10 Questions with ... Martina McBride

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

One of Country music's most powerful voices, Martina McBride had her humble beginnings in the early 90s selling souvenirs at Garth Brooks' shows. Her husband John was hired as Brooks' production manager, and Brooks offered Martina the opening slot on his tour if she could land a record deal. In 1991 she signed with RCA, and in 1992 released her debut album, "The Time Has Come." She has released twelve studio albums, ten of which are RIAA certified gold or higher. She is known for hits such as "Independence Day," "A Broken Wing," "I'm Gonna Love You Through It," and many more. McBride's career accolades include six #1 hits and 20 Top 10 sings, more than 18 million albums sold, four CMA Female Vocalist Of The Year awards, and three ACM Female Vocalist Of The Year awards. This year, as she celebrates 25 years in the industry, the Country Radio Broadcasters (CRB) and CRS will present McBride with its 2017 Artist Career Achievement Award. McBride will be on hand at the Country Radio Hall Of Fame (CRHOF) Dinner And Awards ceremony on Wednesday, June 21st to receive her award. Leading in to the evening, McBride chatted with All Access to discuss her career, her relationship with Country radio, and her feelings about being honored by the CRB.

1. Martina, thank you for taking time to talk with us. This Artist Career Achievement award from the CRB is very timely, as it coincides with the 25th Anniversary of the 1992 release of your debut album, "The Time Has Come." It must be a good feeling to know they also want to celebrate this milestone with you, correct? Can you tell us what it means to have the CRB and CRS recognize you as one of the few artists chosen for its Career Achievement Award?

It is! It's a really good feeling. I always feel like in my career, I've shared it with a lot of people along the way who have helped me make it all happen. So, to have Country radio and all of these people come forward and celebrate it with me is really special. That's important to me. I'm not the kind of person who puts time in to something just because I want to get airplay. You know what I mean? To me, life is too short. If you're going to go out to dinner with folks, spend all the time with them, and then keep in touch with them over the years, it should be more than just about the end game and a transaction.

2. There's a very strong CRS tie-in to the start of your career, and its one we've talked about before. Your introduction to Country radio came with RCA Nashville on the Sony Boat at CRS in 1991. As one of the radio people who attended that evening, I must say you made a terrific impression. Do you remember that night? What were you feeling as you prepared for that performance?

I definitely remember it! I was so nervous. I think I wore a little white, short skirt and little white cowboy boots. I probably sang "The Time Has Come" and "A Woman Knows," or something, from the first album. I remember it like it was yesterday - just feeling so happy to be there, but also, I really didn't know what I was doing. I didn't understand how radio worked, or what CRS really was, or what the boat meant. I didn't know all the history of it. I was very green, but very excited.

3. So, was there any kind of crash-course for you about the evening beforehand, or were you fairly uninformed about what the evening was?

Pretty much. I don't think I got briefed too much. I can't remember that detail, anyway. But what I do remember is coming out and being whisked away by Mike Wilson to go and take pictures with a lot of people and meet a lot of people. It was the first time I had met most of the people in radio. I was happy to be there, but a little overwhelmed. Also, just very excited to be a part of it!

4. And, as I recall, you performed on many Sony Boats to follow, is that correct? What was it about that event, and CRS, that you enjoyed so much?

Yeah, for me, the boat was always just a chance for me to catch up with my friends at radio. For me, coming from Kansas where everybody knows everybody, I'm just a what you see is what you get kind of person. And, I always believed that these were real, genuine relationships that I was building, and that was always very important to me. So, I got to see a lot of people that I knew and meet some new people. I think I only missed the boat two years out of the 18 that I was there. I remember Joe [Galante] wanting me to sing on the boat when I was really very pregnant with Emma. And, I said, "Joe! I mean, are you serious?" And he said, "Yeah, I'm serious!" And, I said, "Well, alright." He said to me, "Well, you can go on early and sing first or something." But, I said to him, "Okay, but that doesn't make any difference. We're stranded on there! It doesn't matter if I go on first or last!" Then, I remember saying, "The fat lady has sung, but the show is not over!" CRS used to happen in March. I delivered Emma on March 29th, so probably just a couple weeks after that performance. But, it's a good memory!

5. Going back to the start of your career, it seems as though you came out of the gate fast with a slot on Garth's tour, which was - as it is now - absolutely huge. Did it seem like an overnight success then? Do you feel that opening slot gave you any advantages in the early stages of your career?

Yeah, it was interesting. I signed with RCA and then got on the Garth tour. I had started the record, and I went over and was talking to Garth. He asked me to sing and said, "Well, what are you working on for your record?" And, I said, "Well, here's a little bit of something," and I sang "When You Are Old" from the first album. Like, ten minutes later, he offered me the opening slot on his tour! And, he had never really heard me sing before, or seen me perform, or heard any of the music. So, it was huge. I don't know. He didn't need an opening act! But, he could have given that to anybody, and so it was a huge leap of faith for him to give that to me. Then, I had that tour. I think playing in front of a crowd - we played 77 shows - and getting a lot of media and a lot of press was a positive, for sure.

6. But that tour did not translate to an immediate radio hit for you, correct? Can you tell us about your early journey at radio and how it gained traction?

For us, Country radio was not an easy, right out of the bag, overnight success. We had "The Time Has Come" up to 17, and then we had "That's Me," which went not to 17! Ha! Then, we released "Cheap Whiskey," which actually had Garth on it. But, we didn't really have out of the gate radio success. It took "My Baby Loves Me" for me to really break through. And then, it was a little bit of back and forth. We'd have some success, then a single that didn't work as well. Then, we had "Independence Day," which only went to #11 but made a huge impression. It really made a lot of people take notice and got some attention. From then on, it was a little bit easier, but it definitely took a while.

7. You mentioned that "Independence Day" only went to #11 on the chart for you. I think you should be commended for picking music that was socially conscious as your career progressed. Were you ever concerned about pushback for finding and recording those kinds of songs? Or did you purposely select songs like "Concrete Angel" to make a statement?

It wasn't about either, really. It was weird. I didn't care about push-back, because I love the song. And, I was so naïve when "Independence Day" came out. I was so surprised - flabbergasted - that there was any resistance. I just thought, "Oh, it's a great song! People will play it!" So, I never thought about resistance - I didn't care about it, really. But, I also never set out to make a statement. It wasn't about that for me with those songs, really. I didn't realize I had many of them, really, until years later looking back. And then, it was like, "Oh. I guess I do have a lot of those types of songs." It was always about when I found the song and how it moved me. And, I really believed that it would make a difference to somebody. I thought it would be somebody's story, and it would connect and make somebody feel like they were understood or they weren't alone. That was really my motivation for singing those songs. And, then I had Joe, who was always really supportive of me as an artist. He never really had a hand in what I could or couldn't or did or didn't record - and he was really supportive of those songs. I wanted to put out "Independence Day," and he actually wanted to put out "Concrete Angel" as the first single off of the greatest hits record - in the summer! And, I was like, "I don't know...maybe we should come with something more fun first!" But, he was very supportive of those powerful songs. So, I have to credit him some, too, because had I have had a different label head who was not as fearless, I don't know that those songs - I probably would have had to really fight to get those songs released as singles. I think it worked out like it was supposed to, though. I really do. I think the struggle with "Independence Day" made it all worth it and awakened this passion within me. Once I realized that it wasn't going to be an easy road for that song, I remember calling radio stations personally. Mike Wilson said, "Well, we think we're gonna lose the single," and I said, "WHAT? Are you kidding me? Why?" And he said, "Well, there are just some stations that won't play it." I asked, "Well, can I have their numbers? I want to call them and talk to them about it." And, I never will forget the look on his face. He said, "Uh. Yeah. I guess so." After that, I spent several afternoons calling them. Some of them turned around and played it, and some of them never did. But, I was just so passionate about it! I just wanted to hear why. I'd say, "I'm just asking you why you're not playing it, because I don't really understand why you're not playing it." It was interesting. I think the struggle that came with that song and the passion that came with it - for me - made it all that much more special.

8. How were those conversations with programmers at radio? What did you share with them during those conversations?

For the most part, they were very positive. It was mostly just a dialogue about what their concerns were and what my experience was. I started getting all these letters about the song, and about how it was literally changing lives - and that's the power of music, to me. When women say, "I heard your song on the radio, and I realized that I have to get out of this equation," I was like, "Wow." That's really powerful. I told radio a few of those stories. And, like I said, there were about ten stations that never played it, but it turned around a few. The bottom line is, the song is just too good. It's not really about me, it's about that song. It's about how well-written it is, and it's about how powerful it is. I was lucky to find it.

9. What many also remember about you and those songs is that so many times through the years, you gifted us with scene-stealing moments on nationally televised awards shows. You always appeared to understand the moment, and you always knocked out an amazing vocal on the night. Was that just a coincidence, or was there any strategy to those live television performances?

No, it was just what happened. I was, half the time, so nervous. I never really thought in those terms. I just wanted to get through it and do a good job. It was really just about stepping out there and singing. And, ya know, it worked out! It's so nerve-wracking for me on live television. But, we always seemed to have a good song lined up for when those awards shows came around, and usually it was just me standing there with no real production or anything. And, at the time, I'd sometimes complain about that. Like, "Well, how come I don't get any production? I'm just standing here in this little spot singing." But, I think in a way, it worked for us, looking back. There are always audio issues. It's weird, because we go through a whole sound check. We actually do a rehearsal and a sound check during the day, and it's just never the same when it comes to the show. And, part of that could be just the nature of mixing so many acts, and we're all using the same microphones, and gear, and ears. But, I think part of it is psychological, too. When I produce a record and listen to it by myself, I think, "God, this sounds amazing!" But then, the second you bring the record company or somebody in to listen to it, it sounds totally different. It sounds muddy, and it needs this and needs that. So, I wonder if sometimes when we get out there, if it's not just a little bit of a psychological thing where your hearing changes a little bit. But, I think it's a combination of both. It's a lot of work to run that many acts through that quickly and have everybody's sound stay exactly the same.

10. You mentioned earlier that radio didn't come as an overnight success for you, and I know you are very in tune with today's radio and the women trying to break through. When you were first starting out and building your career, there were many successful females on the charts together at the same time, including yourself, Faith Hill, Shania Twain, Reba McEntire, Trisha Yearwood, LeAnn Rimes, and others. We aren't seeing nearly that same amount of female presence right now. What do you think is causing the shortage of breakthrough female acts right now?

I wish I knew the answer to that. I get asked all the time. But, I don't know. And, you're right - back then, there were all the ones you've mentioned, plus Terri Clark and Jo Dee Messina, then there were new ones that came up with a couple hits like Jessica Andrews. But, I do remember the pushback and having people say, "Well, hang on, now. There's too many females!" And, I was thinking, "Why does it matter? If it's a good song, and if it's a good performance, it shouldn't matter if it's a female or a male." But, that's my naïve view, once again. I think you'd know that better than me! But, I've also noticed that there are less than half of the number of females with #1s than there used to be. Like, last year, I think Carrie [Underwood] and Kelsea [Ballerini] were the only two females with a #1. So, for four weeks out of 52, there was a female at the top of the charts.

As we mentioned at the beginning of the conversation, you are celebrating 25 years in the Country music business this year. How are you marking the occasion and celebrating this year?

It's really all kind of organic. It's not a marketing plan. We did a special last weekend on SiriusXM - like a retrospective and a town hall with Storme [Warren]. And, it's not like we've planned anything, really. I just sat down one weekend a while back and realized that, holy shit, I've been doing this for 25 years! We thought about doing a big retrospective kind of tour, but that didn't feel like the right thing to do. So, we just are doing certain things. And, this big radio award just came up and times out nicely! So, it has all been organic, and we're not making too big of a deal about it. So, I don't know - I guess whatever happens will happen, I guess. This is really just a time for me to really say thank you to my fans, and to Country radio, and to everyone who has had a part in it. And, this is a nice way for me to take that moment. I think these things are so important, because it makes you take a minute to step back and celebrate it all.