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Martina
McBride opened a recent album with a scratchy recording of herself at
seven years old, belting out an old country hit, "I'm Little But I'm
Loud." It's a title that certainly befits her: Petite in stature, but
resounding in vocal strength, McBride indeed is little but loud. But
since her introduction in 1992, the Kansas native has matured into one
of country music's most respected and most powerful vocalists.
It's not just her voice that carries a lot of power: McBride has built a
reputation for performing songs of substance and strength. Her hits
"Independence Day," "A Broken Wing" and "Cheap Whiskey" address
important social issues, while such hits as "Happy Girl," "Wild Angels,"
"Safe In The Arms Of Love" and "The Time Has Come" represent a woman's
point of view with a modern realism that gives new potency to country
music.
Martina McBride Links
Born Martina Schiff
on July 29, 1966 in the small town of Sharon, Kansas (population: 200),
McBride performed as a child in a family band, the Schiffters. She sold
T-shirts for Garth Brooks before signing with RCA Records in 1992. A
solid debut, The Time Has Come, failed to stir much interest. But
McBride's career took off in 1993 with her second album, The Way That I
Am, which introduced a more pop-based and aggressive sound.
In the last year, McBride has begun attracting fans from outside country
music. Her duets with pianist Jim Brickman on the hit "Valentine" and
with classic rocker Bob Seger on "Chances Are" both received widespread
airplay on pop and adult-contemporary radio stations. McBride also
became the first country star to join the Lilith Fair tour, when she
performed a couple of festival dates in the Summer of 1998. She released
a holiday album, White Christmas, in September of 1998. |