Reba McEntire Relied on Prayer and Positive Thinking to Make ‘Stronger Than the Truth’

Reba McEntire will soon release her 33rd studio album, Stronger Than the Truth. While much of music, as well as her process, has evolved since her self-titled freshman record was released in 1977, one thing has remained consistent: her reliance on both prayer and positive thinking when selecting songs for each project.

“Lord, if there’s somebody out there who needs to hear a song to heal their heart, please help me find it and be the one to sing it,” McEntire told The Tennessean she prays before choosing songs.

“Whether it’s angels or the Holy Spirit, all they want to do is please you and help you and here they come to the rescue,” she continued. “It’s that positive thinking … it’s powerful, and it works.”

The 64-year-old, who says she “hoards songs like most people hoard junk,” included a track on Stronger Than the Truth called “You Never Gave Up On Me,” which she originally considered for her 2017 Songs of Faith project. She also included a heartbreaking song, “In His Mind,” which McEntire co-wrote with Liz Hengber and Tommy Lee James.

“I thought about what her first husband would think about when he saw it, and I bet in his mind he thinks, ‘She’s going to come back to me,’ ” McEntire said. “That’s what the song is about. It’s a very sad song.”

McEntire wrote two of the dozen songs on Stronger Than the Truth, although she admitted she might have been her own worst critic when it came to choosing which songs to include on the album.

“It was a lot of fun,” McEntire told PopCulture.com of penning songs for the record. “I enjoy writing. I enjoy collaborating. I like working with other people. So it was really fun. But just because I write the songs does not mean that they get on my album. Only the best songs, the ones that really touch my heart get on the album.”

Two days after Stronger Than the Truth comes out, McEntire will host the 2019 ACM Awards, taking the helm for the 16th time. But even though she is by now a pro at handling live awards shows, she admits she does get just a touch of anxiety before she takes the stage.

“Right before I walk on stage, I’m a little nervous, butterflies are flying,” McEntire admitted. “But after you take that first step, and say that first sentence, everything is golden.”

Order Stronger Than the Truth at Reba.com.

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