remember listening to “Cactus in a Coffee Can” by Melonie Cannon back in 2008/2009.
So plus one for Reba covering a great story telling song.
Also plus one for anything with Erin Enderlin or Brandy Clark involved.
February 15, 2019 @ 1:36 pm
I checked out Cannon’s version on youtube. It’s not very songlike. It’s a trite story set to some music – sometimes off rhythm and rushed. I didn’t care for it. What a shame.
February 14, 2019 @ 6:07 pm
I hope whoever masters the singles off of it does a better job that the folks who mastered her last album. It was damn near unlistenable and my on-air processing didn’t like it very much.
February 14, 2019 @ 9:32 pm
She can sing the phone book and I’ll probably enjoy it.
February 15, 2019 @ 6:52 am
Am I the only person in the world that can’t stand listening to Reba? The way she chews her words is like fingernails on a chalkboard to me…
February 15, 2019 @ 11:55 am
You’re certainly not alone. For one thing, get a load of this person’s numerous Amazon critiques of Reba (but do be aware that some serious scrolling has to be done to see those reviews). Most releases after 1987 are ripped to shreds for the sole reason of being pop-sounding products from somebody who started out as a traditionalist.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/amzn1.account.AGHXAWZV5KMUFNM4CAGTSWTPWPGQ/ref=cm_cr_arp_mb_gw_btm?ie=UTF8
February 15, 2019 @ 6:47 pm
I’ve wondered if REBA is still envolved with management ( Narvel and son, Brandon Blackstock) that manages Blake Shelton. Seemed obvious at the last ACM Awards she made sure Shelton got his share of camera time.
February 17, 2019 @ 7:15 pm
She’s not involved with Starstruck anymore. She stayed with them for a handful of months after the divorce then split off about 3 years ago and was her own manager for about a year. She took her team with her but was still operating out of the same building. Now she’s with Clarence Spalding at Maverick, who also manages her buddies, Brooks & Dunn.
February 16, 2019 @ 11:10 am
Country music? Nice change for her.
February 16, 2019 @ 12:58 pm
I am looking forward to this and also the new George Strait album. I have the new Trisha cd but haven’t had time to really sit down and listen to it. I read someone talk about Suzy Bogguss earlier and it made me think of all her hits. These artists are still making records, but without radio playing them they get forgotten about. Unless your are a diehard fan of these forgotten artist you have no idea they still have new stuff out. Kudos to the legends and their “comebacks”.