“That feels good. Everybody hopes for a 10-year career, so I feel really happy and grateful that I get to do it this long,” she said.
When asked to reflect on the past 25 years, she said, “I see a lot of great relationships, a lot of great shows and moments that I never dreamed I would get to do. To be able to be creative and make music and be with my friends on the road. It has been an amazing life!”
Her breakthrough studio album, The Time Has Come, which was released on May 12, 1992 via RCA Nashville. She listed “A Woman Knows” as her personal favorite song on there, and she shared her love for the single “That’s Me.”
In her personal life, McBride just celebrated her 29-year wedding anniversary with her husband, John McBride. “He is my very best friend and we’ve shared a lot over these years. We shared this career together and we have raised three daughters. It has been a wonderful life,” she said.
On her global charity, Team Music is Love, she said, “It started a few years ago as a group of fans that asked me if they could wear a T-shirt with my name to walk in a breast cancer walk, and I said ‘of course’ and it has grown from there. Last year, we decided we wanted to give it a better name, a name that sounded as important as it is, so we changed it to ‘Team Music is Love,’ since it’s about spreading love through music. We have done some amazing things over the past few years and we continue to grow and keep giving back.”
At this year’s CMA Music Festival in Nashville, Team Music is Love is partnering with One Generation Away. “We are going to do a huge food drive, so to be able to do that in the middle of CMA Music Festival is going to be amazing,” she said.
In the new John Mellencamp album, Sad Clowns & Hillbillies, McBride collaborated with the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer on the song “Grandview.” “I grew up listening to John Mellencamp, so it was really a thrill to get asked to do that, and to sing it a couple of times live on TV, is another opportunity that came up that I never would have dreamed would happen,” she said. “I’ve had so many duets over the years with people like Jimmy Buffett, Alan Jackson and Bob Seger that I never dreamed I would get to sing with.”
On her plans for the future, she said, “We go out to Los Angeles next week to do another Christmas album. I’m really excited about that since I’ve only done one Christmas album. It is going to have a classic sound that is different from the other one. We are touring a lot this summer doing a lot of fairs and festivals. It’s going to be a great year!”
Last month, McBride was privileged to be a part of Loretta Lynn’s 85th birthday celebration at the fabled Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, where they sang “You Ain’t Woman Enough” and “I Saw the Light” together. “That was a surprise! I didn’t know I was going to sing. I thought I was going to come out and sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to her. She wanted me to sing with her, so of course I wasn’t going to say no, because I love her. It was an honor to be asked to wish her a Happy Birthday on her 85th birthday, but singing with her on top of it was just icing the cake,” she said.
Speaking of Loretta Lynn, one of McBride’s proudest moments in life was being inducted in the Grand Ole Opry in 1995 by the “Coal Miner’s Daughter” herself. “That was definitely a thrill,” she admitted.
This past November, at the Country Music Association (CMA) awards, McBride was a part of a tribute for country queen Dolly Parton, along with Carrie Underwood, Reba McEntire, Jennifer Nettles and Kacey Musgraves. “That was an honor!” McBride exclaimed. “I was really overwhelmed and honored to be asked to be a part of that tribute. We love Dolly so much. She is such an icon.”
Each day, the Kansas native is motivated by “finding new ways to be creative.” “I still love what I do! I love making music, writing music, singing and performing. It is easy for me to to be inspired and motivated,” she said.
When asked if she would ever record a duet with her good friend Faith Hill, McBride responded, “I would love that! That would be awesome.”
Her definition of success is as follows: “Success means being happy and if I have made a difference in people’s lives along the way. That’s a big part of it as well.”
For her dedicated fans, she concluded, “Thank you! The fans have kept me here for 25 years. I’m grateful for their love and support. Here’s to another 25 years!”
To learn more about country superstar Martina McBride and her touring schedule, check out her official website.
For more information about McBride’s charitable organization, Team Music is Love, check out its official homepage.
