Taylor Swift, Award Shows, Blue Christmas & More

Thursday, September 24, 2009 - 12:38 AM, CDT | wellandtribune.ca

Kanye West, be glad Reba McEntire wasn’t at the MTV Video Music Awards.

When the rapper rudely upstaged country music cutie Taylor Swift during the televised Sept. 13 awards show, the 54-year-old country music veteran says she would have done something about it.

West grabbed the microphone out of Swift’s hand as she won best female video and declared that Beyonce had one of the best clips of the year.

“I wish I had been there!” the intense McEntire told Sun Media Wednesday in Toronto. “I would have jumped up there and said, ‘Give me that microphone! Give that back to her!’ I was totally upset.”

The redheaded Oklahoman is in Canada to promote her 12th No. 1 album, Keep On Loving You, which she’ll support with shows Thursday and Friday at Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort.

“It was (Swift’s) time to shine, her moment, and Kanye is way down here and Beyonce is way up here (in terms of my) admiration, respect.

“What Beyonce did when she won her award (later) and she called Taylor back on the stage, I thought that was huge, classy, professional. Beyonce’s mouth was wide open when Kanye pulled that fiasco. Taylor had been on SNL (previously). I’m sure, I haven’t talked to her about it, but what would have been going through my mind: ‘Is this a gag?’ ”

A frequent awards-show host, presenter and performer, McEntire said the only time she has been involved in an uncomfortable live TV moment was when she was presenting the entertainer-of-the-year trophy to Toby Keith at the ACMs while he was fueding with the Dixie Chicks.

“The official explanation was that he was on the bus (with Willie Nelson) writing songs when he was up for entertainer of the year — that’s the last place I would have been. I would have my butt in a seat waiting for that award.

“But anyway, I think Toby was mad because the Dixie Chicks had gotten to perform live via satellite and he had asked to do that and they had told him no. Oh, it was so much fun that day. Whoa, mercy, it was like juggling.”

McEntire, who has sold 55 million albums worldwide over her 32-year career, is up for two CMAs in late November for her collaboration with Brooks And Dunn, on a re-recording of their hit Cowgirls Don’t Cry. She will perform her own new song, Consider Me Gone, on the awards show.

McEntire said she’s excited, not disappointed, that Brooks and Dunn are splitting up following their 2009 greatest-hits album and 2010 tour, after 20 years as a duo.

“They’ve done everything they know to do as a duet, won every award. So I think now what I’m really anxious about and excited about is to see what they’re going to do next, separately, because they’re so creative. Surprised? No. Twenty years. The thing is to keep recreating yourself.”

McEntire, who just broke Loretta Lynn’s record for having the most No. 1 album debuts on the country music charts with Keep On Loving You, pointed out her fan base has diversified since she spent six seasons on the Reba TV series and also did Annie Get Your Gun on Broadway in 2001.

“The more different things you do, and the more fans you bring into your music, is very beneficial to the whole country music scene.”

She recently recorded Blue Christmas with opera star Andrea Bocelli at the invitation of Canadian producer David Foster, and will be on both the PBS TV special in November and Bocelli’s holiday album — along with fellow guests Natalie Cole, Mary J. Blige and The Muppets.

“Andrea’s a huge fan of Elvis Presley,” McEntire said. “I sat there in awe. I just loved it. (His voice) is like rich frosting on a cake — decadent. It’s so full. I stood there right beside him and just watched him. He’s a very handsome man.”

Posted by Extreme Reba on 09/24/2009 at 12:38 AM