Reba McEntire - The Best Of Reba McEntire (1985)

The Best of Reba McEntire contains 10 of her biggest hits from the early '80s, which were all recorded for Mercury Records. These hit singles -- including "(You Lift Me) Up to Heaven," "Today All Over Again," "I'm Not That Lonely Yet," "Can't Even Get the Blues," "You're the First Time I've Thought About Leaving," and "Why Do We Want (What We Know We Can't Have)" -- represent the first songs where McEntire truly found a voice of her own. Occasionally, Jerry Buckler's productions are a little too sanitary, but McEntire overcomes any overly-commercial flourishes with her gritty, gutsy vocals, and the best of these songs are as good as her finest moments for MCA.~The Best of Reba McEntire Review by Thom Owens