Martina McBride

Over her decades-long career, Martina McBride has grown from a neo-traditionalist country singer into a crossover pop star. Born to dairy farmers in 1966 in Sharon, Kansas, McBride grew up on country classics and played in her dad’s band as a kid, eventually exploring rock ‘n’ roll and moving to Nashville in 1989. While her 1992 debut didn’t make a splash with consumers, 1993’s The Way That I Am was the start of a commercial peak that lasted into the early 2000s. Her popularity was largely thanks to McBride’s appeal as a top-tier vocalist and performer, and songs like 1993’s “Independence Day”—about a woman emancipating herself from an abusive relationship—went on to influence artists like Shania Twain and The Chicks. While she remains an icon of ‘90s country, she’s also developed her sound as the genre has shifted, bringing a wealth of experience to more pop-oriented sounds on 2016’s Reckless and 2023’s Eleven, proving she’s an artist who’s built to last.