Music Artist

DOB: July 29, 1966

Background: McBride was born in Kansas. Her two brothers currently play in her concert band, and she also has a sister, Gina. She was raised in the town of Sharon, a town with a population of just 200, where she was exposed to country music by her father. She sang and played keyboard with her father's band as a child. She rented space from studio engineer John McBride, whom she married in 1998. They moved to Nashville in 1989 and toured with Garth Brooks, who made Martina his opening act conditional on her ability to obtain a recording contract, which she did in 1991 with RCA Nashville.

Discography: Her 1992 debut album was "The Time Has Come." "The Way I Am" followed in 1993, producing two top-ten singles as well as the song "Independence Day," which was rejected by many radio programmers for its themes of fighting abuse by burning the family house down. Nevertheless, the song won CMA Awards for Video and Song of the Year. "Wild Angels" (1995) followed, and its title track became her first number-one hit. Another number-one accompanied her following album, "Evolution" (1997). She released "Emotion" in 1999, whose song "I Love You" hit number-one on the country chart and crossed over to the Adult Contemporary chart as well. She then released "Martina" (2003); "Timeless" (2005), an album of country covers; "Waking Up Laughing" (2007), on which she co-wrote many tracks; "Shine" (2009). Her next album, "Eleven," will be released in October.

Academy of Country Music Awards: Wins - Female Vocalist (2001, 2002); Honorary Award (2011)

American Music Awards: Win - Female Country Artist (2003)

CMA Awards: Wins - Female Vocalist (1999, 2002, 2003, 2004)