Reba McEntire is first woman to play KFC's Colonel Sanders
Reba McEntire Reba
The next Colonel Sanders is giving the character a little bit of "country music flair." KFC has picked  singer Reba McEntire  to play the founder of the fried chicken chain  the first female celebrity in the role.
In commercials starting next week   McEntire  dons the Colonel's famous white suit and black tie  but with a twist.
 McEntire 's outfit has fringe on the back  and a glittery shine  giving the getup "a little bit of the country music flair " she told The Associated Press in an interview.  McEntire  sings on stage as the Colonel  with a white wig and white facial hair.
"I thought the transformation was really funny " said  McEntire   who will appear in the ads until the end of April. "I got a big kick out of it."
A rotating cast of famous names have portrayed the Colonel since 2015  but  McEntire  is the first famous female to do it  and the first musician.  She  may also be the first woman in KFC's nearly 90-year-history to depict the Colonel. The company said the "best historical minds at KFC" could not remember a woman having stepped into the role.
 McEntire  was approached about doing so in December. "I said 'Holy smokes!' "  McEntire  told The AP. "KFC has been a part of my life forever."
 Reba McEntire  can cross playing KFC's Colonel Sanders off  her  bucket list.
KFC said it picked  McEntire  because of  her  Southern roots  and to help promote its new Smoky Mountain BBQ  which combines fried chicken with a taste of barbeque.  McEntire  said  she 's eaten at KFC all  her  life  since  her  days growing up in Oklahoma.
 She  sings in the ad  in a tongue-in-cheek approach: "I'm Colonel Sanders  the same as always "  McEntire  sings. "I'm definitely not a woman."  McEntire  also appears as  herself  in the commercial  as an audience member.
The next Colonel Sanders is giving the character a little bit of "country music flair." KFC has picked  singer Reba McEntire  to play the founder of the fried chicken chain  the first female celebrity in the role.
In commercials starting next week   McEntire  dons the Colonel's famous white suit and black tie  but with a twist.
 McEntire 's outfit has fringe on the back  and a glittery shine  giving the getup "a little bit of the country music flair " she told The Associated Press in an interview.  McEntire  sings on stage as the Colonel  with a white wig and white facial hair.
"I thought the transformation was really funny " said  McEntire   who will appear in the ads until the end of April. "I got a big kick out of it."
A rotating cast of famous names have portrayed the Colonel since 2015  but  McEntire  is the first famous female to do it  and the first musician.  She  may also be the first woman in KFC's nearly 90-year-history to depict the Colonel. The company said the "best historical minds at KFC" could not remember a woman having stepped into the role.
 McEntire  was approached about doing so in December. "I said 'Holy smokes!' "  McEntire  told The AP. "KFC has been a part of my life forever."
 Reba McEntire  can cross playing KFC's Colonel Sanders off  her  bucket list.
KFC said it picked  McEntire  because of  her  Southern roots  and to help promote its new Smoky Mountain BBQ  which combines fried chicken with a taste of barbeque.  McEntire  said  she 's eaten at KFC all  her  life  since  her  days growing up in Oklahoma.
 She  sings in the ad  in a tongue-in-cheek approach: "I'm Colonel Sanders  the same as always "  McEntire  sings. "I'm definitely not a woman."  McEntire  also appears as  herself  in the commercial  as an audience member.