Why Reba Never Wanted To Meet Her Hero, Merle Haggard

They say don't meet your heroes. That is a phrase Reba McEntire embodied for an extended portion of her career. While Reba rose to fame and today could meet nearly anyone she wanted to meet, there is one legend, in particular, Reba recalls intensely not wanting to meet. On a recent episode of The Voice ' s " Behind The Mic," the judges sat down for a behind-the-scenes round-table conversation, swapping stories from their careers. In this episode, the judges began sharing moments when they felt honored to meet a music industry peer. Michael Bublé first expressed his excitement at meeting one of his heroes (and fellow judge), Snoop Dogg. Then, the judges asked Reba if she had met any of her heroes. Reba answered, initially noting that she had never wanted to meet her heroes. “I never wanted to meet my heroes because I didn’t want ’em to disappoint me. Ever. I was doing shows with Merle Haggard, and I did not want to meet him cause I didn’t want to be disappointed cause I looked up to him for so long. When I did, he was the nicest, most cordial gentleman. I was like phew, okay.” Reba has been a fan of Merle Haggard since she was a young girl, so I can only imagine how nerve-racking it must've been for her to meet him as more than just a fan but a fellow country music artist. Reba spent part of the early '80s touring with Haggard, which helped launch her name to a much larger audience and propel her career quickly. "A young Oklahoma singer named Reba McEntire opens for Merle Haggard on August 8, 1981. McEntire was discovered a few years earlier by another Fort Worth favorite, Red Steagall, singing the national anthem in Oklahoma City." Reba recalled in a 2016 interview with Entertainment Weekly that Merle Haggard was the first concert she attended, and she has many fond memories of watching Haggard hit career milestones and was a core artist who influenced her sound. “Merle has been a part of my family for a long time. I remember when he was winning all the CMA awards for ‘Okie from Muskogee,’ I went to bed that night and rehearsed my acceptance speech. He inspired me so much.” She has often tipped her hat to the Hag throughout her career, frequently performing "Mama Tried." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOANB9vSR88 Thank goodness Reba had a stellar "meet your heroes" story versus a horrific one. Check out the entire "Behind The Mic" episode while you're here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQ1vIjOEgWw