OKLAHOMA CITY – Legendary Oklahoma statesman Clem McSpadden wore many hats in his time on Earth.

Mostly, though, those chapeaus were in a cowboy shape, because that, deep down, who McSpadden was. He went from roper to rodeo announcer to serving others, first as a representative at the Oklahoma Capitol, then as a U.S. congressman representing his home state. He was also the general manager of the National Finals Rodeo during its run in Oklahoma City, and he may have made his biggest impact in that role.

Nobody outside southeastern Oklahoma knew much about Reba McEntire, but McSpadden did. Her grandfather and father were world champion steer ropers, and Reba had sparked an interest from one of the most recognized voices in ProRodeo. He hired her to sing the national anthem at the 1974 NFR.

McEntire has credited that moment from 50 years ago as the launching pad to her career, which has featured a distinctive Oklahoma twang that not only showcases her roots but also presents her unique style of entertaining. She has won Grammys, Country Music Association honors and has been a star on stage, screen and television.

Her ties to the sport of rodeo date back nearly a century, and it’s a perfect history lesson as the city remembers the iconic Jim Norick Arena, which will be torn down this spring. The final PRCA event in the coliseum will be the Oklahoma City ProRodeo, set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 24, and Saturday, Jan. 25, at the historic arena at the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds. Tickets are available at McCoyRodeo.com.

McEntire isn’t the only famous singer to perform in the 60-year-old complex, but Elvis Presley and Sonny & Cher didn’t have many ties to the sport in which her family competed. There was, however, Chris LeDoux, a rodeo-cowboy-turned-artist who not only played for the crowds inside the former State Fair Arena but also rode bucking horses there. In fact, he won the 1976 bareback riding world championship inside those memory-filled walls.

The history of professional rodeo runs deep in the red Oklahoma dirt. The first event ever conducted inside the complex known then as State Fair Arena was the NFR, which kicked open the doors to the building in 1965. The sport’s grand championship had a 14-year run in the coliseum before moving across town to the Myriad Arena in 1979, where it continued for six more seasons – the Myriad was renamed the Cox Convention Center in 2002.

Oklahoma cowboy Cord McCoy has competed in the Jim Norick Arena, and he will produce the final PRCA event in the complex during next week’s Oklahoma City ProRodeo. As co-owner of McCoy Rodeo with his wife, Sara, he will close a long chapter in the coliseum’s history.

Jim Norick Arena has been host high school championships, hockey and some of the brightest stars in music and entertainment. It began with a rodeo staple 60 years ago, and nearly 500 cowboys and cowgirls will be in the mix as professional rodeo closes the doors on its run in the majestic building.

That’s the perfect way to say celebrate rodeo’s legacy in “The Big House.”