Inside Reba McEntire's Friendship With George H.W. Bush

Reba McEntire's rendition of the "The Lord's Prayer" at George H.W. Bush's funeral moved the crowd to tears, including the 41st president's son, George W. Bush, PBS News Hour's coverage showed. The power of the country star's performance came from not only of her ability as an artist, but also her personal feelings for the Bushes. "It was an honor and privilege to sing at President George H.W. Bush's funeral this morning," McEntire wrote on Instagram. "He was a great friend and leader and I will never forget the time we shared together."

McEntire was similarly fond of the former first lady — feelings she expressed on her Instagram upon Barbara's death just seven months before George's. "Mrs. Barbara Bush was one-of-a-kind. I was so honored the day she called me 'Dearie,'" McEntire wrote on April 18, 2018. McEntire went on to describe the lessons she learned from Barbara, including to cherish time spent among loved ones. "Mrs. Bush, I will miss you so much, my friend. Happy trails to you, till we meet again," she poured.

Following George Sr.'s death on November 20, 2018, McEntire uploaded several photos she had taken with the Bushes over the years, illustrating the meaningful bond she shared with the political family. "Mrs. Bush is smiling up a storm this morning!! What a great life he had," she captioned one such post. McEntire and Bush clearly enjoyed each other's company, but the friendship would not have happened had it not been for one little person.

Reba McEntire has her son Shelby to thank for her relationship with Barbara and George H.W. Bush. She and the former first family met in 1990, when she performed in Washington, D.C, she recalled in 2011 on the "All the Best" podcast, hosted by the Bushes' grandson, Sam LeBlond. McEntire and then-husband Narvel Blackstock were invited to meet the Bushes and they took Shelby with them, who was then six months old. "Narvel and I took Shelby in and Shelby got a hold of President Bush's thumb. I said, 'Oh, my gosh. Mister President, I am so sorry.' He said, 'Oh, don't worry about it. I'm used to this. I've got tons of grandkids,'" she told LeBlond.

As George was a big fan of country music, he and McEntire quickly engaged in conversation. The president even showed the singer his country music collection. One thing led to another and before she knew it, McEntire was touring the Bushes' residence. "When we were leaving Mrs. Bush was kinda following us out. She said, 'Hey, would you like to see where we live?'" she told LeBlond,

The following year, George became the only president to attend the CMAs, an event McEntire hosted, according to Outsider. McEntire invited Bush to take the stage, where he professed the importance of the genre in his life. "When I need a little free advice about Saddam, I turn to country music," he shared (via Entertainment Weekly).

Reba McEntire and George H.W. Bush didn't only have country music in common. The two also shared a similar sense of humor that drew them together. "Senior president Bush is my joke buddy," she told Entertainment Weekly in 2006. And technology helped them put their wit to work. "We e-mail each other on our Treos all the time — nothing political, just passing jokes back and forth. He's really into e-mail," the singer told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in 2008, referring to the now-defunct smartphone of the mid-2000s.

McEntire and Bush's friendship deepened around that time, when their families went on vacation together. "Senior Bush invited my [then-]husband [Narvel Blackstock] and I on a private cruise to the Greek islands about four years ago. We became very good friends, and that's when the email stuff started," she explained. McEntire and Bush continued to master the skill of using email in place of instant messaging.

During a World Series game in New York, Treo once again offered them an opportunity to bond. "I saw President Bush and Barbara sittin' behind home plate. I get on my Treo, and I email him, 'Hey, I see you on TV. Have a hot dog for me,” she told EW. She saw Bush look down at his phone and show it to his wife. "Pretty soon I get a message back from him: 'Wait 'til so-and-so gets up to bat, and I'll wave at ya,'" she said.