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Martina McBride

Martina McBride, born Martina Mariea Schiff on July 29, 1966 in Sharon, Kansas, a small town of about 200 people. Her musical success was promoted at an early age (around 8 or 9), as she sang for her father's small band, "The Shiffters." Over the years, her role increased as her skills matured, and she began playing keyboard for the band as well.

McBride was always a good student, and was offered a scholarship to attend a local college in Kansas. She accepted the offer and was poised to succeed in her college education. Fate, however, intervened and McBride decided that has passion was for music, and began performing with local rock bands. In 1987, she created a band and was looking for rehearsal space. She met sound engineer John McBride and they were engaged four months later. They moved to Nashville, Tennessee a few years after to pursue a career in country music.

McBride's husband secured a job on the sound crew of Garth Brooks, and later became his concert manager. She occasionally joined him on the road, and Brooks offered her the opening act of his 1992 tour provided she secured a recording contract.

She produced a demo tape, and gained a recording contract with RCA Nashville Records in 1991. McBride's debut album , entitled The Time Has Come, was released in 1992 to considerable success with the title track charting at #23. Her second album, 1993's The Way That I Am, achieved some major hits, including the first single, "My Baby Loves Me," which peaked at #2.

1997 was the year of McBride's major breakthrough, when she released her fourth studio album, Evolution. This album became her first top 10 album, and was also a crossover hit, at #2 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Chart. It also gave McBride two number one singles. After this taste of major success McBride's next album, Emotion, released in 1999, further cemented her huge status, as it was the number one country album of the year, and became her highest selling album.

Martina McBride is still performing, and is working on her 11th studio album set to release in mid-2011. She is involved in many other areas, including her charitable efforts. She is the spokeswoman for the National Domestic Violence Hotline, and has engaged in many charity events, earning the "Minnie Pearl Humanitarian Award" in 2003.