Stronger Than the Truth

On September 18, 2018, McEntire posted a picture on Instagram stating that she was back in the studio,{{cite web |title=Reba on Instagram: "Back at it in the studio #newmusic #comingsoon 📸: @ryanrcamp" |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/Bn31G7FBjdW/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/s/instagram/Bn31G7FBjdW |archive-date=December 24, 2021 |url-access=registration|via=Instagram |access-date=March 25, 2019}}{{cbignore}} and told The Boot that; "It's gonna be probably the most country album I've ever recorded." She also described it as "real country", and was inspired by the music she grew up listening to."{{cite web|url=http://theboot.com/reba-mcentire-new-album-2018-2019/|title=Reba McEntire's New Project Is 'Probably the Most Country Album' She's Ever Made|website=The Boot|last=Liptak|first=Carena|date=October 10, 2018|access-date=February 11, 2019}} In a press release, McEntire explained her inspiration and song selection, saying, "The response to Sing It Now: Songs of Faith & Hope reinforced my love for recording songs that speak to the heart. So when I started selecting songs for this album, I stuck with that same formula – go with the songs that touch my heart, and hopefully when you hear me singing it, they'll touch yours too. That honesty once again revealed itself."

The track "Cactus in a Coffee Can" was originally recorded by Jerry Kilgore on his 1999 album Love Trip.{{cite web | url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/love-trip-mw0000245697 | title=Love Trip | work=Allmusic | access-date=April 5, 2019}}

The album was announced on February 11, 2019.{{cite web|url=http://tasteofcountry.com/reba-mcentire-stronger-than-the-truth-album-2019/|title=Reba McEnitre Returns With New Album, Stronger Than the Truth|website=Taste of Country|last=Despres|first=Tricia|date=February 11, 2019|access-date=February 11, 2019}} The first promotional single from the album, "Stronger Than the Truth", was released on February 15, along with the album's pre-order. McEntire also announced that a new song from the album would be released each Friday leading up the album's April 5 release date. "No U in Oklahoma" was released as the second promotional single on February 22.{{cite web |last=Betts |first=Stephen L. |title=Reba McEntire Goes Western Swing in New Song 'No U in Oklahoma' |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/reba-mcentire-no-u-in-oklahoma-new-album-stronger-than-the-truth-acm-awards-798751/ |website=Rolling Stone |access-date=March 21, 2019 |date=February 22, 2019}} On March 1, "In His Mind" was released as the third promotional single.{{cite web |last=Betts |first=Stephen L. |title=Hear Reba McEntire's Sorrowful New Song 'In His Mind' |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/reba-mcentire-new-song-in-his-mind-stronger-than-the-truth-802076/ |website=Rolling Stone |access-date=March 21, 2019 |date=March 1, 2019}} "Tammy Wynette Kind of Pain" was released on March 8 as the fourth promotional single.{{cite web |last=Houghton |first=Cillea |title=Reba McEntire's 'Tammy Wynette Kind of Pain' Is Gut-Wrenching |url=https://tasteofcountry.com/reba-mcentire-tammy-wynette-kind-of-pain/ |website=Taste of Country |access-date=March 21, 2019}} The fifth promotional single, "Storm in a Shot Glass" was released on March 15.{{cite web |last=Whitaker |first=Sterling |title=Reba McEntire Gives Fair Warning on 'Storm in a Shot Glass' |url=https://tasteofcountry.com/reba-mcentire-storm-in-a-shot-glass/ |website=Taste of Country |access-date=March 21, 2019}} "Freedom" was released as the album's lead single on March 22.{{cite web |last=Stefano |first=Angela |title=Reba McEntire Finds 'Freedom' in New Single [LISTEN] |url=https://theboot.com/reba-mcentire-freedom/ |website=The Boot |access-date=March 22, 2019}}{{cite web |last=Dukes |first=Billy |title=Listen: Reba McEntire's 'Freedom' Is a Fist-Pumping Anthem |url=https://tasteofcountry.com/reba-mcentire-freedom/ |website=Taste of Country |access-date=March 22, 2019}}

On March 28, the album became available for streaming exclusively on NPR Music's website as a part of their First Listen series.{{cite web |title=First Listen: Reba McEntire, 'Stronger Than The Truth' |url=https://www.npr.org/2019/03/28/706864229/first-listen-reba-mcentire-stronger-than-the-truth |website=NPR.org |access-date=March 28, 2019}}

McEntire also performed the album's single "Freedom" on the 54th Academy of Country Music Awards on April 8, 2019{{Cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/acmas/8506042/reba-mcentire-freedom-2019-acm-awards|title=Reba McEntire Shifts Back to Performance Mode For New Song 'Freedom' at 2019 ACM Awards|website=Billboard|access-date=2019-05-03}}

Stronger Than the Truth debuted at No. 4 on Billboard{{'}} Top Country Albums, with 20,000 traditional albums sold (21,000 in equivalent album units). It is her 27th top 10 in the Top Country Albums chart, the first of which she achieved 33 years ago on April 19, 1986 with Whoever's in New England.{{cite web |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/8507467/brett-young-here-tonight-number-1-country-airplay-chart|title=Brett Young's 'Here Tonight' Hits No. 1 on Country Airplay Chart|date=April 16, 2019 |first= Gary |last=Trust |work=Billboard }}{{cite web |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/8507673/brooks-dunn-george-strait-reba-mcentire-billy-ray-cyrus-1993-2019-charts |title=Brooks & Dunn, George Strait, Reba McEntire (And Billy Ray Cyrus) Party on the Charts Like It's 1993|date=April 17, 2019 |first= Gary |last=Trust |work=Billboard }} The album has sold 57,500 copies in the United States as of March 2020.{{cite web |url=http://roughstock.com/news/2020/03/44165-top-10-country-albums-pure-sales-chart-march-9-2020|title=Top 10 Country Albums Pure Sales Chart: March 9, 2020 |work=RoughStock|first=Matt |last=Bjorke |date= March 10, 2020 |access-date=March 22, 2020 }}

Rating it 4 out of 5 stars, Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic called it a "pure, unadorned country album" and "flinty even when it's tender". He also wrote that "She channels this empathetic toughness into a series of songs that plays like short stories...and that deft, subtle blend of music and message gives Stronger Than the Truth a lasting emotional resonance."{{cite web | url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/stronger-than-the-truth-mw0003256274 | title=Stronger Than the Truth | work=AllMusic | access-date=March 2, 2020 | author=Stephen Thomas Erlewine}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Stronger Than the Truth{{cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-country/reba-mcentire-new-album-stronger-than-the-truth-acm-awards-host-793375/|title=Reba McEntire Details New Album 'Stronger Than the Truth'|website=Rolling Stone|last=Betts|first=Stephen L.|date=February 11, 2019|access-date=February 11, 2019}}

| title1 = Swing All Night Long with You

| writer1 = {{hlist|Sidney Cox|Jon Randall}}

| length1 = 4:42

| title2 = Stronger Than the Truth

| writer2 = {{hlist|Hannah Louise Blaylock|Autumn McEntire}}

| length2 = 4:10

| title3 = Storm in a Shot Glass

| writer3 = {{hlist|Mary Browder|Will Robinson|Leslie Satcher}}

| length3 = 3:02

| title4 = Tammy Wynette Kind of Pain

| writer4 = {{hlist|Brandy Clark|Mark Narmore|Shelley Skidmore}}

| length4 = 3:58

| title5 = Cactus in a Coffee Can

| writer5 = {{hlist|Steve Seskin|Allen Shamblin}}

| length5 = 4:27

| title6 = Your Heart

| writer6 = Kellys Collins

| length6 = 3:57

| title7 = The Clown

| writer7 = {{hlist|Dallas Davidson|Hillary Lindsey|James T. Slater}}

| length7 = 5:07

| title8 = No U in Oklahoma

| writer8 = {{hlist|Reba McEntire|Ronnie Dunn|Donna McSpadden}}

| length8 = 3:08

| title9 = The Bar's Getting Lower

| writer9 = {{hlist|Collins|Erin Enderlin|Liz Hengber|Alex Kline}}

| length9 = 3:27

| title10 = In His Mind

| writer10 = {{hlist|R. McEntire|Hengber|Tommy Lee James}}

| length10 = 3:33

| title11 = Freedom

| writer11 = {{hlist|James Brunswick|Tommy Cecil|Jaida Dreyer|John Pierce}}

| length11 = 3:50

| title12 = You Never Gave Up on Me

| writer12 = {{hlist|Billy Aerts|Burton Collins}}

| length12 = 3:59

| total_length = 47:20

}}

{{track listing

| headline = Target edition bonus tracks{{cite web |title=Reba McEntire Stronger Than The Truth (Target Exclusive) |url=https://www.target.com/p/reba-mcentire-stronger-than-the-truth-target-exclusive/-/A-54474565 |website=www.target.com |access-date=March 21, 2019}}

| title13 = While You Were Sleeping

| writer13 = {{hlist|Bonnie Baker|Robin Lee Bruce|Mitzi Dawn}}

| length13 = 3:07

| title14 = Ain't Got Nothin' on My Pain

| writer14 = {{hlist|Morgane Hayes|Liz Rose|Chris Stapleton}}

| length14 = 3:08

| total_length = 53:35

}}

Adapted from the album liner notes.

Vocals

• Wyatt Beard – background vocals {{small|(tracks 1, 3, 7–9, 11, 13, 14)}}
• Buddy Cannon – background vocals {{small|(track 5)}}
• Melonie Cannon – background vocals {{small|(tracks 3, 5)}}
• Sonya Isaacs – background vocals {{small|(track 4)}}
• Reba McEntire – lead vocals
• Jenifer Wrinkle – background vocals {{small|(tracks 1, 3, 4, 7–11, 13, 14)}}

Production and musicians

{{div col}}

• Jim "Moose" Brown – piano {{small|(tracks 1–10, 13, 14)}}, B-3 organ {{small|(track 3)}}, synthesizer {{small|(track 11)}}
• Buddy Cannon – producer
• Alex Carter – recording assistant {{small|(tracks 1, 14)}}
• Tony Castle – recording, mixing {{small|(tracks 1–14)}}
• Taylor Chadwick – mastering assistant
• Tony Creasman – drums, tambourine {{small|(track 13)}}
• Nick Davison – recording assistant {{small|(tracks 3, 7–9)}}
• Shannon Finnegan – production coordination
• Bobbi Geil – mastering assistant
• Mike Johnson – steel guitar, dobro {{small|(track 5)}}
• Jeff King – electric guitar {{small|(tracks 1–4, 6–11, 13, 14)}}
• Catherine Marx – piano {{small|(track 12)}}
• Brent Mason – acoustic guitar {{small|(track 5)}}, electric guitar {{small|(tracks 1–4, 6–11, 13, 14)}}
• Reba McEntire – producer
• Andrew Mendelson – mastering
• Jason Mott – recording assistant {{small|(tracks 3, 4, 11–13)}}
• Larry Paxton – bass
• Megan Peterson – mastering assistant
• Deanie Richardson – fiddle, viola {{small|(track 5)}}
• Bryce Roberts – recording assistant {{small|(tracks 1–11, 13, 14)}}
• Ned Singh – recording assistant{{small|(tracks 3, 7–9)}}
• Joe Spivey – fiddle {{small|(tracks 1–4, 6–11, 13, 14)}}
• Bobby Terry – acoustic guitar {{small|(track 5)}}, banjo {{small|(track 3)}}

{{div col end}}

Other

• Brett Freedman – hair, make-up
• Loretta Harper – wardrobe
• Allison Jones – A&R
• Robby Klein – photography
• Leslie Matthews – wardrobe
• Justin McIntosh – art direction, graphic design, wardrobe
• Janice Soled – copy coordinator
• Brianna Steinitz – copy coordinator

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Category:2019 albums

Category:Albums produced by Buddy Cannon

Category:Big Machine Records albums

Category:Reba McEntire albums