Reba McEntire was the star of NBC’s Opry 100: A Live Celebration, a special show you can now watch on Peacock. She both started and ended the night, making it extra special for everyone.
The show had lots of amazing moments, but one stood out: Reba teamed up with another country music legend, Trisha Yearwood. It began with Reba singing “Sweet Dreams” by Patsy Cline all by herself, without any instruments. Then she sang “You Ain’t Woman Enough” to honor Loretta Lynn. Soon after, Trisha joined her on stage, and together they sang “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia.” This song, which Reba also sang back in 1991, tells a spooky story about a murder in the South. Lines like “Don’t trust your soul to no backwoods Southern lawyer, because the judge in the town’s got bloodstains on his hands” sound dark, but Reba and Trisha made it beautiful and fun to listen to. Reba has a special way of making any song feel happy!
You can watch a little bit of their performance online if you want to see it.
Reba knew how big this night was. She said, “It’s an honor to celebrate 100 years of the Grand Ole Opry. So many amazing singers came before me and made it possible for me to perform here tonight.” She felt proud to be part of such a historic event.
What’s “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia” About?
This song first came out in 1973, sung by Vicki Lawrence and written by her husband, Bobby Russell. It’s about a brother who gets in big trouble for something he didn’t do and ends up being punished unfairly. That version became super popular and reached number one on the music charts.
Years later, in 1991, Reba sang her own version of the song for her album For My Broken Heart. It climbed to number 12 on the country music charts and is still a song fans love when she sings it live. Reba’s take on this classic tune keeps it exciting and special for everyone!
