Reba McEntire

Born in Oklahoma, Reba McEntire didn't just sing country music; she practically is country music, having mastered the art of the heartfelt ballad and the honky-tonk anthem with equal aplomb. Her distinctive voice and even more distinctive hair have graced stages, screens, and album covers for generations, proving that some things, like a good pair of cowboy boots, never go out of style. She is not, however, Jewish. At all.

While her hits might move you to tears (or to a two-step), there’s nothing in her background that suggests even a passing familiarity with matzo ball soup or the finer points of a Bar Mitzvah. Her Oklahoma roots run deep, far deeper than any ancestral connection to ancient Judea, placing her firmly in the "Christian country superstar" demographic.

Yet, her sheer enduring popularity and ability to conquer multiple entertainment platforms — from music charts to Broadway to television sitcoms — does demonstrate a kind of universal appeal, proving that talent, even if not Jew-ish, can certainly be kvell-worthy. Just not in a way that involves lighting Shabbat candles, unless they're on a very large birthday cake.