Reba becomes a 'Giant'

Several celebrities turned out to honor the multifaceted star.
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- She's had a lot of names, like Betsy, Burgundy, Lily, Lizzie, Mrs. Hart and Dr. Green.
She's had a lot of jobs, like singer, actress, Broadway star, author, clothing designer and philanthropist.
She's had a lot of success: Her 30 albums have sold over 49 million copies and won her two Grammys and dozens of awards. She was nominated for a Golden Globe and received a Drama Desk award and an Outer Critics Award for her acting.
On Saturday (8 p.m.), Reba McEntire adds another line to her r & eacute;sum & eacute;, officially becoming the first of Country Music Television's "Giants."
In a 2 1/2-hour special, Dolly Parton, Trisha Yearwood, Wynonna Judd, Martina McBride, Faith Hill, LeAnn Rimes, Jennifer Nettles, Megan Mullally and Kelly Clarkson sing McEntire's songs while former President Bush, Loretta Lynn, Barbara Mandrell, Dakota Fanning, James Denton, Vince Gill and others sing McEntire's praises.
"This is the best show I've ever been a part of," she told husband and business partner Narvel Blackstock. His response, she recounted: "Well of course it is, they all talked about you."
"I know," she told him. "Isn't it great?"
Getting serious, she added: "It just touched my heart."
How choice was made
McEntire, 51, was chosen as the first of the "Giants" by a small group of people at CMT who went looking for the finest in country music and something more, said Sarah Brock, a CMT executive and executive producer of the show.
"She was the absolute best choice. ... Reba really carries the flag into a lot of different worlds for us, but in her heart and in her sound she's country music."
The show was taped at the Kodak Theatre here, where fans roared their approval of CMT's choice.
"It's amazing how she appeals to all genders and all ages," said one of those fans, Cyndie James, 37, of Alta Loma.
During the show, McEntire paid tribute to those who feted her: "Being in country music has given me a lot of things, but the things I cherish the most are my friends, my girlfriends, my buddies, the ones who got up and sang tonight for me. Y'all, that's priceless." She also saluted her family, friends, staff, crew and band.
In 1991, seven members of McEntire's band and her road manager were killed when their plane crashed after taking off from a San Diego airport. Mandrell and Yearwood dedicated several minutes of the show to their memory.
Born Reba Nell McEntire in Chockie, Okla., she was discovered at the National Finals Rodeo in 1974 as she sang the national anthem. She put out her first album in 1977 and has had 33 No. 1 hits since.
McEntire is working on a duets album, and her TV comedy "Reba" began its sixth season on the CW network Friday. She is Betsy the cow in "Charlotte's Web," due in theaters in December and Dixie the dog in "The Fox and the Hound 2," out on video in December, adding to the list of characters she has played in movies and on TV and Broadway over the years.
Her "Reba" clothing line ("I wore hand-me-downs all my life") is featured on her TV show each week and sales of her clothing at Dillard's is up 83 percent from last year, she said. She has a bedding line that will make its debut in March, with shoes and handbags to follow.
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