Martina McBride, one of the most honoured, praised, admired and awarded women in country music, is to release her new album Everlasting on April 7, 2014 through Vinyl Recordings/Kobalt.
Produced by Grammy-winning Don Was, the album stars a collection of iconic soul and R&B songs as diverse as Aretha Franklin’s “Do Right Woman, Do Right Man,” Fred Neil’s “Little Bit Of Rain” to Elvis Presley’s “Suspicious Minds.” The record yields a new sound for the country icon and four-time CMA Female Vocalist and will be supported by the release of ‘Wild Night’ (Van Morrison) as a single on the same day. Martina McBride will perform at this year’s Country 2 Country on March 15 & March 16 at London’s 02.
“I love soulful music and it just made sense to me to stretch a bit at this time and do something that fills my heart and allows me to explore a little bit,” said Martina on her upcoming album. “Don Was is so musical and really helped me hone in on how to do these songs in a way that not only features the vocal, but also connects this music with what I’ve done in the past in a really honest and organic way. Putting out new music is one of the most exciting things we can do as performers, and I can’t wait to take this music on tour.”
Martina McBride has been awarded 14 Gold Records, nine Platinum honours, three Double Platinum Records and two Triple Platinum awards and been recognized for selling 18 million units. The Country Music Association has named her its Female Vocalist of the Year four times. The Academy of Country Music has presented her with its Top Female honour three times. The Recording Academy has nominated McBride for a Grammy Award 11 times, and Martina’s participation on the all-star collection Amazing Grace earned that disc a Grammy in 1996. She was honoured with induction into the hallowed cast of the Grand Ole Opry in 1995. She has also been recognized by Billboard, BMI, ASCAP, the CMT Video Awards, the Teen Choice Awards, The American Country Awards and the TNN/Music City News Awards.
Even more remarkable is the fact that she has achieved such astounding success by singing lyrics of substance and songs that challenge listeners. Martina has addressed domestic violence in “Independence Day,” female empowerment in “This One’s for the Girls,” child abuse in “Concrete Angel,” alcoholism in “Cheap Whiskey,” poverty in “God’s Will” and cancer in “I’m Gonna Love You Through It” (the video for the latter co-starring 40 cancer survivors, including such celebrities as Robin Roberts, Sheryl Crow, Karie Couric and Hoda Kotb).
Martina McBride grew up singing country classics in rural Kansas. Her father had a country band, and she began performing with it at age 7. Following a period singing with a rock group in Wichita, she married husband John McBride in 1988. The couple moved to Nashville in 1990. He became the soundman on the 1991 Garth Brooks tour, so Martina tagged along to sell Garth t-shirts and souvenirs to the fans. She was turned down by every record label on Music Row until RCA gave her a listen. She first made the country charts in 1992 and has been a constant presence on them ever since. While managing their careers, the McBrides are also raising three daughters.