Martina McBride

Martina Schiff (best known as Martina McBride) was born July 29, 1966, in Sharon, Kansas to Daryl and Jeanne Schiff. She discovered her passion for country music through her father who had a band called the Schiffers. By her teen years, she was playing the keyboards and singing with the Schiffers. After high school, she performed around Kansas with several different bands. Before starting her own career, Martina learned about life on the road as she and her husband took jobs touring with Garth Brooks (she sold T-shirts). She also toured with Tim McGraw as a back-up singer.

Martina McBride released her debut album The Time Has Come in 1992. The honky tonk-flavored album featured songs like “That’s Me” and “Cheap Whiskey”. Her first big hit came with her second album, The Way That I Am, with the single “My Baby Loves Me”. The album also featured the song “Independence Day” which became McBride’s signature song. In 1995, Martina released the album Wild Angel, from which the singles “Safe in the Arms of Love” and the title track became country hits (the latter even reaching number one, a first for McBride). Her next album Evolution came in 1997 and sold over two million copies. The crossover “Valentine” reached the third position in the Adult charts, “Happy Girl” and “Whatever You Say” reached number two in country charts and “A Broken Wing” and "Wrong Again” reached number one in country charts too.

In 1999, Martina McBride released Emotion that featured "I Love You" was a big hit in both country and adult contemporary circles. In 2003 she released her album titled Martina (2003). “How Far” and “In My Daughter’s Eyes” are among the songs included in the album. In 2005, she released Timeless, which reached number one in the country charts. Martina McBride has won Country Music Association Female Vocalist of the Year four times, Academy of Country Music Female Vocalist of the Year three times and has also won a Grammy Award.