Classic CMA Awards Moments, #5: Reba’s Red Dress (1993)

#5: Reba McEntire
Reba’s Red Dress
1993

For her 1993 CMA duet “Does He Love You” with Linda Davis, Reba McEntire asked stylist Sandy Spika to design a dress worthy of the moment. Mission accomplished. McEntire, known for her keen fashion sense and an even better flair for the dramatic, raised eyebrows when she appeared on the CMA stage in a low-cut red dress. The dress earned howls from the crowd who were surprised at the plunging neckline of the plucky redhead. Since then, the event evokes only laughter (and maybe just the slightest bit of embarrassment) from the famous singer when she recalls her cleavage-revealing performance.

The audience surely was impressed by the song as well. It reached #1 on the country singles chart later in 1993. The following year, the twosome (Reba & Linda, that is) earned the CMA award for Vocal Event of the Year, and the song also captured a Grammy for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals.

Reba McEntire & Linda Davis, “Does He Love You” (1993)

Reba McEntire, Interview with Ralph Emery (1994)

5 Comments

  1. This story will never die. Reba has gotten more publicity and had more stories written about that dress than if she’s won every award they handed out that night.

    The woman knows her business.

  2. “and I loved her speech when they got the CMA award that year”

    Hey! I rememeber that too. Linda Davis said something to the effect that this time last year she was still struggling to be heard in Nashville or something. Then Reba remaked ‘and this time last year, I had on half a dress.’

    Great stuff.

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