Reba Relishes Friendly Faces on Tour

Reba McEntire is thrilled to find herself in good company on her current tour with George Strait and Lee Ann Womack. Not only is she traveling with some of her best friends, there are thousands more close friends in the audience.

"I have fans who started out with me and aged with me," Reba tells The Boot. "They introduced their children to my music, and now they're introducing their grandchildren. They come up to me and say, 'This is my grandchild, and they love your television show ... they love your music.' I'm just hoping I'll make it through another generation!"

The singer jokes that it makes her feel older sometimes, but mostly she feels grateful that she's been able to do what she loves to do for 34 years.

Back on stage, Reba is surrounded by great friends, as well. She and George toured together in the '80s with the late Conway Twitty, and she and Lee Ann have been friends for a long time. Despite her early trepidation about having the stage in the middle of the arena, the singer has been having a great time.

"We are having a blast on the tour," Reba reports. "It's totally different for me, having a 40 by 40 square in the middle of an arena. I was a little panicked at first, wondering how was I going to make it around it and do my songs. But now I really do like it. I like having access to that many people, instead of going back and forth on a regular stage."

Reba's camp got things off to a great start the first weekend of the tour, when they opened in Baltimore, Md. on Jan. 22. "Narvel (husband Narvel Blackstock) arranged for for us to all go back in the catering room with Lee Ann's band and crew, George's band and crew, my band and crew, and everybody just gathered and mingled. It was a great thing to do. We wanted everyone to get to know each other and feel comfortable. I think we are going to continue to have a great time at the show."

When she's talking about her tourmates, it is obvious that Reba has a great deal of respect and love for them. "George is George -- he is still the same super nice guy that he's always been," she says. "He and Norma (his wife) are great people. A lot of his band was with him back when we toured with Conway, so it's like like a family reunion.

"Lee Ann and I have fun every time we are together. I asked her to come up on stage and do 'Does He Love You' with me, and she said yes. She came over to rehearsal and we hung out and had a blast. It's just so much fun to tour with friends, whether it's Lee Ann and George, Kelly Clarkston, Brooks & Dunn or Terri Clark. I love to tour with friends. It's very special and it's not work; it's going out and having fun."

Reba will continue touring with George and Lee Ann through April 10, when they end their trek in Des Moines, Iowa.