Singer/guitarist Pake McEntire was the older brother of mega-star Reba McEntire. He was born Dale Stanley McEntire in Chockie, Oklahoma, the second of four children; his distinctive nickname was a short form of "Pecos." He spent much of his childhood traveling the rodeo circuit with his father; while out riding, the McEntire kids sang songs like "Jesus Loves Me" and "Hound Dog" for tips in hotel lobbies. Later, Pake, Reba, and little sister Suzie teamed up to form the Singing McEntires and, thanks to their mother, got themselves booked to sing at rodeos and other community events. Reba later left the group to start her own career by signing with Mercury. After the McEntires disbanded, Pake formed his own band, Limestone Gap, which played weekly at the famous Corral Club in Sulphur, Texas. McEntire remained with the band for two years and then founded his own label, Old Cross, on which he released two albums and a few singles. He sometimes sang backup on Reba's songs, and it was her manager Bill Carter who helped him sign to RCA. In 1986, McEntire released his major-label debut Too Old to Grow Up Now, which was both a critical and commercial success. His debut single, "Every Night," made the Top Ten, while his second single "Savin' My Love for You" hit number three and "Bad Love" climbed to the Top 15. Although his career got off to a great start, it soon began to fizzle; his first single of 1987, "Heart vs. Heart," featuring backing vocals from Reba, made the Top Five, but his next single barely reached the Top 50. The cuts from his second album, My Whole World, didn't do nearly as well, and as a result McEntire left the music industry to return to the rodeo and his ranch. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
