Martina McBride is no average wishy-washy female country music singer. The vibrant vocalist has done everything in her musical reach to expand out of the country music realm, crossing over into both mainstream and new age radio. With fierce vocals and catchy tunes, McBride has pushed out number one hits and albums for over 15 years, giving the contemporary country world more than just sappy love songs to relish.A native of Medicine Lodge, Kansas, McBride grew up under the influence of country music. Her father led a local band called the Schifters, and McBride took notice of his every move, even singing and playing keyboards with the band throughout high school. Eventually, McBride married the soundman John McBride and the couple moved to Nashville in 1990. John produced Martina's demo album, and the young songstress soon signed with record label RCA in 1991. The couple worked together to help each other's careers, and when Garth Brooks hired John as his production manager, Martina landed an opening gig with the country legend's tour. McBride's debut album The Time Has Come was released in 1992, sending her on the track of solo fame. 1993's The Way That I Am featured one of McBride's most popular songs to date, "My Baby Loves Me." The song landed at number two on the charts, and "Independence Day" was also an immediate hit.Martina McBride became a household name after 1993, and every album released since then has been nothing less than stellar. 1995's Wild Angels contained the title track that became McBride's first number one song, and 1997's Evolution was just as successful. McBride skipped into the adult contemporary world with the duet "Valentine," performed with new age king Jim Brickman. Since 1997, McBride's country songs have been a bit more pop-sounding, but still completely appropriate for contemporary country, and five more albums have solidified her place in Nashville stardom.
