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Martina Talks About...
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Ann Herrick, integrated marketing manager at Hallmark
Martina's Introduction at the NBA All-Star Game 2003
Robert Oermann, Music Row Magazine’s music critic
The Bacon Brother’s "Forocoso" Album Jacket
"You can never estimate music's power to heal. There has to be an outlet for people to get together and express all these things we're feeling: grief, guilt, being scared, being uncertain. This is a way that we can all get together and let it out in a safe environment." Martina McBride
"You know I... I... Personally I don't really understand that way of thinking. I mean I know that it's valid. I mean there are people that feel that way and they feel that way for a reason. I don't feel that way. because I was always into the impression that you wanted as many people to hear your music as possible. I didn't really realize that it had to be sort of this group of people over here and... it doesn't really make any sense to me. I make music, I want everybody to hear it, you know. I want the whole world to hear it. I'm proud of it. And I don't wanna have to say 'Oh, you over here, you can't her my music. Just, just particular group of people... Just country fans can hear the music.' I don't understand that way of thinking. And it's a really territorial way of thinking." Martina McBride addressing being labeled a crossover” Martina McBride
“I believe that music is a healer and "Martinaville" has become like a family to hundreds of Martina fans around the globe. Music is a wonderful thing, it's a common bond of the young and old and the rich and the poor. Music doesn't know or care about what religion you are or what the color of your skin is. Music can help bring people together in this world so often torn apart.” Martina McBride
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"It's not easy to find good, traditional country songs for women that say
something and...mean something." Martina McBride
“Country music is real. It’s lyric driven. The singer is important. People look for something they can relate to.” Martina McBride
"I think people think country music people walk around with straw hanging out of their mouth's and a corncob pipe. But we've got Versace, too." Martina McBride
"It's the music we're influenced by. I think to stand up and say a
generation of country artists are only influenced by traditional country
music is not very true. We've been influenced by Merle Haggard and Sheryl
Crow and it's going to come out in the music." Martina McBride
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"Country has been a melting pot. I think if Patsy Cline came out now, she
wouldn't necessarily be considered a strictly country artist.” Martina
McBride
"Country music... is like conversation. Pretty much everyone understands it. Even if they can't relate to it, they still understand it." Martina McBride
"Country has been the kind of music that maybe has held on to a particular
sound longer than any other sound, but it's always changing." Martina
McBride
"Country music feels like home to me. It was as if I'd been away for a really long time and I'd come home." Martina McBride on Lifetime Television’s Intimate Portrait
“To me music is a healing thing. It has real power.” Martina McBride
“I think one of the reasons Americans love country music so much is that it incorporates values of family and things that are really from the heart." Martina McBride
“You must never underestimate the power of music, but I am just an instrument." Martina McBride in October of 2003
"Getting music the right way means there will be continued investment in new music, new artists, touring, new songs and everything fans love. Be a fan. Love music. And if you love music, get the real thing." Martina McBride in June of 2003 from a RIAA press release about downloading music
"It’s important how I feel about a song, but it’s more important to me for the song to cause somebody else to feel something." Martina McBride
"I’m not thinking, ‘I need to have all these songs that speak to women'’ I’m just inevitably drawn to the ones that speak about women’s feelings, which shouldn’t be a big surprise. I am a woman, so I think that would be the natural thing. You don’t hear a man described as ‘singing songs that speak to men.’ It’s just what we do naturally. I don’t think, ‘I’ve got to find the next woman’s anthem,’ or ‘I have to be the voice for all women.’ But I am happy that women can relate to my songs, and hopefully men can too." Martina McBride
“I never go into the process of picking songs by ‘thinking.’ I go into it just listening and feeling. I never think, ‘I’ve got to find a song about this or that,’ or ‘This song’s got to appeal to so-and-so.’ When one hits me, it’s simply a gut reaction. Then I just hope that it will strike a chord with somebody who feels the same way I do.” Martina McBride
“I kinda feel like I'm just the instrument or the vessel to kind of get those songs out there and have them do what they're supposed to do, which is you know, really make a big difference in people's lives.” Martina McBride on performing songs about substance, from an interview by Katie Couric in May of 2004
"I didn't set out to change things or to record songs that have a message. It's just that when I heard those songs, I was really moved. I figure if a song moves me, then it can move someone else.” Martina McBride
"I've always been drawn to songs that were a little bit different and intelligent lyrically and that aren’t formula. I hate clichés." Martina McBride
''I didn't set out to sing socially conscious songs. I just feel that when you find a song like 'Independence Day,' what more are you looking for? It was like a gift. I had to record that." Martina McBride
"Well, What would I be singing about? You go ahead and treat me like crap and I'll be there for you? No one sings about that!" Martina McBride in reaction to being called a feminist artist
“I really listen to a lot of songs...perhaps 2000 to 3000 for each album...the challenge is to try and find songs that sound like me...that fit my personality... that sound like something I would write if I sat down to write a song...I really just rely on instinct and how the song makes me feel both as a performer and a listener...” Martina McBride during a Radio Undercover Chat on October 30, 1999 in Australia
“I have never been one to set goals -- I've kind of been one who's just really happy and content to just take things as they come, and I just sort of feel like if it's meant to be it will happen. But this year, we are going to be touring for more people than ever, which is exciting to me. I hate to be greedy because I have had such an amazing career, but I would love for these singles to come out and do well at radio, and I would love to have a great year at the (Country Music Assn. Awards) . . . but that's kind of what you hope for with every record that you put out. I feel really grateful that 15 years into a career I still feel like it's really growing. I think anybody who starts a career hopes they have 10 strong years and that's a really big career, and the fact that this far into it we are still growing . . . that's exciting for me.” Martina McBride in March of 2007
“Song
selection, obviously, has played a big part in that. I also think that this
career has been really slow and steady. I don't think we have had peaks over
the years. We didn't really have that exploding-out-of-the-box kind of
thing. That is, in my opinion, so hard to keep going for a long period of
time. While sometimes it's been frustrating to not achieve something as
quickly as you think you should or whatever . . . it's just been the best
way. That slow and steady build we have had has allowed us to have longevity
when a lot of people have gotten burned out.
I think when we have done press, we have done it really smart. I think it's
been little bursts of really great press and great television, but not the
"everywhere all the time in your face, until everybody is sick of you" kind
of thing.
And we have built our touring career really slowly. We have had some really
smart opening spots and then made the decision last year to really go for it
and headline with the "Timeless" tour.
Above it all I think I've always really stayed true to myself, which I think
people can sense.” Martina McBride commenting in March of 2007 what she
credits her careers longevity too.
"What drives me now is the desire to be able to keep doing this. I love making records and performing, and success means I will continue to have the privilege to do that. I know it’s not going to last forever, but I’d like to keep having success as long as I can so that I can still be a part of this industry." Martina McBride
''I love being a country artist. I never wanted to do the Top 40 thing. That takes a lot of time and work. You have to take care of your country career and then triple the workload. Maybe I'm just lazy, but I'm happy with the career I have. We've had some songs that have crossed over to adult contemporary, but I'm not pursuing that, either. I don't need a bigger career. I have my hands full now." Martina McBride
"Oh yeah, my career has really changed over the last 4 or 5 years and it just seems to keep growing and we’re having a great time…I’m just kind of surprised, I think surprised is the right word, and happy to have such a long career, because starting out you’re hoping for about a 10 year career if you’re lucky. And so it’s neat that we’re still going and people still seem to be interested...and not I don't take it for granted, I just kind of cherish each day and it’s just a lot of fun. I think we were just around so long that it became our turn. You know everybody gets a turn and we got ours in about 2000 and we’re really riding the wave of that right now." Martina McBride in February 2005
“It's just not who I am, you know. It's just not who I am. I think you have to have a sense of who you are, really. And I think that's the thing that's carried me this far.” Martina McBride when asked how come she hasn’t crossed over and hasn’t done a lot of sizzley sexy steamy videos, from an interview by Katie Couric in May of 2004.
"The beginning of my career was sometimes two steps forward and one back, and sometimes one step forward and two steps back. We never built momentum and it was kind of discouraging. But, looking back on it in hindsight it's also the most joyous because it's allowed me to build a really strong fan base and have time to really enjoy this and still be here 11 years later and it's just such a gift to still have a career so long into this." Martina McBride in 2003 after receiving her third CMA Female Vocalist of the Year award.
"You can have the best light show or even fall on your butt, but the important thing is to connect with the audience and that's what I strive to do." Martina McBride on CMT Canada, March 30, 2002
"We're just having a great time and happy about a long career, because when
you start out, everybody hopes for a 10 year career, if you're lucky. So
it's neat that we're still going and people still seem interested and I
don't take it for granted. I just take each day and it's just a lot of fun."
Martina McBride
at end of her 12th year as a recording artist
"What touring with Garth Brooks did for me was place me in front of two
million people in the space of six months. That sort of exposure was an
incredible boost for my career. It got my name out there and known very
quickly." Martina McBride
”I think 'Independence Day' is my signature song. I think there's no doubt about that. It's still the one that seems to be my career song. I'm so proud . . . everything about it makes me so proud that I get to sing that every night. I'm the one. I get to sing it every night for the rest of my life if I so choose. To be recognized for something that I'm that passionate about is a great feeling.” Martina McBride when Maurice Miner interviewed her in 2001
"I expected people to go, 'Yeah, some chick singer - get off the stage. But the response was great. The crowds accepted me and made me feel part of the show. I got eight encores throughout the tour, and several ovations." Martina McBride on starting her career when the opening act for Garth Brooks
"I'm definitely a person who likes to control my own destiny. That's hard to do in this business because there are many creative people with great ideas and years of experience giving you advice but what is right for one artist isn't always best for another. Knowing what's best for you and being willing to stand up and assert that is really a strong trait in this business - especially if you don't want to follow the 'rules.' It's difficult at times, but you have to stick to your guns and still know when to be flexible. That's something I've had to learn - which battles to fight." Martina McBride
“I know this sounds weird, but being “famous" isn't necessarily my favorite thing! It is certainly not my main motivation behind what I do. As a matter of fact, sometimes I have to remind myself that I am famous. I just love what I do, and I'm grateful that people are interested in my music and performances. All in all, I would have to say that it feels great!” Martina McBride during an AOl Chat on September 18, 2001
"When you're in the public eye, there's so many opportunities to use (your celebrity). It's a built-in thing that's so easy, and people are happy to do it." Martina McBride
"When Delaney started school, we decided to tour in the summer and on weekends. It was a big change from doing 150 shows a year" Martina McBride
"It's just such an amazing thing. I've looked up to George Strait, as we all have, for many, many years, and to be invited, to be on this tour -- it's such an amazing tour in front of so many people -- and really just to be kind of part of the group that gets to be involved with the George Strait tour is exciting. It's an honor. It's a thrill." Martina McBride on being a part of George Strait’s Country Music Festival Tour
"It was a good experience for me to be behind the scenes in that way. You know, I just kind of saw how, how his crew, you know, was and how he treated people and his fans and... I don't know, it was just a... It was a good experience. For a lot of different reasons. Yeah, I wouldn't trade it for anything." In response to selling T-shrits for Garth Brooks” Martina McBride
"With every song that does well, with every album that you sell, you get a little more confident, you know. Go get confidence from your career, you get confidence from your life, you get confidence from just two more years of being you and feeling like you did OK." Martina McBride
"I'd heard that RCA might be looking for a new female singer and I'd heard that they didn't take any tapes that were unsolicited, that they hadn't asked for or requested. So I put my tape in a big, purple envelope and wrote on the envelope 'Requested material'. So they thought that they had asked for it, and they listened to it and it got through and they called me about three weeks later do the live audition, my live showcase. And here we are." Martina McBride
"Nothing I do comes from wanting to be a star. It's weird, it's such catch 22 with me, because I wanna sell a whole bunch of records, but not because I wanna be a big star. I wanna sell a whole bunch of records because I want everybody to hear, to share and to hear what... this music that I've made, do you know what I mean? And I want people to know who I am, I guess in a way, because I want people to feel like they like what I do or I do a good job, not because I wanna be a star, you know. And it's really bizarre and I don't even know if I'm makin' any sense but that's (...) place to be sometimes. It's a good place to be, but it's just not... that's not the motivation for me to do what I do." Martina McBride
"What I would like my legacy to be is that of a person who took good care of her family and sang some songs that made a difference in some way. I hope I’ll be remembered as somebody who was always down to earth and who handled her career and other people with honesty, integrity and class." Martina McBride
“I’d like to be known as someone who records songs that are intelligent and emotional. I don’t want to be thought of as ‘fluff.’ Night after night, you have to be able to stand up there and believe in what you’re singing. And I’m really lucky -- I still love everything that I have done. I think I have chosen well.” Martina McBride
“The true measure of a life is the people we touch along the way…
that is the legacy we leave behind.” Martina McBride in an issue of "Solid
Ground" the Martina McBride fan club newsletter
“There are times I feel like a ‘star. But more often, I just feel like I’m successful and happy. I don’t have a desire to be on the cover of every magazine. I want to be able to raise my kids in a way that’s sane and normal. That’s my priority. And as long as I have that, whatever else I accomplish is icing on the cake.” Martina McBride
“My mom always said, ‘You need to watch out for your reputation. It is important.’ That stuck with me. Sometimes I think you have to balance it with the fact that you can’t worry about what everybody thinks. But at the same time, you have a responsibility to yourself, your family and your reputation.” Martina McBride in an American Profile article written by Beverly Keel in February of 2006
"I think there is something still in me about working hard, hard work pays off and if you want something, you need to work for it." Martina McBride
“Through the eyes of a child everything’s so exciting” Martina McBride on CMT’s Got Me In With The Band
"It was all about friends and neighbors, and helping each other out when they need it.” Martina McBride in October of 2003
"I live like a normal person and I'm so grateful for that...I cook dinner every night, and we sit down at the table and eat." Martina McBride during an interview in Redbook Magazine
There has to be a sense of vulnerability in a great love song. It has to say, ‘You are IT' for me. You make me feel this way, and nobody else does.’ You want to make someone else feel what you’re feeling. I feel like if I can sing this to the person I love, then others can do that as well." Martina McBride
"I feel like it's important to use this gift God gave me, my life and my career to do something to make the world a better place. It’s an easy thing for me to do. The real heroes are the ones working at the shelters every day and the women who find the courage to better their lives for themselves and their children. The woman working at the shelter doesn’t have the opportunity to get in front of a million people and raise awareness. I’m the one that can do that for her." Martina McBride
"About a year ago I thought I wanted to get more involved with a children's organization," comments Martina. "But then I realized this is a way I can help children. This is an issue about our daughters and sons. The cycle of violence can be broken through education. The other day, Delaney and I had a conversation about the different kinds of abuse. I said, 'You know, it's not just when somebody pushes you or hits you. There's another kind of abuse called emotional abuse. That's when somebody makes you feel bad about yourself or calls you stupid or makes you feel like you're no good. That's not respectful. Daddy wouldn't talk to me that way; I don't talk to Daddy that way. You don't deserve to be talked to that way.' Nobody does." Martina McBride from her Greatest Hits Biography
"It [a paper written by Emma for school] said, "My mom loves to cook, read and hang out with our family.' And that was so cool to me. I put it up on the refrigerator and I was like, 'To her that's what I am, I'm just a mom.' I love the fact that she didn't even put singing in there or performing or making records or anything like that." Martina McBride
"I’m just Mom, and at the end of the day I want them to know that being their mom is the most important thing to me. I can’t be the big star in the family. We have a family, and we are all equal." Martina McBride
"He [John] is a really good partner. In some ways, he is the better partner. He is giving and always available on every level. He is a really great partner with the kids. I got really lucky. We are best friends. We love to hang out together, we love to work together. We spend a lot of time together and it just works. There is no part of our lives that doesn't intertwine, and it works. And we have things about us that are really similar, yet things that are really different, and we complement each other.” Martina McBride on John McBride
"I look at my kids and they are really well-adjusted and happy people. The world does not revolve around them, but it doesn't revolve around me, either. It doesn't revolve around any one person; it's about the family. They also know they are important and their happiness is important to me. Just because I sing, I am not a big star in my house. I am Mom. I didn't want them to feel like they were growing up in a house that was some kind of rich person's house I struggled with that, especially when we first bought the house, because we have a little bit of that Midwestern guilt. This house is big and I don't want people to feel like it's pretentious. We always tell them, 'It's not the size of the house, it's how much love there is inside.'" Martina McBride comments on raising her daughters
“I look at my kids, and they are really well-adjusted and happy people. Just because I sing, I am not a big star in my house; I am Mom. That is important to me. You are shaping little people. It’s way more important than record sales or any awards or TV shows. Even though I’m in a crazy business, I really want them to have the same kind of upbringing I had. It’s not going to be the same in a lot of circumstances, but the way I raise my kids, the things I teach them, the values I teach them, that sense of self I’m going to pass onto them, is the same.” Martina McBride in an American Profile article written by Beverly Keel in February of 2006
"You see, the most important thing to me is that we're together as a family. And I think that's the most important thing for the kids. And I think that wherever you are, is your home, as long as you're with your family. And I know that my kids are happier being with me on a tour bus then being without me in Nashville."
"OK. We're gonna do... You know, I grew up in Kansas, for those of you who don't know - I grew up in Kansas. And I grew up singing country music. And I also grew up singing gospel music. My dad taught me a bunch of a great gospel classics. Hopefully someday I wanna make a gospel album. And what I'm gonna do is... is sing a lot of this old time gospel songs, you know, songs that I grew up singin'. We wanted to put a couple on the show. That first one that we're gonna do is called 'I'll Fly Away.'" Martina McBride on Acoustic Country in 1993 before performing “I’ll Fly Away”
"You come offstage and thousands of people are screaming their heads off for you, and you walk into the tour bus and you're Mom. You have to tuck [the kids] in, read them stories and tell them to brush their teeth." Martina McBride
"I had just moved into a basement apartment. John and I were friends. I was just getting out of a relationship and he was, too. We were buddies - we'd hang out together, watch movies and stuff. So one night he said, 'I'll come by, pick you up and we'll go out - and listen to some music or something.’ And when he showed up, he had 10 or 12 bags of groceries. There was everything in there, from toilet paper and cookies to peanut butter, bread, milk - staples. Things I would need, as well as a hammer and nails. I thought that was really sweet and thoughtful. It showed me what kind of person he was right off. I'm eight and a half years younger than John, so I thought that was a sweet thing, he was kind of taking care of me. I'd never really had anybody do that before, especially in a relationship. I was always the person who kept it all together. So I thought that was neat - it was real." Martina McBride, from a Country Weekly article titled “Martina’s Love Secrets” on February 14, 2005.
"You get caught up in life, kids and school, keeping the house clean and
things that everybody does. Sometimes one of us will think, 'It's time for
something romantic,' when the other is just so busy. For instance, John and
I haven't been out together for probably two or three months, which is
unusual. Usually we try to go out a couple times a month by ourselves, to
dinner and a movie. I was craving some alone time with him. So we were
coming back from Kansas the other day and I said, 'I want you to take me out
this week. I'm not going to say anything else.' You have to remember that if
you really want something, instead of expecting your partner to read your
mind, sometimes you have to just say: 'I want you to take me out this week.'
So I did, and last night he said, 'OK, reserve Tuesday night.' I don't know
what he has planned. You have to keep each other in check. If I hadn't said
something, we might have gone two or three more weeks without going out,
because we're just so busy." Martina McBride, from a Country Weekly article
titled “Martina’s Love Secrets” in on February 14, 2005.
“Well you know
my family is my priority—my two children and my husband.” Martina McBride
during an interview on Deborah Norville Tonight on January 26, 2004.
“Well, that‘s a really good question. It takes a lot of work. You know, it‘s
something that you have to have at the—it has to be your focus because they
do have a lot of privileges. But we just work really hard to try to instill
the same values that we—John and I were raised with. We were raised in
Kansas with very Midwestern, you know, family values and good morals and a
strong work ethic. So, I just try to teach them the same kind of lessons,
give them chores. They have chores they do around the house and they have to
earn—Delaney is at an age where she earns money, her own money…” Martina
McBride when asked: how do you keep your children humble, help them
appreciate the small things when they‘re growing up in a very privileged
family?, during an interview on Deborah Norville Tonight on January 26,
2004.
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"I think we set a good example as far as communication goes. John and I
communicate very well with each other. We share our responsibilities. They
see that John helps out around the house. He's not afraid to do the dishes
after dinner and help get them ready for bed. He's a hands-on dad. We're
always respectful of each other. Even if it's me asking him to do something,
I don't usually say, 'Take out the trash!' I say, 'Would you please take out
the trash? It's getting full,' or whatever. Even if we're having a heated
discussion about something, and the girls say, 'Are you fighting?' We say,
'No, we're not fighting, we're talking this out.' You have to be honest and
work it out. But it always works out. That's part of a mature relationship."
Martina McBride, from a Country Weekly article titled “Martina’s Love
Secrets” February 14, 2005.
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"You can just tell when you matter to a person and with John, I'm reminded
of that several times every day, which is pretty amazing when you think
about it. I never feel not loved. Even if we're going through a spell where
we're out of sync with each other - which happens. You know, you get in a
bad mood and it might last a couple of days. I do, anyway - not him
necessarily. But I still know that he accepts me for who I am. It's an
unconditional kind of love. It's really rare. I feel lucky that I found it,
especially at such a young age." Martina McBride, from a Country Weekly
article titled “Martina’s Love Secrets” on February 14, 2005.
"My parents always encouraged us to make our own decisions. My dad paid us for singing in his band, and we could spend our money however we wanted. We bought our own equipment and clothes. I think that gave me a sense of confidence and self-sufficiency early on.” Martina McBride, from the article “Martina McBride: Every Day Is Independence Day For Her” from KNIX Magazine in December 1997.
“Y'know, it's funny, when I was out there selling t-shirts on Garth's tour, I felt lucky just to have that job so I could be with my husband when be went on the road. I hate to be apart from John. So many people in this business don't have that luxury because their husbands are always on the road and that's just the way it is. But, at the same time, while I was feeling lucky and definitely concentrating on my responsibilities and doing my job well, I can't deny that I was looking up at that big stage and thinking, `wow, I want to do that!' I figured I'd get my shot someday. I remember, at the time, I was really happy for Trisha because she's such an incredible singer. I think she's great! And I never eyen thought I'd be doing that at all even though all my life I've looked at people on the stage and knew that's really what I wanted. I love performing for people!” Martina McBride in the article “I'm No Home Wrecker! - Modern Screen's Country Music” published in 1993.
“She really has an artistic talent. She draws pictures all the time. It’s the most amazing thing, she’ll say, ‘Here’s a cat in a ballerina suit.’” Martina McBride talking about Emma at age five.
“I remember hearing her (Delaney) cry for the very fist time, it was the most beautiful sound I had ever heard.” Martina McBride on Lifetime Television’s Intimate Portrait
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"You come offstage and thousands of people are screaming their heads off for
you, and you walk into the tour bus and you're Mom. You have to tuck [the
kids] in, read them stories and tell them to brush their teeth.” Martina
McBride on Lifetime Television’s Intimate Portrait
"I put my children first and work everything else around that" Martina McBride
"You know, we were parking, I guess. We were just looking at the moon and the stars. He pursued me relentlessly. And he kept talking about getting married, and I was like, 'I've only known you like, a couple of months. What are you, crazy?' But I knew that he was really good for me, and I knew that I was in love, and so we were out there and I looked up at the moon, and he said, 'Well, we better go.' And I said, 'Isn't there something you want to ask me?' So he did. He asked me to marry him and I said, 'Yes." Martina McBride on how she and John got engaged. From a LAUNCH Yahoo Article titled Martina McBride Chose Current Single For Her Husband from May 5, 2000.
“That they can do anything they want to.” Martina McBride sharing advice she gives her children
"Well, I really don't know if I juggle it or not. My kids are my first priority, and they come with me and my husband on the road. We're together all the time. I really never feel like they are that separate. It's kind of my career and my home life all rolled into one. But I will always do what I feel is best for my children, and if I ever felt like this career was detrimental to them, then I would have to do something else. As it is now, we have a pretty normal existence and I feel like everyone in my family is thriving and happy” Martina McBride during an AOL Chat on September 14, 1999
"I feel like never again will we have her truly to ourselves. She'll be influenced by friends, teachers, others. I guess I have to pray that we laid the groundwork for the person that she will become. It will be a wonderful new beginning for all of us." Martina McBride on Delaney starting kindergarten
"In her school she has science lab, computer lab, art, music and French, in addition to the regular stuff!" gushes Martina. They really make learning fun and interesting and she enjoys it so much. She built and launched a rocket in science, they hatched a duckling and helped build a house for Habitat for Humanity. And that was all just in one week." Martina McBride when Delaney was entering first grade
“My priority is my family, and then everything else just works around that. Once you figure out your priorities, then you can strike that balance a lot easier.” Martina McBride
"Delaney has gone everywhere, and her whole existence has been really based on what I do with my career, and she's had very little control in that. It's kind of time for her to be home and to have our lives revolve around her schedule for a little while, you know? She's getting to the age where she's kind of over being on the road. Given the choice of going on the road for a couple of days or staying home for a couple days, she'd rather stay at home, so it'll be a nice break for everyone." Martina McBride when changing her tour schedule for Delaney to go to kindergarten In August of 2000
"Including him [John] in my career has been the most natural thing in the world, because he's not only very knowledgeable, he's also very supportive. We're really true companions and true friends, so we really care about each other and what's going on in our lives. I think sometimes people grow apart because they don't understand each other, but we lead the same life." Martina McBride in a May 2002 Country Weekly Article
"Every time I come out to sing at the Opry, I am constantly humbled and awed by the history that is there and by the tradition that the Opry represents. It really is the heart and soul of country music." Martina McBride in 2000
"It's a very wonderful thing to be part of this family, and I've always had such great respect for the Opry. And I think it really represents our heritage, and so it's wonderful to be able to come out here and sing and to be a part of the family." Martina McBride at the Grand Ole Opry’s 74th birthday on October 16, 1999
"I never thought it would happen. It's so incredible. Whenever I do the Opry it still feels like the first time. I still get nervous. The Opry's going to be here for hundreds of years and I'm just proud my name is on that list. It's a highlight of my life. An amazing honor." Martina McBride
"To me, the Opry is special. It's not a given that you can grow up, make records, do concerts, be a recording artist and be a member of the Grand Ole Opry. And it's up to us, up to contemporary artists to keep it going." Martina McBride in October 2005.
At a Disneyland show in December of 1998 Martina had the audience ask questions, somebody yelled out "Where do you get your outfit?" Martina answered, "Oh, this old thing?"
After her win at the 2004 CMA Awards Martina was presented with $100,000+ necklace of sapphires and diamonds from Johnathon Arndt Gallery of Jewels. The necklace was designed for the winner of the female vocalist award. When she was shown the necklace Martina shouted "Wow! That is gorgeous!” Having not already been wearing a necklace it was put on her to Martina’s remark “Does this come with a bodyguard?"
"I'm 5'4" on a good day. (After “Whatever You Say” was played) Someone came backstage and asked me, with a very serious look on there face, 'How do you do that, sing like that?' – Well that's how it comes out and I've always been loud, it's a good thing when I'm on stage, but around the house, I don't think my husband would agree!" Martina McBride on the radio show Country Hit Makers on March 3, 2002
"I find that putting my make-up on and playing with different looks is really relaxing for me before the show. It kind of helps me make that transition from "mommy" to "performer," or star or whatever you want to call it!" Martina McBride
"And now we have arrived to the moment you have all been anxiously waiting for since I first entered the stage... [pause] No, the band is not going to strip for you..." Martina McBride at Jamboree In The Hills in 1998.
"This is the lovey dovey part of the show, where you put your arm around the person next to you. But, you might want to ask them first." Martina McBride at a concert in Mobile on September 2, 2002
"You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him snorkel" Martina McBride quoting her brother Steve
"I wear my scary mask all the time, can't you tell?" Martina McBride when asked if she was dressing up for Halloween
“Good, strong coffee makes me really happy - especially first thing in the morning.” Martina McBride
"Now, when I was a young girl in Kansas, I was a rebel. I snuck a little rock music in to the house." Martina McBride
"I made good grades, really loved school, but I wasn't athletic. I had no interest in playing basketball for three hours." Martina McBride
"I think they're proud of the music I've done, but also of the person that I am, that I've stayed true to myself and just been the same ol' me and I think that's probably the thing that makes them the most proud. Being a parent I think that seeing your children not be swayed by all kind of things they can be in a business like this, and staying true to themselves, is what makes them the most proud." Martina McBride talking about her parents
“There should be no blue M&Ms that's just wrong!" Martina McBride
"I did a whole show wearing a black jacket, and I walked by a mirror and said, "What's that?" Delaney was 3 months old at the time and she had spit up from here to here (points from her wrist to shoulder). It was white and crusty-it was disgusting." Martina McBride
"As exciting as it is to create a new album, there's nothing quite as thrilling as getting the immediate feedback from a live crowd." Martina McBride
”Hallmark cards, like music, are all about emotion. They are about making someone feel something, whether it's sentimental, funny, or comforting. Great songs do the same thing and I always try to choose songs that move me in some way and evoke a response in the listener. When people want to express themselves they buy a Hallmark card. They also use music to help them define what they are feeling. So reading a Hallmark card is a lot like listening to a song... it makes a connection to an emotion within you.” Martina McBride when asked what makes Hallmark and Martina McBride a good fit in reference to making the “My Heart” Album
“Growing up in a small community like that, where everybody knows you, you have a real sense of accountability. Anything you do or say, everybody knows it. You have a sense that anything you do will reflect on your family, so you have to watch your p’s and q’s. I was raised with a really good sense of morals and values.” Martina McBride in an American Profile article written by Beverly Keel in February of 2006
“I am so grateful for the way that I was raised.” Martina McBride in an American Profile article written by Beverly Keel in February of 2006
”I think just choosing cards for my family and friends. I have a very strong
memory of looking through all the Hallmark cards wanting to choose just the
right one for Mother's Day or Father's Day or a special birthday. I can
spend hours in the card store, let me tell ya! I just get lost in it and all
the different ways to say things and the anticipation of giving or sending
someone a card that will bring a smile to their face.” Martina McBride when
asked if she had any specific memories about receiving or sending a Hallmark
card which made a lasting impression on her
"You think you’d get over being star-struck. But when she’s around, I just don’t know what to say. She talks 90 miles an hour, and I just sit there and try to soak it all in and not forget a word that she says. Because you’re talking to a legend." Martina McBride on Loretta Lynn.
"I think in the past year the way it's changed my life outlook for me is I just don't take anything for granted anymore. I think taking each day as a gift and really realizing that we're not promised tomorrow. The other thing that made a big impact on me was this was really the first event in my lifetime that happened that made me really realize the pride that I have in being an American and being part of this amazing country. That sense of patriotism is still very high with me a year later." Martina McBride in reference to the impact September 11, 2001 had on her
"Thank you! Thank you very much! You know, I grew up on a farm in Kansas so I know what farm is all about. And I know that the farmers work really hard. But I think it's time that we gave just a little bit of credit to the people who really get things done - the women behind the farmers! Do we have workin' women here in (....)? Well I'm gonna do a song just for you. This is gonna be on my new album that comes out this summer. It's a song called 'Goin' To Work'". Martina McBride at Farm Aid 1993
"... such an influence on me. And I come to this picture right here. This lady, I'll tell you what, she has such class and such humor and such honesty. She's one of my heroes. And she was really the first woman to kind of tell like it is for... for all those women. And this next song is a perfect example of that.” Martina in reference to Loretta Lynn during the 1998 George Jones Special before performing “You Ain't Woman Enough To Take My Man."
"This next song that I'm gonna do I.... I thought twice about doing this song cause I... I've just performed it on TV a couple of months ago and I wanted to do something new for you all, but I was talking with my husband on the phone today. He's out in Sacramento with Garth Brooks. And he really likes to hear me sing this song so I'm gonna do it for him. And this also gives me a chance to pay respect to the tradition that brought us here. It's a Patsy Cline song called 'Crazy'." Martina McBride on the Grand Ole Opry before performing “Crazy”
“Well, I've always kind of been the gal that kind of does whatever it takes you know. And I knew that it was a, that I wasn't going to sell t-shirts for the rest of my life.” Martina McBride, on selling t-shirts for Garth Brooks, from an interview by Katie Couric in May of 2004
"Last year we went to New Orleans for the weekend. We left Friday after school and took the kids with us. It was the beginning of Mardi Gras. We walked around the French Quarter, ate great food, saw parade preparations. That night we all got dressed up and went to dinner at Emeril's. But before that, Harry Winston had loaned me these diamond earrings that I wore for the Grammys [earlier that year]. I had commented to John how pretty and timeless I thought they were. I gave them back at the end of the night, like Cinderella. Well, during dessert at Emeril's, the waiters brought the plates, with silver domes on top. When they took the dome off my plate, there were those earrings, surrounded by rose petals! That was a special night." Martina McBride in reference to Valentines Day, from a Country Weekly article titled “Martina’s Love Secrets” on February 14, 2005.
“To me, being pregnant is a real earthy, natural thing that happens. I think there’s a whole false perception of, ‘You’re pregnant, so you’re delicate and need to be pampered.” Martina McBride on being pregnant in the Country Weekly Article “Mom-To-Be Martina McBride Appears on ‘General Hospital’” published in 1994.
"We stayed home. There was a parents' night out at the church from 7 to 10, so we took the kids to that. John and I cooked this big dinner, had some wine and built a fire. Then he ran me a bubble bath with candles. It was a really nice, quiet night at home. We make Valentines for their (Emma and Delaney) classmates, and they always get a little gift in the morning. One year I got one of them a pink nightgown and the other one got pajamas with hearts on them." Martina McBride in reference to Valentine's Day 2003, from a Country Weekly article titled “Martina’s Love Secrets” on February 14, 2005.
"It was a wonderful way to grow up. Like we went to town once a week to get groceries, on Saturday afternoons. We had three channels on out television and one of which didn't work. We had no video games, we had no... We didn't have the stuff, you know, that competes with attention that kids have now. We just kind of had each other and a bunch of dirt and... (laughs) grass and cows." Martina McBride
"My dad was always playing guitars, singin'. When we'd go to town we'd go... I'd go right in the truck with him, he'd just, he'd be singin'. I can't forget one time I was really little and I heard him harmonize with the radio and I said 'Dad, how do you do that? How do you harmonize?' And he goes... You know, he couldn't really tell me. But he just said... I mean he couldn't tell me in a way where you go, it's a third above what you're... No, not technical... not... talk there. It was just 'Well, someday you'll be able to do that.' You know, that was kind of what he said but I mean I heard that, you know, heard that and it was an influence on me." Martina McBride
“I actually, honestly, have not watched the show up until, crazily enough, this year. The "Canadian Idol" thing really changed my opinion of the show. I kind of had mixed feelings about it, like a lot of people do in the industry. (But) I was not really basing that on facts, because I hadn't even watched the show. When I went to do "Canadian Idol," it really turned me around. They were kids, I think the oldest one was 20 or 21 years old. Their excitement and their passion, their willingness to learn and their heart was really moving to me. I thought, "You know what? This is great that there is a place where people can go to have this kind of opportunity." So then this year I started watching "American Idol" before I was asked to be on it. Me and the kids started watching it together.” Martina McBride on American Idol
"People would come from miles around to dance. And for all ages, little kids with their parents too, you know. All the people, young kids, everybody. And it was like the... the band's name was The Schiffters and it was like 'Oh, there is a Schiffters dance this weekend', you know. And it was like the big entertainment, the big thing to do." Martina McBride
“Yeah, yeah, certain things do. Like when I put a song out that I believe in, and I think it's really great and it doesn't do as well at radio as I had hoped. That's hard for me. When I put "Timeless" out and radio wouldn't play it, that was hard for me. I mean, they played it, but as a general rule, they weren't that accepting of the album. Little things like that. When you do things you believe in you want everyone to embrace it, and then you have to realize that's not going to happen. So you just have to let it go. Little things like that ... get under my skin, but I think they do with every artist.” Martina McBride in response to be asked, ‘What about being an artist or about the your business keeps you up at night? Or does anything?’
"I think that the thing that people don't really know about me or don't get is that I'm really lot of fun and I have a great sense of humor. When I sit down to do an interview, seems, my mind goes to that serious place, that serious thoughtful place." Martina McBride
“I'd like to be a fly on the wall in that course.” Martina McBride in reference to Salem college course “‘Happy Girl/Broken Wing’: Martina McBride as Text” on radio’s Country Countdown USA, which aired February 12-13, 2005.
“Most of what I remember about those days was traveling around in a van with no money. We’d pool all our money as a band and buy a couple of loaves of bread and some peanut butter and jelly. We’d live on that for about a week and I’d go into these little dives and scream my head off singing Pat Benatar.” Martina McBride about her rock ‘n’ roll roots.
“We were very popular locally—maybe ‘cause we were the only band in that part of the country.” Martina McBride about the Schiffters.
"I never had any voice lessons or training. The way I learned to sing was to sing with records and try to emulate whatever the artist did. I used to sing with my Pat Benatar records every day, determined to hit those high notes and trying to get my voice to sound rough like hers! I definitely think it improved my range and taught me about belting a song. She always had amazing control and technique, so it helped me with that as well. And as far as a role model, I was just fascinated by her strength and confidence. Meeting her and singing with her as part of the Crossroads show was a dream come true!" Martina McBride in May of 2004, from the album jacket of "Pat Benatar's Greatest Hits".
"The vibe. It has a spirit and a soul. It’s a great hang. And it’s about two minutes from my house. I’m not really on anybody’s time schedule. I can come down here at night if I want to." Martina McBride when asked what she likes best about having her own recording studio, Blackbird.
Others On Martina
"Whew! I'm glad I wasn't in Martina's category" At the CMA Awards 2002 when winning an award after Martina performed "Where Would You Be"
“And is it just me or is her voice actually bigger than she is?”
Before the song started playing, the DJ introduced the song by saying something like "Here's the new song by Martina....that mini-tower of power." Before playing “Where Would You Be” in Waukesha, WI, on May 9, 2002
Ann Herrick, integrated marketing manager at Hallmark
“We are thrilled to present such a wonderful collection of music from such an accomplished artist. We were certain Martina was a perfect fit for this Valentine project and we knew our consumers would be appreciative of the special offering. Still, we are overwhelmed by its success. It has gone well beyond our expectations in such a short time period. It really speaks of Martina’s level of artistry and fan appeal.”
"Man, what a voice. That's gotta be, without question, the best female voice in Nashville right now. No one else can match that power. Trisha Yearwood is maybe a close second, but man, no one can belt them out like Martina." May 10, 2003
“My eyes are blue but they’re not that blue. They did a green-screen thing behind me, like the weathermen use, and in the process of putting things into that, they turned it blue, which gave everything kind of a blue-ish tint and really made my eyes look ridiculously blue. I always make a joke that they transplanted Martina McBride’s eyes and put them into my head.” Talking about his video for "The Baby" in February 2003
"Martina sounds like she has no fear. A blue-eyed angel in a leather jacket."
"Martina's voice is electrifying. It's... it's loud, it's emotional, it's... it's just stunning."
"A lot of people talk about how Shania Twain and people like that have really opened the doors for women in country music. And they have in terms of what women can look like, what women can sound like. But 'Independence Day' really made a huge difference in country for what women can sing about."
"Working with Martina really was great cause she's a perfectionist and I appreciate that, she genuinely cares about people and she can be really funny. I still can't believe I was able to tour with her, I always call it a bonus to my dream”
"I always felt like she gave 150 per cent every night. That is something I want to be able to do. It didn't matter if Martina was extremely tired or very sick. She always gave all she had. I was amazed, standing back on the stage, seeing her perform like she does every night."
"Music fans get ready for another special treat, America's love affair with our next signer. (...) the first time she opened her mouth a voice that could relax an angel or get the party started in any country bar. This lovely lady is about as versatile as they come. Please give it up for Martina McBirde" When introducing Martina at the 2001 Radio Music Awards
“Night in and night out. It's just amazing. You know, she's getting ovations after ovations throughout the show, you know. And it's pretty incredible."
The girl knew every word to the whole song. She knew the harmony. I sang with her, and I thought to myself, you know, there were so many times in my life when all I wanted was to sing with Martina McBride. I thought it would be so cool to get to perform a duet with her. And I said to myself, I wonder if I'm making this young girl's day as much as it would've made mine to sing with Martina McBride”
"Thanks to Martina McBride for giving me a little good-luck autograph for my car. I carried it all the way in the race, so maybe she's my good-luck charm." After winning the Goodwrench 444 in Rockingham on Februarys 25, 1996 where Martina sung the National Anthem
At the 2001 CMA Awards, Martina performed “When God-Fearin' Women Get the Blues”. At home watching the show on TV Delaney said ''Good lord, that dress is short!'' and later after the show when on the phone with Martina, Martina asked what Delaney thought of her performance. Delaney’s response was, “''You sounded great, but the dress was a little short, Mom.''
"I am so humbled. I'm recovering from Martina McBride's performance. You blow me away girl! I just have to tell you this, you're my favorite singer!" At the 1999 Academy of Country Music Awards
"We both wanted to do one on both of our last records , but we just couldn't find the song. But if we find a song, we'll definitely do it. That would be great. I would be honored to sing with her." When asked if she had any plans for doing a duet with Martina in March of 2003
"Martina’s a great cook. Martina can cook anything." Faith Hill
"This is our show, from the time you walk onstage until the time I get offstage. Your job is not to go out and warm up the crowd. I want you to steal the show." In 1992 before Martina opened for him
(during the tour Martina opened for him): "I was tellin' somebody backstage and they asked how you and me got together on tour and I was telling a story how you and John came over that night we stood out outside (...) stars and you were just singing a capella and the first time I heard you sing it was like 'Let's go out, and have some fun and make some music.’”
"I've never seen her in a lack of confidence, you know. So that's been pretty steady, as long as I've been with her."
"I think she'd give her career up, if she had to make a choice. I know she would."
"I think she has a very strong sense of whether a song is right for her. And whether she can put herself into it. I mean it's easy to like all kinds of songs, ballads and up-tempo and rock songs and everything, but to be able to put yourself into it and be convincing is not so easy."
“I always tell
radio listeners they can carry their children to a Martina McBride concert.
Martina is beautiful, doesn't swear and is never obscene onstage. She is,
first and foremost, a mother. Take your kids, I say.
Further proving her kindness, Martina recently made a special visit to Haven
House, a domestic abuse shelter in Buffalo, N.Y. Martina learned about the
facility through correspondence from an executive at the shelter. Director
Katey Joyce says Martina's songs like "Concrete Angel," "Broken Wing" and,
of course, "Independence Day" are her personal anthems for the work she
does. I just say that Martina performs magic.” Hazel Smith in the March ,27
2006 article “HOT DISH: Lee Ann Womack Plans Her Summer Vacation”.
"One of her biggest problems was never being on time in school. She was always running in the schoolhouse just as the last bell was ringing. The teachers told me 'Here comes Martina, trying to keep her books in her arms, running and the bell's ringing.' When I'd get her report card, it was like "Tardy, tardy, tardy.'"
"She's learned how not just to use the power at full force, but to make it softer and kind of caress you with it and then kind of pull you in. And then completely surround you with it.”
"She understates herself. I mean she's not somebody that 's full of herself as singer. She knows it's a gift, she's grateful for it. But she's got it. She's... she's never off."
"I wish I had the composure that she does. I know I sound like the fanclub, but I admire what she's able to do, because it's a tough gig. You've got two young kids and they're out there with you. And she is one minute changing a diper on Emma and the next minute she's on stage in front of twenty thousand people like it didn't happen."
"Martina has never worried about the awards. That's my job I guess. I mean I... I'm probably little too competitive sometimes. I always, I always think 'O man, I know she's gonna do great. I know she's gonna win and... ' Oh well, you know, what do you do..."
"To me Martina's such a true, natural, pure talent."
"We got to know each other, started dating. And she took off the restraining order and everything and we got together and got married. I got to hear all tapes of her when she was a kid and I worked with her all selling clubs in Kansas when we were first dating and married."
"She's so strong and should have all the confidence in the whole world, which she does now. But one time she didn't and now she does. And it shows. And I'm so glad to see it all happen."
"She and I both feel the same way - the kids first, the marriage second and the career third."
"She's really a blast to be around. Her sense of humor is really fun, it's a little off the wall which I love.
"I love Martina McBride! She can sing them notes higher than a cat!" In May of 2004
"Last year this young lady made a statement for women with a song called 'Independence Day'. She continued that celebration with a birth of her first child, a beautiful daughter named Delaney. She manages to handle the careers of motherhood and music with equal success. Here is my friend and co-host Martina McBride." When introducing Martina at the TNN & Country Weekly Music Awards in 1996
”Probably Martina. I love to hear her sing. We toured with Martina a couple
years ago, and every time we are out on the road and we do a show with her,
I have to stay and watch the show. I just think she is a great singer.” When
asked who is favorite female artists is during CMT’s 20 Questions in October
of 2003
Martina's Introduction at the NBA All-Star Game 2003
"Please welcome one of the most breathtaking voices in contemporary country music, multi-platinum recording artist, Martina McBride!”
"I have always loved her, even when nobody knew who she was."
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