After eight lackluster years on Mercury, Reba McEntire signed with MCA in the early 1980s and good things soon started happening. With this spirited retro country-honky-tonk-Western swing album, she boldly laid claim to her Oklahoma musical heritage. She also placed herself at the forefront of the "new traditionalist" movement that was starting to gather steam in Nashville at the time. Many of the songs on My Kind of Country are thrilling steel- and fiddle-adorned remakes of oldies by Ray Price, Carl Smith, Faron Young, and Connie Smith. The immense critical acclaim that My Kind of Country garnered quickly catapulted McEntire through the ranks of the also-rans and finally made her a viable contender for stardom. --Bob Allen Amazon.com essential recording
 |  | Traditional, Traditional, TRADITIONAL!!! |  |
This album contains mostly Traditional songs for country. As I said in my "Just A Little Love" Review, this album is what saved Reba from getting fired from MCA. This album was produced by Harold Shedd, the last time in the 80's Reba would work with anyone other than Jimmy Bowen. It yielded 2 #1 hits, How Blue and Somebody Should Leave. Both of which are on her Greatest Hits Vol. 1. If you're not too much of a fan of traditional, buy that instead, but if you are purchase this! Before I Met You is a very good upbeat song. I also LOVED the song "Everything But My Heart", which was about a man wanting her for everything other than her heart (physical relationship). Those 4 are probably the best from this album, and this just allowed Reba to continue making "Her Kind of Country", which also put her in a co-producer spot with Jimmy Bowen from 1985-1989. This album was a great album, but even better ones were forthcoming....
April 17, 2005Reba's last official Mercury album, Behind the scene, was more traditional than its predecessors but her first MCA album, the brilliant but often overlooked Just a little love, had more of a pop-country sound to it. So, this album came as something of a surprise, with its ultra-traditional sound reinforced by the cover picture showing Reba set against a mountainous background - something that pop-country fans would instinctively steer clear of unless they also like traditional country.
The album includes a mix of oldies and originals. The oldies include songs that were originally recorded by Connie Smith, Faron Yong and Ray Price but none of them are all that well known. Before I met you is the one most likely to be recognized by traditional country fans, having been recorded by several country stars including Charley Pride. Porter and Dolly did an excellent duet version of the song.
As with Just a little love, only two singles were released from the album, these being How blue and Somebody should leave. To the delight of all traditional country fans, they both reached number one on the country charts, thus allowing Reba to continue recording this kind of music. Have I got a deal for you, Merry Christmas to you and The last one to know followed in a similar style.
The instruments used include steel guitar, dobro, bass, lead guitar, acoustic guitar, keyboards and fiddle - no surprises there, but two drummers are credited. On this album, you have to listen hard to hear either of them.
If you enjoy hearing Reba sing traditional country with plenty of fiddles and steel, this is for you. March 7, 2004
 | | SIMPLY...THE BEST REBA EVER DID!! | |
No one can touch Reba when she is produced intelligently and when she sings traditional country!! She rivals the greatest country female singer of all time....Patsy Cline. This tremendous offering will show you why. Every cut could have been a number one!! She is totally in her element. Producer, Harold Shedd, kept her trademark 'tripling of syllables' to a minimum and the result is simply the best package of songs ever assembled for a Country Recording. Reba shines on every number and its impossible to pick a favorite out of this collection. These are the memories of a long time fan who bought everything Reba put out when she was truly country. This CD, together with her follow up "Have I Got a Deal for You" CD rank among the true classic recordings in country music. Reba ....come back to 'traditional country'. You're much too good to sound like everybody else doing the stuff you've been doing all these years since "My Kind of Country" was released.
January 23, 2003How Blue Is One Of Reba's Best Hits Today. This Is The Fallow-Up To Just A Little Love. My Favorite Songs Are: "Somebody Should Leave", And "How Blue". It Is Great For Any Reba Fan.
June 23, 2000| | | Reba's first landmark album | |
Contemporary country fans BEWARE....this is country as it was meant to be. My Kind of Country is still considered one of the ground breaking albums in country music. At the height of pop-country when Barbara Mandrell and Dolly Parton dominated the charts with cross-over hits, a little known artist who had been around for over 6 years recording music decided she was finally going to do things her way....and this album is the result. Containing the #1 hits "How Blue," and "Somebody Should Leave," this album garnered Reba her first Female Vocalist of the Year Award, a nomination for Album of the Year, an invitation to join the Grand Ole Opry, and national recognition. Radio and fans alike were delighted to here someone returning to true country music. Joined by George Strait and Randy Travis, Reba led the neo-traditionalist movement of the 80's and began to set the standard for all other female artists who were following in her footsteps. From western swing to heartwrenching ballads, this album is a true masterpiece and will be remembered for years to come as the definitive neo-traditionalist country album.
July 28, 1999More reviews at Amazon.com ...
