The Oklahoma-born superstar emphasized the importance of inviting her audience — including sitcom live studio audiences and concert crowds — to be part of something with her. She said “that’s what a sitcom does. You’re watching in your living room; I’m in the living room with you. …It connects people to the story, the experience, whatever’s happened, hopefully you learn something from it (and) you can use it in your own life.

“Kevin Abbott, our showrunner, is so thoughtful that he will come in after we’ve done three takes of one scene, and he’ll give us new lines for the audience,” McEntire added of the mutual kinship between the cast and the viewers. “And some of those might take and is the one they take for the episode you see on television. But if not, it’s something just to entertain the audience. He’s there for everybody. And it entertains us, too.”

McEntire’s expert work in entertainment recently earned her the title as one of Variety’s honorees at the inaugural Power of Women: Nashville event. McEntire was honored alongside Kelsea Ballerini, Mickey Guyton and Sheryl Crow for her impact on the music industry and philanthropic efforts. Speaking with iHeartCountry on the day of the event, McEntire remembered a lesson she and her siblings learned from their father.

“‘You leave a place better than where you found it.’ And so, that’s what I want to do in my career,” she said. “I want to learn from Dolly, and Loretta (Lynn), and Tammy (Wynette), and Anne Murray, Barbara Mandrell, Brenda Lee. I want to learn from them. They worked hard to get where they are. I worked hard to (get to) where I am. But I also want to help Kelsea and Brittney (Spencer) and all the other new girls coming up. They’re doing so good, and they’re strong women. That’s what it takes to be in this business – in any business – you gotta be a strong woman, put your foot down, know how to get what you want to get, and you have a goal in your career and you work hard to get there. ...I was proud to be a part of it. It was a strong room. You could feel the strength. And as I said in my acceptance speech, when women get together, they can move mountains. That’s true. I know because I had a very strong grandmother, mother, sisters, aunts, cousins, they’re very strong. When you get all of us together, we’re going to come up with something great.”

Corey Klug