Decades in the making! Reba McEntire and Rex Linn first crossed paths 30 years before they started dating.
The “Fancy” songstress met the actor while shooting 1991’s The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw.
“We’ve kept in contact with each other over the years, and we both know the same people, so it was just like good friends getting back together having dinner in January,” she explained on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen in November 2020. “And then we started texting and talking on the telephone, getting to know each other better during the quarantine.”
McEntire was previously married to Charlie Battles from 1976 to 1987 and music manager Narvel Blackstock from 1989 to 2015. She shares son Shelby, born in 1990, with Blackstock.
“The divorce was not my idea. I didn’t want it in any shape, form or fashion,” the country music legend told CMT’s Cody Alan in 2016. ”So it was really hard to make the adjustment, when someone’s not happy. I just want everybody to be happy in their lives, because our lives are too short to be miserable.”
She added at the time: ”The thing that got me through this change in life, is number one, God. I prayed every day to help me have the strength to move one foot in front of the other, and continue on with what I’m supposed to be doing … and then with my team … and my friends, my family, my girlfriends.”
Despite the divorce, McEntire stayed close to the Blackstock family, including stepson Brandon Blackstock and Kelly Clarkson, who announced their split in June 2020 after nearly seven years of marriage. (The former couple share daughter River and son Remington.)
“We’re family,” McEntire told Us Weekly in 2019 before Clarkson and Brandon’s split. “She married my oldest son, Brandon, but we’re also good friends, so that goes a long way — when you can have a good friend as a part of your family.”
More recently, after the American Idol alum’s divorce got messy, she told Extra: “I love them both. … I am pulling for both of them. I hope they’re happy and healthy and pull through this. I pray everyone gives them the encouragement they can because they need it right now, both of them do. I love the both of them with all my heart.”
The Reba alum, meanwhile, made things red carpet official with Linn during fall 2020 and the pair have been showing off their love ever since.
Scroll through to see a timeline of their romance:
The pair stayed in touch after meeting in the ‘90s and went to dinner in January 2020. Two months later, they got closer after the loss of McEntire’s mother. “[We’ve been] having discussions about our past, our [families], funny stories, him being an actor, me being an actress,” she later recalled on her “Living & Learning” podcast. “He’s very into my music, I’m very into his career — it’s just great getting to talk to somebody who I find very interesting, very funny and very smart, and is interested in me too.” Courtesy Rex Linn/Instagram
The twosome took their romance to Instagram, revealing the CSI: Miami star calls her “Tater Tot,” while the singer calls him “Sugar Tot.” Courtesy of Rex Linn/Instagram
"I'm in love, so that really inspires me to find love songs, to find happy songs," McEntire gushed on Good Morning America in November 2020, the same month the couple made their red carpet debut at the CMA Awards. "I've always been the queen of waltzes, the queen of sad songs because I just gravitate to those kinds of songs." The musician added that she felt like a ”giddy teenager again” with Linn. ABC
Linn celebrated the release of his lady love’s song “Somehow You Do,” writing via Instagram: “Tater Tot’s new video. Already climbing the charts! #somehowyoudo.” YouTube
The couple battled the coronavirus together. "It's not fun to get this. I did get it. Rex and I got it and it's not fun. You don't feel good," McEntire said via a TikTok livestream at the time. "We were both vaccinated and we still got it, so stay safe, stay home, and be protected the best you can." Courtesy of Rex Linn/Instagram
“We’ve talked about it and giggled about it,” McEntire told Extra about potentially tying the knot again. “We thought, ‘Man, if we ever did have a ceremony, we would have to have a 2 o’clock, 4 o’clock, 6 o’clock and an 8 o’clock because we have so many friends, acquaintances and family.” Courtesy of Reba McEntire/Instagram
The duo hit the red carpet at the 94th Annual Academy Awards. Jim Ruymen/UPI/Shutterstock
After their Oscars appearance, McEntire shared a side by side of the twosome at the awards show and back home. “Swipe right ➡️ to see what a difference a week makes,” she wrote via Instagram. “From red carpets to red peppers, we have fun either way!!! #Oscars #HillbillyChiliCookOff.” Courtesy of Reba McEntire/Instagram
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