McEntire sister to perform at rodeo

By Heather Warlick

Published: March 7, 2008

When Susie McEntire Luchsinger was a child, she and her older sister, Reba, were best friends. They still are, even though they live halfway across the country from each other. But superstar singer Reba isn't the only McEntire with musical ability. The four McEntire children, Reba, Susie, Pake and Alice grew up singing in harmony together on the long car rides between their professional steer-roping father's rodeos.

So it's no surprise that three of the four grew up to become professional musicians. This weekend, Luchsinger will share her McEntire talent at the Wrangler Timed Event Championship Rodeo at the Lazy E Arena, Interstate 35 and Seward Road in Guthrie.

At noon today and Saturday, Luchsinger will sing the national anthem to kick off the competition. Sunday, she will co-host an episode of her television show, "Cowboy Church.” The show will be taped at 10 a.m. after a breakfast at 8:30 a.m. where everyone is invited to meet the rodeo stars.

On "Cowboy Church,” she sings country gospel music. Her co-host is Russ Weaver and the show airs on Rural Free Delivery Television Sundays at 5:30 p.m. and Mondays at 8:30 p.m. RFDTV is carried on Dish Network, Direct TV.

Luchsinger is regarded as one of the most renowned and respected country gospel singers in the business and in addition to numerous awards and nominations from TNN, GMA and CCMA, She has been named "Christian Country Artist of the Year” several times. With a slew of No. 1 hits on the Positive Country Music charts, it may seem as though she has lived a charmed life.

But, Luchsinger has overcome some obstacles in her life that were daunting to say the least. She is currently in the midst of a divorce from her husband, Paul Luchsinger. The two wrote about their abusive and destructive relationship in their 1997 book "Tender Road Home.” It was the strife from her life as an abused wife that led her to embrace her relationship with God and create positive change for herself and her three children.

"I'm 50 years old and I've got so much life to live. I don't want to live that way anymore and I don't want to subject my children to it.”Luchsinger's turbulent marriage was only one of the odds she has beaten over the years. When she was 16 and touring with her family's music group, "The Singing McEntires,” psoriasis wreaked havoc on her skin, leaving scars on her self confidence that would last for more than 30 years.

Today, Luchsinger happier than ever. Soon, she will appear in public service announcements about domestic violence. She has nine albums to date and is going strong. She still lives on the property she grew up on 33 miles south of McAlester and her renewed hope and spirit are reminders of her devotion to music and her faith in God.

Comments