Born in Oklahoma 73 Years Ago, the Rodeo Champ and Country Singer Whose Little Sister Is a Living Legend

On this day (June 23) in 1953, Del Stanley “Pake” McEntire was born in McAlester, Oklahoma. He is the older brother of Reba McEntire. Like his legendary sister, he grew up competing in rodeos and working on the family ranch. He and his sisters started singing as children to keep the peace in the car while on long road trips.

The McEntire children spent most of their early lives traveling the rodeo circuit with their parents. Pake, Reba, and Susie McEntire loved to sing. So, their mother taught them to sing together on long road trips to keep them from fighting. She also helped them get booked to sing at rodeos and other community events as the Singing McEntires.

According to AllMusic, the family band split, and he formed the band Limestone Gap. They played every week at the Corral Club in Sulphur, Texas. Two years later, he started his own label, Old Cross. He released some music through the label and sometimes toured and sang backup for his sister, whose career was taking off.

His work with Reba put him in contact with her manager, Bill Carter. He helped McEntire land a deal with RCA Records. He released his debut album, Too Old to Grow Up Now. His debut single, “Every Night,” reached No. 20. He followed that with “Savin’ My Love for You,” which peaked at No. 3 and became his biggest hit.

Pake McEntire Remembers Learning to Sing with His Siblings

During an appearance on SHINE on Oklahoma Music, Pake McEntire recalled how his mother taught the McEntire siblings to sing together and why she did it.

[RELATED: Reba McEntire Recalls Competing in Her First Rodeo at 11 Years Old]

“We got started singing kind of by accident,” McEntire recalled. “We always traveled in a car with Daddy’s rodeoin’… Us kids would be in the backseat. Four of us, all, ‘Don’t touch me! Mamma, tell Pake to quit!’ Daddy didn’t like chatter. He called it chatter,” McEntire explained.

The McEntire patriarch didn’t like hearing his kids fight in the backseat, but he enjoyed hearing them sing. Their mother decided that was the only way to keep the peace in the car. “Mama come up with the idea of teaching us how to sing,” McEntire said. Soon, she taught the three siblings who were interested in singing–Pake, Susie, and Reba–how to sing three-part harmony.

Featured Image by Jason Kempin/Getty Images for ABA

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