Reba McEntire’s Son Pulled Off a Major Surprise for Her 70th Birthday
The country icon's birthday wish came true before she even blew out the candles, thanks to her son's sweet surprise.
Reba McEntire got exactly what she wanted for her 70th birthday, even if it came with a few tears along the way.
The country music icon and Happy's Place star received an unforgettable gift for her 70th birthday this year — spending some much-welcomed quality time with her son, Shelby Blackstock. The best part? Shelby managed to surprise his mother big time with the fun-filled visit. McEntire hadn't anticipated the visit, as she was on tour in Connecticut at the time, states away from her son and his wife, Marissa Branch.
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But Blackstock wasn't about to miss his mother's milestone birthday, and while he had to deceive his mother to pull off the big reveal, it paid off in spades.
Reba McEntire's son had a big surprise for her 70th birthday
As McEntire woke up on her 70th birthday in March 2025, she was under the impression that her son and his wife were in Chicago at the time, attending a baby shower for a friend. The Voice Coach had literally no expectations of seeing her son for the festivities, but he had other plans. Shelby and Branch were eager to attend her concert that night.
Branch shared a touching video from the night's events on Instagram, beginning with her and Blackstock watching the concert with glee. "We lied BIG TIME," the video revealed, as McEntire meanwhile tore down the house. After McEntire's powerhouse birthday performance, she headed backstage to find her son and daughter-in-law excited to greet her.
Needless to say, McEntire's jaw dropped to the floor. As the crew and family sang her "Happy Birthday," McEntire fought back tears before heading toward her son for a big hug.
"You big liar! Oh my God!" a gobsmacked McEntire said as she squeezed her son tight in the clip. "My first lie!" Blackstock teased.
Branch captioned the sweet birthday video, "She had NO idea we were coming!! Watch @reba reaction when @shelbyblackstock @shanetarleton and I surprised her for her 70th birthday at her show in CT! The absolute sweetest moment—who else would cry if they got a surprise like this?!"
Reba McEntire calls her son Shelby a "gift from God"
McEntire's love for her son knows no bounds. While Blackstock pulled off a memory-making moment for McEntire's 70th birthday with flying colors, it's perhaps thanks to his mother's love for reminiscing about his birthday. In 2016, McEntire shared a Facebook post about the day she became a mother, captioning the heartwarming photo, "Giving birth to Shelby is the greatest thing I've done in my life. Nothing like it!"
RELATED: Reba McEntire Reveals Why She's the "Happiest I’ve Ever Been" After Turning 70
McEntire echoed the sentiment in a 2022 interview with People, marveling over her son's tremendous growth over the years. As an accomplished NASCAR alum and co-founder of a construction company, McEntire couldn't be more proud of her son.
"Shelby is a gift from God to me. We're very close," McEntire said. "I'm very proud of him. He was a kid who had ADHD and could barely read in school, and now he's read 10 books this year. He's always trying to improve and do better."
