Country singer Reba McEntire, 61, has just released her first gospel album called "Sing It Now: Songs of Faith & Hope." The album contains a lot of songs about her faith in God amid her painful divorce to her husband of 26 years, Narvel Blackstock, back in 2015.
The album, which contains 22 songs including "Jesus Loves Me" and "Amazing Grace," is the first time in her four-decade music career that McEntire has released a gospel-themed album.
"I needed it myself, going through two and half years of changes in my life," McEntire told Fox News. "And who better to lean on than God? And that's who I needed to be listening to. And I needed that faith, that faith strengthened, that hope."
McEntire also got a bit political in her new album. The album's first single, "Back to God," talks about America's current political climate under President Donald Trump.
"I'm hearing from people...about how [this song] has touched their heart and about how much we need this song at this time with all the trouble in the United States," she said. "With all the differences of opinions let's just give it back to God. It just seems to be very timely."
Meanwhile, McEntire told USA Today that it took her this long to release a gospel album because it was her sister, Susie, who has been the family's gospel singer while she specialised in country music. While creating this album, McEntire realised that these two genres are actually quite different from one another.
"I think it was more heartfelt on these songs. That's not to say a country song is not heartfelt, but this is more more spiritual, more about my relationship with God. This isn't just entertainment," she explained. "It's not a country album. It's deeper than that. It's about changing lives. It's a message from God. That's why I'm here, not to be rich and famous and popular but to help people. I'm the conduit or, as I call it, the water hose."
