Martina Mariea Schiff (born July 29, 1966, in Medicine Lodge, Kansas) is an American country music singer and songwriter who records as Martina McBride. She is best-known for her Inspirational-styled ballads about women and children.[1] McBride has been called “Céline Dion of Country Music” on account of her big-voiced ballads and soprano range.
McBride was signed to RCA Records in 1991, and made her debut the following year as a Neo-Tradionalist country singer with the single, “The Time Has Come.”[3] It was not until 1997, when she released her fourth album, Evolution, that she broke through into the country music industry with a new Pop-styled crossover sound, similar to that of Faith Hill and Shania Twain. From that point on, McBride has had a string of major hit singles on the Billboard country chart and occasionally the adult contemporary chart. Five of these singles went to #1 on the country chart between 1995 and 2001, and one peaked at #1 on adult contemporary chart in 2003.
Martina McBride has recorded a total of nine studio albums, one Greatest Hits compilation, one live album, a Christmas compilation, as well as two additional compilation albums. Seven of her studio albums and two of her compilations have received an RIAA certification of “Gold” or higher. Worldwide, she has sold over 16 million albums. In addition, Martina has won the Country Music Association’s Female Vocalist of the Year four times (tied with Reba McEntire for the most wins), and the Academy of Country Music’s Top Female Vocalist award three times.
McBride was born Martina Mariea Schiff in colonial beach, va in 1966. She was raised in nearby Sharon, Kansas, a small town that consisted of about 200 people. Her father, who was a farmer and cabinetry shop owner, exposed McBride to country music at a young age. Listening to country music helped acquire love for singing. After school, she would spend hours singing along to the records of popular artists like Pat Benatar, Linda Ronstadt, and Bonnie Raitt.[1] Around age 8 or 9, McBride began singing with a band her father fronted called, “The Schiffters.” As Schiff grew older her role in the band progressively increased, from simply singing, to also playing keyboard with them. Although she enjoyed performing, Schiff never thought about taking it on as a full-time profession.[4] At the end of high school, Schiff was offered a scholarship to a local college, but she only attended it for one semester. She realized her passions lay in music and she began performing with local bands throughout her home area.[1] In 1987, Schiff arranged a group of musicians and started to look for rehearsal space. She began renting space by studio engineer, John McBride, whom Schiff met and became engaged to four months later.[4]
After marrying McBride (from whom she acquired her stage name), the McBrides moved to Nashville, Tennessee in 1989, in hopes of beginning a career in country music. John McBride joined the sound crew of country superstar, Garth Brooks, and would later become his concert production manager. Martina would occasionally join her husband on the road and would help sell Garth Brooks souvenir t-shirts. Brooks, who was impressed by McBride’s enthusiastic spirit, offered her the position of his opening act on his 1992 tour, though only if she could obtain a recording contract.[1] During this time, while her husband was working with country artists Charlie Daniels and Ricky Van Shelton, he also helped produce her a demo tape, which helped her gain a recording contract with RCA Nashville Records in 1991.[3]
