Category Archives: Martina McBride

Contemporary country vocalist Martina McBride rose to stardom in the late ’90s, starting out with a more traditionalist approach and later moving into pop-friendlier territory. She was born Martina Mariea Schiff in Medicine Lodge, KS, in 1966 and discovered country songs through her father, who led a local band called the Schifters. By her teen years, she was singing and performing keyboards with the Schifters, and after high school she gigged around Kansas with several different bands. She married soundman John McBride, and in 1990 the couple moved to Nashville, where John worked for performers like Charlie Daniels and Ricky Van Shelton; Martina, meanwhile, worked as a demo singer, and her husband produced her demo tape, which got her signed to RCA in 1991. Around the same time, John was hired as Garth Brooks’ production manager, which helped land Martina an opening slot on tour with Brooks. Her debut album, The Time Has Come, was issued in 1992, offering a set of material indebted to traditional honky tonk and progressive-minded country-folk. The pop-inflected 1993 follow-up, The Way That I Am, was her commercial breakthrough, with the lead single “My Baby Loves Me” zooming up the country charts to the number two position. The affecting story-song “Independence Day” became something of a signature number, and another single, “Life #9,” also reached the Top Ten.

McBride’s 1995 follow-up, Wild Angels, gave her a second Top Five hit in “Safe in the Arms of Love,” and its title track became her first-ever number one single. issued in 1997, Evolution became her first Top Ten country album, and the Jim Brickman duet “Valentine” not only went Top Ten, but crossed over to become her first big hit on the adult contemporary charts. Evolution went on to spawn two number two favorites (“Happy Girl” and “Whatever You Say”) and two number one favorites (“A Broken Wing” and “Wrong Again”), and sold over two million copies, launching McBride into the top rank of country stardom. She issued a Christmas album in late 1998 and came back with a proper follow-up, Emotion, in 1999. Its lead single, “I Love You,” hit number one country and also crossed over to adult contemporary radio, and the follow-ups “Love’s the Only House,” “There You Are,” and “It’s My Time” were all successful as well (the first two also reached the Top Ten). The Greatest smashes compilation gave us in 2001 was the first McBride album to top the country charts, and sold well enough to make the pop Top Five as well. It contained four new tracks, all of which were eventually issued as singles; “Blessed” hit number one, and “When God-Fearin’ Women Get the Blues” and “Where Would You Be” both reached the Top Ten. Martina from 2003 celebrated womanhood, at a time of Timeless from 2005 was a collection of country classics; both became Top Ten album hits, the latter climbing to number three. Waking Up Laughing appeared in 2007 from RCA Records. The CD/DVD set Live in Concert was put forth in 2008, followed by Shine in 2009 from RCA.

Martina McBride Joins Republic Nashville

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Martina McBride has made the switch from RCA Records to Republic Nashville! Martina McBride has made one of the biggest changes any country music artist can face at this stage in her career: She has moved away from RCA records and into Republic Nashville. Republic is a smaller division of the Big Machine Label Group, putting Martina in the good company of label-mates Taylor Swift and Rascal Flatts. Country Music Photo Gallery

Martina McBride Headlines Home For The Holidays

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Martina McBride willl take the stage as the starring talent in the 2010 Home For The Holidays concert in Nashville. Each year the Nashville Symphony hosts a special holiday concert, and this year’s headlining vocalist will be Martina McBride. The Schermerhorn Symphony Center is still being repaired after the Nashville flood, so the concert will be held at Lipscomb University’s Allen Arena. Tickets, which range in price form $35-$90, are available through www.nashvillesymphony.org or by calling 687‑6400. Group rates are available for groups of 10 or more (to reserve a group, call Meredith Benning at 687‑6537). For her “Home for the Holidays” show, McBride will perform a mix of holiday standards and more contemporary seasonal songs.Country Music Photo Gallery

Martina McBride:Lilith Fair

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Martina McBride to join Lilith Fair 2010 Martina McBride will join Miranda Lambert, Dixie Chicks, Sugarland, and several others for the 2010 Lilith Fair. Sarah McLachlan created this  female-oriented festival which will make its return in 2010.  The Lilith Fair started in 1997 and ran through 1999. It will feature an array of diverse artists from Kelly Clarkson to The Go-Go’s and will hit a number of cities this summer. The official media sponsor of The Lilith Tour will be ABC.Country Music Photo Gallery

Martina McBride Tapped for VH1 Divas Special

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Martina McBride to sing duet with Jordin Sparks on Thursday’s VH1 Divas special. Martina McBride is set to take the stage with American Idol Jordin Sparks this Thursday night at the Brooklyn Academy of Music for a duet as part of this year’s VH1 “Divas” special. Other performers include Miley Cyrus, Jennifer Hudson, Adelle, Kelly Clarkson, and Leona Lewis. The show is set to air at 8pm central. Now here’s where I have an issue… Back when VH1 first started the Diva’s concert series, they included female artists who were phenomenally talented, musical groundbreakers, and unarguably the BEST in their genres. They called for acts such as Whitney Houston, Faith Hill, Cher, Tina Turner, Gloria Estefan, LeAnn Rimes, Sheryl Crow, Carole Kingand hell, even Elton John. So how is it that Martina McBride, possibly one of the most amazing country singers of the last 20-30 years, gets stuck of there with Miley ‘Disney Party Princess’ Cyrus and a bunch of American Idols who’ve barely learned what “stage left” means? Sure the other performers may have talent. Sure they may sell records to a bunch of pubescent kids. Sure they may even help the special earn higher ratings from the younger viewers. And this all goes to benefit the Save The Music Foundation, which I am in full support of. But at the end of the day, I would hardly call these kids Diva’s or try to put their level of talent, experience, and stature on a level playing field with Martina McBride!Country Music Photo Gallery

Alan Jackson to be Honored on CMT Giants

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Alan Jackson will be honored on CMT Giants which airs December 6, 2008. Friends like George Strait, Brad Paisley, Martina McBride and Lee Ann Womack serenaded Alan Jackson with his biggest hits. Even newer artists like Dierks Bentley, Miranda Lambert and Taylor Swift payed tribute to the small-town Southern man. The show will debut on CMT on Dec. 6. As is tradition on CMT Giants, Jackson sang a few of his own songs at the end. The show also features sincere testimonials from other famous friends, sprinkled among Jackson’s own stories and photographs.Country Music Photo Gallery

Martina McBride releases live CD and DVD set in April

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Martina McBride is set to release a CD/DVD combo set of live in-concert performances this coming April. Fans are excited as this will be her first live media. Previews of Martina’s DVD have already been in circulation on PBS as part of fundraising pledge drives. The setlist for this DVD is tentatively listed as: 1. Anyway 2. When God-Fearin’ Women Get The Blues 3. Wild Angels 4. My Baby Loves Me 5. Tryin’ To Find A Reason 6. How I Feel 7. Happy Girl 8. (I Never Promised You A) Rose Garden 9. You Ain’t Woman Enough 10. Help Me Make It Through The Night 11. Where Would You Be 12. Concrete Angel 13. For These Times 14. Love’s The Only House/Blessed 15. This One’s For The Girls 16. A Broken Wing 17. Independence Day 18. Don’t Stop Believin’ 19. Hit Me With Your Best Shot 20. Over The Rainbow While the CD will have the following tracks: 1. Happy Girl 2. Anyway 3. Concrete Angel 4. From The Ashes 5. Whatever You Say 6. This One’s For The Girls 7. Independence Day 8. Hit Me With Your Best Shot We expect to see “Martina McBride Live in Concert” on store shelves April 29th You can catch Martina McBride yourself by checking out the Martina McBride concert tour schedule.Country Music Photo Gallery

Martina McBride 2008 Concert Tour Dates

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Martina McBride is currently on tour promoting her newest album, “Wake Up Laughing“. So far this album has received outstanding reviews from both fans and critics alike, getting names “One of the top country discs of 2007” by the Chicago Tribune. “McBride hasn’t run out of inspiration. This album has her aging gracefully into a more soulful singer/songwriter. With fewer feminist anthems, McBride has time to devote to the bright spots on this effort.” Concert tickets for the Huntsville, Alabama concert go on sale this Saturday at 10AM Central. The fan club pre-sale is today starting at 10AM Central today (Wednesday). Fan club members should log into the fan club web site for the information needed. Otherwise, check the link to our right for ticket pricing and availability. Martina McBride is also in the process of updating her online store to be completely in-house instead of using a outside company so stay tuned for new merchandise and memorabilia! For Martina McBride 2008 concert tour dates, tickets, artist biographies and event details, please visit our partner site Country Music On TourCountry Music Photo Gallery

Martina McBride talks about artistic control over her music

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In a world of young stars making concessions to big labels in order to get a contract, Martina McBride will have no part of it! It’s come to be the accepted practice that most country artists will produce albums according to the record company’s specifications as part and parcel to their record deal. The label chooses the songs, picks the singles, and just has “the talent” along for the ride. Martina McBride however, finds it all a strange concept. “I hear stories about record companies telling people what to sing and producers telling people what to sing and all that, and it’s foreign to me, because I’ve always had complete artistic control,” she tells The Grand Rapids Press. “I’ve always been able to record exactly what I wanted to record, and I have a big say in what singles are released, and I’m very involved in the studio.” And when asked about the experience of owning her own studio: “I’ve loved producing and creating,” Martina says. “When I listen to a song on the radio, I’m analyzing the drum sound and what the bass player is doing and how much [echo] is on the vocal.” Look for some of Martina McBride’s hands on work her 2008 “Waking Up Laughing” tour where she teams with opening acts Jack Ingram and Lady Antebellum.Country Music Photo Gallery