Reba McEntire vowed never to sing “Sweet
Reba McEntire’s Haunting Tribute Echoes Loss and Legacy
In October 2020, the Country Music Hall of Fame hosted BIG NIGHT (At the Museum), a fundraiser featuring top artists like Tim McGraw, Miranda Lambert, and Reba McEntire. Each performer honored country legends, some using the actual instruments of their heroes.
Reba stood alone under a spotlight and sang a chilling a cappella version of “Sweet Dreams,” famously recorded by Patsy Cline. “No band. No production. Just her voice,” the article noted, capturing the raw emotion of the moment.
Originally written by Don Gibson, “Sweet Dreams” became iconic after Cline’s 1963 posthumous release. Reba’s own 1979 cover marked her first solo Top 20 hit.
She stopped performing the song after a 1991 plane crash killed seven band members. Her return to it nearly 30 years later served as a quiet tribute: “The emotion in her voice… said what words never could.”
Sometimes, one voice is all it takes.
