From Realtor.com
First published 9 May 2025, 4:43pm
By Charlie Lankston
American singer and actor Reba McEntire has come a long way since her early years on an Oklahoma ranch; but she's still kept a little piece of home with her, more than 30 years after leaving the Sooner State.
The star of stage and screen has partnered with Realtor.com – realesestate.com.au's US counterpart –for a sitcom-themed Nearly Home campaign for the property listing site.
Speaking to Realtor.com from the set of Nearly Home, McIntire opened up about what motivated her to make the move to Nashville from Oklahoma – and how she carved out her own slice of paradise in her new home state.
"I came here in 1988 after a divorce," she explains. "I had been doing my career out of Oklahoma, which is centrally located in the United States; but when it was time to leave Oklahoma, I went to Nashville because of work."
Realtor.com campaign star Reba McEntire has revealed the touching item in her Nashville home that keeps her connected to her childhood on an Oklahoma ranch. Picture: Robby Klein Photography
As for how she made her new house into a true home? McEntire, 70, says it's all about injecting a bit of "personality" – as well as one very special memento from her days on the ranch.
"In my home here in Nashville, I have the lead steer from our ranch in Oklahoma on the wall," she reveals. "Old Henry, he died of cancer in his neck. And we had his head mounted – out of total respect for him. And I walk into the living room every morning, I look up, and I say 'Hello, Henry!’ Every morning."
Such is the significance of Henry's presence in McEntire's life that he even featured prominently in the shoot for her October 2023 book, "Not That Fancy: Simple Lessons on Living, Loving, Eating, and Dusting Off Your Boots," which features a snapshot of "Old Henry" in pride of place on the wall.
Although McEntire moved to Tennessee nearly 40 years ago, she took something very special with her from Oklahoma – the lead steer from her ranch – and mounted it on the wall in her Nashville home. Picture: Robby Klein Photography
Another vital part of Oklahoma life that McEntire can't imagine being without? A good old dose of Southern hospitality, which she explains has been a constant in her life, ever since she was a child.
"When people come see me, the first thing I say is: ‘Are you hungry? Would you like something to drink? When was the last time you ate?’ Now that is Southern hospitality," she shares.
"And I knew growing up that Momma and Daddy couldn’t afford to feed everybody, but if they walked in that front door, Momma asked: ‘Were they hungry? Would they like something to drink? We have sweet tea, unsweetened tea, whatever you like.’"
McEntire's uncanny ability to make anyone feel warm and welcome is just one of the talents she brought to the screen while starring in the Nearly Home campaign, in which she strives to inject a bit of happiness (and humanity) back into the house-hunting process.
McEntire is helping Americans find their perfect home while starring in the Realtor.com Nearly Home campaign. Picture: Realtor.com
In the first episode of her sitcom-style ad series, aptly-titled The One Without the Break-Up, the Fancy singer leaps into action to help a struggling couple whose relationship has come under major strain thanks to the stresses of finding a home.
Just as they are reaching their breaking point, McEntire bursts into their living room to rescue them from their nightmare – by revealing how they can use Realtor.com tools to make their hunt so much easier (and more enjoyable).
"OK, let's simmer down now," she tells the desperate duo. "Y'all need Realtor.com—the app the pros trust most. With over 500,000 new listings every month, you could find the one today."
Tough love and Southern charm aren't the only things McEntire is bringing to the table. As well as taking on a starring role in the campaign, the singer has lent her iconic vocals to the videos for a charming jingle that is sure to delight her fans.
Speaking about her decision to partner with Realtor.com, McEntire explained that the collaboration felt entirely natural, particularly given her own love of looking at house listings.
The songstress proudly showed off her property in a shoot for her October 2023 book, Not That Fancy. Picture: Robby Klein Photography
"I was like, 'Oh, this will be fun!'" she says of the moment the campaign was introduced to her. "Especially when I found out how successful Realtor.com is. They have over half a million new listings every month! I didn’t know that. And they’ve been in business for over 25 years, so I thought, 'They know what they’re doing.'
"And I do like to look at listings. When you're driving down the road and you see a house for sale, you kind of want to whip in there and see how they’ve decorated it, how that house is … why would they leave? Although I’m happy with my home, it’s just curiosity."
This article was originally published on Realtor.com on 6 May 2025.
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