Martina McBride
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Template:Infobox musical artist 2
Martina McBride (born Martina Mariea Schiff, July 29, 1966 in Sharon, Kansas) is an American Grammy nominated country music singer-songwriter. She has nine studio albums to her name and countless hits, including 6 number ones and multiple cross-over hits.
Early life
Martina Schiff was born July 29, 1966 to Daryl and Jeanne Schiff. Her parents owned a dairy farm in nearby Sharon, Kansas. She is the third of four children. She has an older brother, Steve, and an older siter, Gina. Her younger brother Martin, called Marty, plays in her band. Coincidentally, Martina and Marty were both born on July 29 but Marty is two years younger. She discovered country music through her father, who led a local band called the Schifters. The band rehearsed every week in the family’s house. When she was 7 and little brother Marty was 5, they joined the group. By her teen years, she was singing and playing keyboards with the Schifters playing small gigs at weddings, dances, VFW halls, and American Legion posts. Her mother Jeanne ran the soundboard. Her father Daryl led the band, played guitar and sang. Martina played keyboards and sang. Her brother Marty played guitar and steel. Martina played with the band every Saturday night until she graduated from high school. After high school she gigged around Kansas with several different bands. Her small-town upbringing was highlighted by her high school graduating class only having nine other students.
She met John McBride when she contacted him about a studio for rent that he owned. She was starting a band and, although the band flopped, they fell in love. Four months later the two got engaged. On May 15, 1988 she married sound engineer John[1]. She and her husband then moved to Nashville in 1990 where they both took jobs touring with Garth Brooks (Martina sold T-shirts). Eventually she got a recording contract with RCA Records and became Garth's opening act.
Family Life
McBride has three daughters: Delaney Katharine (Born Dec. 22, 1994), Emma Justine (Born March 29, 1998), and Ava Rose Kathleen (born June 20, 2005)[2]. While on tour her children go with her. She schedules her tour around their school schedule. She currently resides in Nashville with her family.
"Purple Envelope Story"
The "Purple Envelope Story" is about how she got her first record deal. McBride had heard RCA was looking for a new female artist to add to their company. Both her and her husband knew that RCA didn't take unsolicited mail and neither had contacts there. In a big purple envelope marked "Requested Material" they put a biography, some pictures and two demo tapes. The demo tapes included "I Can't Sleep," "Regular as Clockwork," "I Put You Behind Me," "Wild Side of Life," "When You Leave Me," and "You Win Again." John dropped it off and three weeks later they got a call asking her to come in for an interview. RCA was impressed and asked her to do a showcase show to show off her live talent. They were impressed and gave her a record deal. Her first album, "The Time Has Come," was released on the McBrides' fourth wedding anniversary, May 15, 1992. Two weeks later, June 2, 1992, she did her first opening gig for Garth Brooks in
Career success
McBride released her honky tonk-flavored debut album The Time Has Come in 1992. Her first big hit was the single "My Baby Loves Me" from her more pop-oriented second album, 1993's The Way That I Am. She became even more visible in 1994 with the crossover success of her anti-domestic violence anthem "Independence Day", also from this album.
In 2005, she released an 18-track CD of classic country music standards ("Timeless"), which landed at #1 on the Billboard Country Album Chart in its opening week and received much critical acclaim for its authenticity towards traditional country. Although radio never really did embrace "Timeless," the fans loved it.
She is a four-time Country Music Association Female Vocalist of the Year winner (a record she holds with Reba McEntire), three-time Academy of Country Music Female Vocalist of the Year winner and a Grammy Award nominee. She performed The Star-Spangled Banner at Game 3 of the 2004 World Series.
The chorus of "Independence Day" (a song about leaving an abusive relationship) is used as the introductory music for talk radio's The Sean Hannity Show. McBride has appeared at benefit events organized by Hannity, but has declined to take an active political stance.[3] McBride has performed free for fans, such as in a July 3, 2004 show in Owensboro, Kentucky to celebrate the grand opening of the new Independence Bank headquarters.[4]
McBride gained additional visibility during the 2005 season of American Idol, as eventual winner Carrie Underwood declared McBride to be her favorite singer, performing several of her hits in the competition and putting "Independence Day" on her first album.
In 2006, she embarked on her first headlining tour, the Timeless Tour.
On August 21, 2006, she appeared as a guest coach on Canadian Idol, and announced on its finale of September 17 that the season winner, which turned out to be Eva Avila, would be invited to join her on her Canadian tour in the spring of 2007. This caused some spark from fans of runner-up Craig Sharpe and previous idol winner Melissa O'Neil due to Sharpe saying in an interview that he'd love to work with McBride again, and O'Neil openly admitting that McBride is her idol.
In the Spring of 2007 Martina once again was brought into the American Idol spotlight. She coached the Final 7 for country week. On the result show on April 17 she sang her single Anyway. When interviewed her middle daughter, Emma, said, "All her songs are good."
McBride's ninth studio album, "Waking Up Laughing," was released on April 3, 2007. The album was McBride's second to be solo-produced by her. Four songs off the album, including the first sinlge "Anyway," were co-written by McBride. A first for her, as previously she had no part in writing her songs. "Anyway" was first released November 6, 2006 at the ACM Awards. "How I Feel," her current single, is the sixth song off the album.
She kicked off her Waking Up Laughing Tour on April 12, 2007 in Kansas City and is scheduled to play nearly 50 dates through August. Special guests Rodney Atkins and Little Big Town will be joining her on the tour. Also, for three dates, Diamond Rio will be joining McBride.
Voice
McBride, with her strong soprano voice, has been labeled the "Celine Dion of country music".[5] McBride, like Dion, is noted for her vocal range, power, and use of minimal melisma.
Discography
Studio Albums
- (1992) The Time Has Come #49 Country
- (1993) The Way That I Am #106 US, #14 Country Platinum
- (1995) Wild Angels #77 US, #17 Country Platinum
- (1997) Evolution #24 US, #4 Country 3X Platinum
- (1999) Emotion #19 US, #3 Country Platinum
- (2003) Martina #7 US, #1 Country 2X Platinum
- (2005) Timeless #3 US, #1 Country Platinum
- (2007) Waking Up Laughing #4 US, #2 Country
Compilations
- (1999) White Christmas #68 US, #9 Country Platinum
- (2001) Greatest Hits #5 US, #1 Country 3X Platinum
Singles
| Year | Title | Chart Positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Hot 100 | US Country | US AC | |||
| 1992 | "The Time Has Come" | - | 23 | - | The Time Has Come |
| 1992 | "That's Me" | - | 43 | - | The Time Has Come |
| 1993 | "Cheap Whiskey" | - | 44 | - | The Time Has Come |
| 1993 | "My Baby Loves Me" | - | 2 | - | The Way That I Am |
| 1994 | "Life #9" | - | 6 | - | The Way That I Am |
| 1994 | "Independence Day" | - | 12 | - | The Way That I Am |
| 1995 | "Heart Trouble" | - | 21 | - | The Way That I Am |
| 1995 | "On My Own" (Reba McEntire w/ Martina McBride, Trisha Yearwood & Linda Davis) | - | 20 | - | Starting Over (Reba McEntire album) |
| 1996 | "Where I Used To Have A Heart" | - | 49 | - | The Way That I Am |
| 1996 | "Safe In The Arms Of Love" | - | 4 | - | Wild Angels |
| 1996 | "Wild Angels" | - | 1 | - | Wild Angels |
| 1996 | "Phones Are Ringin' All Over Town" | - | 28 | - | Wild Angels |
| 1996 | "Swingin' Doors" | - | 38 | - | Wild Angels |
| 1997 | "Cry On The Shoulder Of The Road" | - | 26 | - | Wild Angels |
| 1997 | "Still Holding On" (w/Clint Black) | - | 11 | - | Evolution |
| 1997 | "A Broken Wing" | 61 | 1 | - | Evolution |
| 1997 | "Valentine" (w/Jim Brickman) | 50 | 9 | 3 | Evolution |
| 1998 | "Happy Girl" | - | 2 | - | Evolution |
| 1998 | "This Small Divide" (Jason Sellers w/ Martina McBride) | - | 55 | - | I'm Your Man (Jason Sellers album) |
| 1999 | "Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow" | - | 64 | - | White Christmas |
| 1999 | "Wrong Again" | 36 | 1 | - | Evolution |
| 1999 | "Whatever You Say" | 37 | 2 | - | Evolution |
| 1999 | "I Love You" | 24 | 1 | 21 | Emotion |
| 1999 | "Love's The Only House" | 42 | 3 | - | Emotion |
| 2000 | "The Christmas Song" | - | 67 | - | White Christmas |
| 2000 | "White Christmas" | - | 62 | - | White Christmas |
| 2000 | "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" | - | 53 | - | White Christmas |
| 2000 | "There You Are" | 60 | 10 | 15 | Emotion |
| 2000 | "It's My Time" | - | 11 | - | Emotion |
| 2001 | "O Holy Night" | - | 41 | - | White Christmas |
| 2001 | "When God-Fearin' Women Get The Blues" | 64 | 8 | - | Greatest Hits |
| 2002 | "Blessed" | 31 | 1 | - | Greatest Hits |
| 2002 | "Where Would You Be" | 45 | 3 | - | Greatest Hits |
| 2002 | "Practice Life" (Andy Griggs w/ Martina McBride) | - | 33 | - | Freedom (Andy Griggs album) |
| 2002 | "Concrete Angel" | 47 | 5 | - | Greatest Hits |
| 2003 | "This One's For The Girls" | 39 | 3 | 1 | Martina |
| 2004 | "In My Daughter's Eyes" | 39 | 4 | 3 | Martina |
| 2004 | "How Far" | 68 | 12 | - | Martina |
| 2004 | "Trip Around the Sun" (Jimmy Buffett w/ Martina McBride) | - | 20 | - | License to Chill (Jimmy Buffett album) |
| 2004 | "God's Will" | 85 | 16 | - | Martina |
| 2005 | "(I Never Promised You a) Rose Garden" | 98 | 18 | - | Timeless |
| 2006 | "I Still Miss Someone" (w/Dolly Parton) | - | 50 | - | Timeless |
| 2007 | "Baby, It's Cold Outside" (feat. Dean Martin) | 35 | |||
| 2007 | "Anyway"A | 32 | 5 | 20 | Waking Up Laughing |
| 2007 | "How I Feel"B | - | 24 | - | Waking Up Laughing |
- A"Anyway" also peaked at #57 on the Pop 100 and landed in the Christian AC top 20.
- BCurrent single.
References
- ^ [1]
- ^ [2]
- ^ http://www.tennessean.com/local/archives/04/08/55927708.shtml Tennessean.com Retrieved on 04-17-07
- ^ http://www.messenger-inquirer.com/news/kentucky/8087256.htm Messenger.inquirer.com Retrieved on 04-17-07
- ^ http://www.popularq.com/articles/Music/General/Martina-McBride.htm Popularq.com Retrieved on 04-17-07