Reba McEntire’s Heart Won’t Lie! See a Complete Timeline of the Country Star’s Dating History
Reba McEntire has been belting out country love songs for the last few decades thanks to inspiration from her previous relationships. Although the Grammy Award winner is no longer married, she’s making the most of dating in her 60s.
The “Fancy” songstress tied the knot with her first husband, Charlie Battles, in 1976. Their marriage didn’t last, however, as they went their separate ways more than 10 years later in 1987. Reba then moved on with her second husband, Narvel Blackstock.
The country icon and the film producer exchanged vows in 1989 and were married for 26 years before Narvel filed for divorce from his spouse in 2015. Looking back on the split, a friend close to Reba revealed she was completely caught off guard.
“Narvel was her protector, her business partner and manager, and it was really tough on her. She had no idea it was coming,” the pal exclusively told Closer Weekly in March 2019. “She felt sorry for herself for about a month, but then she snapped out of it.”
The former Reba actress gave love another shot when she started dating Anthony “Skeeter” Lasuzzo in 2017. Although Reba thought she and the wildlife photographer were a “match made in heaven,” they split after two years together in November 2019.
“Skeeter is a great guy, but her busy schedule and Skeeter’s [retired] way of life just didn’t mesh very well,” the friend explained to Closer. “[The breakup] was amicable.”
Following Reba and the retired geologist’s split, the insider dished the star was perfectly “fine being single” for the time being. “Yes, she would like to find love again,” the friend told Closer. “She definitely wants to grow old with someone by her side, but she says she’s taking a little break.”
It seems that break didn’t last long as the Tremors actress started dating her new boyfriend, Rex Linn, in early 2020. Reba revealed their romance sparked after they got “dinner” together in New York City in January.
“[We’ve been] having discussions about our past, our [families], funny stories, him being an actor, me being an actress,” she gushed during an episode of her “Living and Learning” podcast in early October. “He’s very into my music, I’m very into his career — it’s just great getting to talk to somebody who I find very interesting, very funny and very smart, and is interested in me too.”
It sounds like Reba is truly happy!
Scroll through the gallery below to see a complete timeline of Reba’s dating history.
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Charlie Battles (1976 – 1987)
At the time Reba was rising to fame, she met her first husband, Charlie, in the mid-’70s. Charlie was a divorced steer-wrestling champion, who also happened to be 10 years her senior.
The lovebirds tied the knot in 1976 when Reba was just 21 years old. “I loved Charlie with all my heart, I wanted to marry him … we had a lot of fun,” she once said, CNN reported. “We rodeoed together, we ranched together.”
Sadly, the pair called it quits in 1987 after 11 years of marriage. Because Reba hasn’t talked much about their relationship, there isn’t a lot of information out there about Charlie.
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Narvel Blackstock (1989 – 2015)
Reba actually met her second spouse, Narvel, during her first marriage with Charlie. The Hollywood stars became aquatinted when they started working together in 1980. Narvel later joined the “Consider Me Gone” singer’s band as a guitarist.
At the time Reba and Charlie split, Narvel began working as her band’s manager. Their relationship quickly grew, and they exchanged vows in Lake Tahoe on June 3, 1989. The following year, they welcomed Reba’s only child, son Shelby Blackstock, in February 1990.
The “Does He Love You” songstress was taken by surprise when the Malibu Country producer filed for divorce in 2015. Following the end of their marriage, Reba said she had to figure out how to “handle” her career and new life as a single woman.
“The divorce was not my choice. I did not want it at all,” she explained during an episode of her podcast titled “Forging Your Own Path” in September. “The people who were literally taking care of me and my company [and] my career left me. It was kind of a, as I call, come to Jesus meeting. I had to gather my wear with all.”
Despite the heartbreak, Reba said the journey forced her to be stronger. “I think it made me appreciate the business more,” she shared. “There I was again, forging another part of the territory I never even thought I’d have to deal with.”
Aside from his relationship with Reba, Narvel was also married to his first wife, Elisa Gayle Ritter, from 1973 to 1988. The former pair share kids Brandon Blackstock, Shawna Rene Blackstock and Chassidy Celeste Blackstock.
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Anthony “Skeeter” Lasuzzo (2017 – 2019)
Reba and Anthony first met while the country artist was on a tour during her vacation in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, in August 2017. After they crossed paths, their romance quickly kicked off.
“We’re totally in love … absolutely,” she gushed to People in April 2019. “I wouldn’t put up with somebody for two years if I wasn’t in love with ’em! The old heart’s still beating.”
Throughout their two-year romance, Skeeter — who is a wildlife photographer and former geologist — often appeared alongside his lady at red carpet events or at other Hollywood outings. However, their relationship ended in November 2019.
Despite their split, an insider revealed the two were on good terms. “They remain great friends,” the source exclusively shared with Closer the following month in December. “Reba and Skeeter feel like they’re just at different points in their lives. Maybe they’ll get back together when Reba is ready to settle down a bit more, but she’s not there yet.”
The businessman is the proud dad of his four kids, Kristi Lasuzzo, Tyler Rominger, Holli Dixon and Blake Lasuzzo. Blake shares his children with his ex-wife, Marolyn Tyler Lasuzzo, whom he divorced in 2013. It’s unclear when the two first exchanged vows.
Instagram/RexLinn
Rex Linn (2020 – Present)
Reba started dating the CSI: Miami star in January 2020. Although the “Back to God” singer said she and the actor are still “talking” and “getting to know” each other, she can already tell he’s “very special.”
“[Rex is a] very, very sweetheart of a guy,” she gushed on her podcast. “It’s good to have a person to talk to, [to] laugh with [and] get into subjects about what’s going on.”
Prior to dating one of Hollywood’s most iconic singers, Rex — who also starred in 1993’s Cliffhanger and 1997’s Breakdown, among many more — was previously engaged to Renee DeRese in 2010.
