Is Reba McEntire married? A timeline of her relationship with Rex Linn

Wondering if Reba McEntire is married? The country musician is not yet married but is engaged to CSI: Miami actor Rex Linn. The couple, who began dating in 2020, got engaged during the 2024 Christmas Eve celebrations and have not yet announced a wedding date.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Key takeaways

• Reba McEntire and Rex Linn have been in a relationship since early 2020.
• They initially met in 1991 during the filming of the movie The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw.
• Reba and her fiancé, Rex Linn, got engaged during the 2024 Christmas Eve celebrations at their ranch in Tennessee.
• The couple has not yet set a formal wedding date but has announced their plans to have a low-key, nontraditional ceremony.
• Rex and Reba have collaborated professionally on projects such as Big Sky and Happy’s Place.

Profile summary

Full name	Reba Nell McEntire
Common name	Reba McEntire
Nickname	Reba, The Queen of Country
Gender	Female
Date of birth	28 March 1955
Age	70 years as of March 2026
Zodiac sign	Aries
Place of birth	McAlester, Oklahoma, United States
Nationality	American
Residence	Nashville, Tennessee, United States
Ethnicity	White
Sexual orientation	Straight
Height in centimetres	170
Height in feet	5’7″
Body measurements	37-26-37
Hair colour	Red
Eye colour	Blue
Father	Clark McEntire
Mother	Jacqueline Smith
Siblings	3
Relationship status	Engaged
Children	1
High school	Kiowa High School
Higher education	Southeastern Oklahoma State University
Profession	Singer, songwriter, actress, producer
Net worth	$95 million
Social media	X (Twitter), Instagram, Threads, Facebook, TikTok

Is Reba McEntire married?

Consider Me Gone singe, Reba McEntire is not married as of March 2026. She has been in a committed long-term relationship with CSI: Miami actor Rex Linn since early 2020. In January 2025, the couple announced their engagement.

Meet the Tots: Reba McEntire and Rex Linn’s relationship timeline

Reba McEntire and Rex Linn have shared more than a professional relationship since 2020. The couple, now known as ‘The Tots’ have enjoyed public admiration throughout the course of their relationship. Here is everything you need to know about their relationship, from their initial meeting to their much-awaited wedding day.

1991: Where it all began

Rex and Reba reportedly met during the production of the 1991 Western classic, The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw. In the film, Reba played the female lead, Burgundy Jones, while Rex played Henry, alongside veteran actors, such as Kenny Rogers and Rick Rossovich.

At the time, Reba was married to American TV and music producer Narvel Blackstock. No romance developed, and the two remained friends for over three decades.

After more than two and a half decades in the marriage, Reba’s union with the father of her only biological child, Shelby Steven McEntire Blackstock, ended. The pair announced their separation in August 2015 and their eventual divorce on 28 October 2015.

January 2020: Reba McEntire and Rex Linn cross paths again

In January 2020, the former co-stars reunited on the set of Young Sheldon. Rex held a recurring role as Principal Tom, while Reba played Meemaw’s new boyfriend’s ex-wife, June Ballard.

Speaking on a recent episode of The Jennifer Hudson Show, McEntire revealed that Linn offered her dinner on their first date, but the plan failed to come to fruition for a couple of weeks. Eventually, the pair had their dinner alongside their co-stars, including Melissa Peterman. In the interview, Reba revealed that the dinner marked the start of their romance and their nickname, The Tots.

We all went to dinner, had a good time, and went down the street to a wine bar. And they said, ‘Well, I understand you’ve already had dinner, but we do have some good appetisers.’ I said, ‘What do you have?’ They said we have tater tots, and I went (raises hands), and so Rex said that’s your nickname from here on out… (His nickname) sugar tot. We’re the tots.

October 2020: Reba McEntire reveals her new beau

During the fifth episode of her podcast, Living & Learning with Reba McEntire, the singer went public with her relationship with Rex Linn, whom she described as a ‘sweetheart guy.’ In the episode that aired on 5 October 2020, Reba described how they navigated dating during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A couple of weeks later, Linn confirmed the relationship by posting an Instagram photo of himself and Reba on what seemed like a picnic. The photo, captioned ‘Tater Tot. Angel on the ground’, included two red heart emojis.

In the same month, the couple warmed fans’ hearts when they introduced the world to their farm animals, specifically, their chicken. Two months later, Reba shared a selfie with Rex, introducing her donkey, Poncho.

November 2020: Reba and Rex make their red carpet debut

On 11 November 2020, Rex Linn and Reba McEntire made their red carpet debut as a couple at the CMA Awards in Nashville, Tennessee. For the event, the couple wore coordinated outfits, Reba donning a sequined blazer dress paired with black pants, while Rex complemented her with a blue sport coat with black pants.

In addition to hosting the show, she sang, In The Ghetto, alongside her co-host, Darius Rucker, as well as Be a Light with Thomas Rhett and Chris Tomlin.

August 2021: Reba McEntire and Rex Linn’s COVID-19 scare

On 4 August 2021, McEntire Media posted a YouTube video of the singer’s TikTok Live, in which she announced that she had contracted COVID-19. She advised fans to wear masks and get vaccinated.

I just want to say one thing: this has been a hard year, and it’s getting rougher again… It’s not fun to get this. I did get it. Rex and I got it, and it’s not fun. You don’t feel good. We were both vaccinated, and we still got it, so stay safe, stay home, and be protected the best you can.

According to Today, the I Am A Survivor singer revealed that although she earlier believed that she had COVID-19, she was later diagnosed with RSV (respiratory syncytial virus).

March 2022: Reba McEntire and Rex Linn attend the Academy Awards

During the March 2022 award week, McEntire and Linn posted an Instagram photo of themselves on a double date with Harry Potter actor John Lithgow and his wife, Mary Yeager.

On 27 March, the couple accompanied each other to the 94th Academy Awards, where Reba was making her comeback after 31 years. She performed the Best Original Song nominee Somehow You Do in a shimmering emerald green Dolce & Gabbana gown.

September 2022: Rex Linn and Reba McEntire co-star in Big Sky

The couple played an onscreen married couple in season 3 of the ABC drama, Big Sky. Reba played Sunny Barnes, and her boyfriend, Rex Linn, played Buck Barnes, a shady couple who own and run Sunny Day Excursions, a glamping company with a history of missing customers.

In an interview with People, Reba shared her experience playing a married couple with Rex,

To play husband and wife, it’s natural for us. Rex and I rehearse all the time to make sure that when we step on that set, we’re not wasting anybody’s time. We’re professionals.

April 2023: Reba McEntire gushes over Rex Linn on Today with Hoda & Jenna

A month after appearing on Jennifer Hudson’s talk show, Reba filled in for Hoda Kotb on Today with Hoda & Jenna, bringing Linn along to the studio. She gave their nicknames and was candid about her feelings to Jenna Bush Hager.

We’re the Tots… I’m telling you, he’s a great guy to be in love with.

October 2024: Reba McEntire costars in a sitcom with Rex Linn

At the start of 2024, Rex Lin and Reba teased their new sitcom, NBC‘s Happy Place. In the sitcom, Reba plays Bobbie, who inherits her father’s tavern, while Rex plays Emmett, a bartender and Bobbie’s romantic interest.

The show premiered on 18 October 2024. While speaking to People, Linn gushed over their connection while on set,

We’re running lines constantly. But every once in a while, I’ll sneak by for a quick kiss, just a peck on the cheek, and keep on moving. It’s fun.

December 2024: Linn proposes to McEntire

On Christmas Eve 2024, Rex Linn proposed to Reba McEntire with a custom black diamond and rose gold ring while taking a walk near a creek on their Tennessee ranch at Leiper’s Fork. Originally, Linn planned to have a safari proposal during their trip to Africa.

While on Drew Barrymore’s talk show, the pair played a couple’s card game requiring them to answer questions about themselves. When asked about their fantasy honeymoon destination, Rex and Reba both answered Africa.

As Linn later recounted, he had consulted with an African guide about a scenic spot he had identified for the proposal, only to find out that it was a migratory path for leopards.

Despite the proposal happening in December 2024, the couple held off from sharing the news publicly because of the Los Angeles wildfires of January 2025.

September 2025: Reba McEntire and Rex Linn confirm their engagement

While on the red carpet of the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards, the couple confirmed their engagement to Live From E!: 2025 Emmys. The country singer added that their relationship began as a friendship and gradually gravitated to romance.

We’ve been pretty much inseparable ever since June 16, 2020… It was just like a magnet. We created an intimacy by texting and talking over the telephone that we wouldn’t have gotten if we’d been together all of that time.

She added that she was okay walking down the aisle with the Rush Hour actor.

If that’s something he feels totally strong about, that’s fine with me. He’s never been married before. So, if he wants to experience that, I’m OK with that.

November 2025: Reba talks nontraditional wedding plans

The friends-turned-romantic partners have not yet announced a wedding date; however, they have revealed details of their wedding plans. In an exclusive with E! News, McEntire gave fans a sneak peek into their big day,

It’ll be a lot of fun. It’s gonna be a nontraditional wedding because that’s Rex and me. We like comfort, we love friends, and we love food.

She added,

What we’re doing right now, honestly, is enjoying our engagement time. We haven’t set a date; we’re just going to enjoy our engagement and going to Happy’s Place every day.

She later told Today that a Reba-Rex wedding will have four staples, including ‘low-key setting, lots of fun, lots of people, lots of food.’

FAQs

1. Who is Reba McEntire’s new husband? The Queen of Country is not married.
2. Are Rex Linn and Reba McEntire still together? The couple, now known as The Tots, have been together since the start of 2020.
3. Did Rex Linn propose to Reba? Better Call Saul actor Rex Linn proposed to the singer in December 2024.
4. How did Reba McEntire and Rex Linn meet? The couple met while filming The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw in 1991.
5. What does Rex Linn call Reba? He calls her Tater Tot, while she calls him Sugar Tot.
6. Who has Rex Linn dated? Before dating Reba McEntire, Rex was engaged to Renee DeRese.
7. How many real children does Reba McEntire have? She has one biological child, Shelby Blackstock, and was the stepmother of five children from two previous marriages.

Reba McEntire is not married as of March 2026. The country singer is currently in a committed relationship with her long-term partner, Rex Linn. Towards the end of 2024, Rex Linn went on one knee for a romantic Christmas Eve proposal. Since then, the couple has shared their excitement for a non-traditional wedding with a honeymoon in Africa.

Legit.ng recently published an article about Reba McEntire’s dating history. The country music singer has been married twice in the past, to rodeo champion Charlie Battles and later to her long-time manager Narvel Blackstock.

Like many celebrities, Reba McEntire has been in four high-profile relationships over the years, all with individuals closely connected to the entertainment industry. Read on to explore details of her relationships over the years.

Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.

Source: Legit.ng