Story Behind the Song: Reba McEntire, ‘No U in Oklahoma’

Reba McEntire's "No U in Oklahoma" started out as a play on words dreamt up by Donna McSpadden, a friend of the singer's, but the song went through several iterations before becoming the swing-friendly, catchy track it is today. In fact, McEntire herself wrote another version of the song that was ultimately shot down by producer Buddy Cannon.

In the end, McEntire's longtime friend and fellow country superstar, Ronnie Dunn of Brooks & Dunn, helped write the version that is included on McEntire's Stronger Than the Truth album. Read on to learn more, from the perspective of McEntire herself. 

Well, a friend of mine in Chelsea, Okla., Donna McSpadden, gave me the idea. I sent it to Ronnie [Dunn], and while we were on vacation in Cancun -- I had a guitar down there at my house -- he just kinda started riffing and playing. We recorded it in a kind of rough demo, and I sent it to Buddy Cannon, and he loved it.

I wrote another version and played it for Buddy, but he didn't like mine. I didn't tell him that it was me that wrote it by myself! But I fixed some of the lines that made it easier for me to sing on the Ronnie version.

Reba McEntire's 'Stronger Than the Truth': Track By Track