She’s one of country music’s reigning queens and a Grand Ole Opry inductee. She’s been Country Music Association’s Female Vocalist of the Year four times, and received the Top Female honor three times from the Academy of Country Music. She’s been nominated for 14 Grammy Awards. And on the heels of releasing her latest album, multimillion-selling vocalist Martina McBride will perform at the Santa Barbara County Fair on July 16 during her “Martina McBride: The Everlasting Tour.”
The concert is free with fair admission.
McBride is known for singing lyrics of substance and songs that challenge listeners. She has addressed female empowerment in “This One’s for the Girls,” domestic violence in “Independence Day,” child abuse in “Concrete Angel,” alcoholism in “Cheap Whiskey,” poverty in “God’s Will” and cancer in “I’m Gonna Love You Through It.”
McBride first made the country charts in 1992. Her hit records include such enduring classics as “Wild Angels,” “Safe in the Arms of Love,” “Wrong Again,” “Blessed,” “My Baby Loves Me,” “Life #9,” “Love’s the Only House,” “Whatever You Say,” “Where Would You Be,” “In My Daughter’s Eyes,” “When God Fearin’ Women Get the Blues” and “A Broken Wing.”
To date, she has had 20 top-10 hits and six No. 1 smashes. As a result, McBride is ranked as the most played woman vocalist on country radio between 1999 and 2010.
McBride just released her latest album, Everlasting, providing fresh nuances in familiar lyrics working within beautifully crafted new arrangements of cherished melodies. She breathes new life into ballads like “I’ve been Loving You Too Long,” “If You Don’t Know Me By Now” and “Do Right Woman,” and she gives Motown a twist with her versions of “Come See About Me” and “What Becomes of the Broken Hearted.” But she is equally refreshing on such up tempo tunes as “Wild Night” and “Suspicious Minds.”
“What I love about this record is that you can just relax with it,” McBride said. “I wanted to make an album that you could put on when you’re cooking or when you have friends over. It is like comfort food.”
Fairpark officials expect to make announcements about future acts later in the week.
The Santa Maria Strawberry Festival takes place April 24-26, and the Santa Barbara County Fair takes place July 15-19. Click here for more information.
— Shelly Cone represents the Santa Maria Fairpark.