Reba McEntire at the 2008 CMA Music Festival. Photo by John Russell, courtesy of the Country Music Association.
June 2, 2009 — Reba McEntire is planning to sign autographs next week at Nashville’s CMA Music Festival — the first time she’ll put pen to paper during the event in some 13 years.
Fans that line up to see her will appreciate knowing that she understands being starstruck. It’s not just the name of her management company — Starstruck Entertainment — it’s also a condition she was afflicted with when she met the man who played George Bailey in the classic It’s A Wonderful Life.
"People always come up for a picture or autograph and say, ‘I hate to bother you and I know you’re busy,’" she says. "But I love talking with the fans."
And she knows all about their motivation.
"There was this time years ago on a TV special with Bob Hope in San Diego," she recalls. "I was in hair and make-up, barely had any make-up on, my hair was up in rollers, and this woman walked in and said ‘James Stewart is in the building!’ Well, I am a huge Jimmy Stewart fan, so I immediately jumped up, went to my purse and grabbed my camera and asked the woman to take my picture with Jimmy. And what’s funny is what do I do? I walk up to him and say, ‘Mr. Stewart, I hate to bother you and I know you’re busy, but...’ and ask him for the picture! But, I got my picture and it hangs in my house in Nashville. I am so proud of that one."
Reba is hardly the only country star signing at the Greased Lightning Fan Fair Hall during the festival June 11-14. Others who’ve committed include Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, LeAnn Rimes, Keith Anderson, Lorrie Morgan, Craig Morgan, Darryl Worley, Blake Shelton, Luke Bryan and Bucky Covington.
Trivia fans, meanwhile, might want to note that Reba got her Jimmy Stewart autograph while shooting the special "Hope For A Drug-Free America" in 1988. It also featured a number of NFL players and some other Hollywood guy named Charlton Heston.