Rascal Flatts, Martina McBride and Scotty McCreery Among Winners at ICM Awards

The 19th Annual ICM Faith, Family & Country™ Awards were held last night at The Fellowship at Two Rivers in Nashville to honor artists, songwriters, radio personalities and others in the genres of Christian and Inspirational Country Music.

Winners included Rascal Flatts for “Mainstream Inspirational Country Song” and “Video,” Martina McBride for “Mainstream Country Female Artist” and

Scotty McCreery for “Mainstream Country Male Artist,” along with the top Inspirational Country Music artists: Kali Rose, Tommy Brandt, Mary James, The Roys and many more.

For a complete list of winners, please see below or visit www.FaithFamilyCountry.com.

Guess Who's Singing The National Anthem Saturday

Before the Kentucky Derby starts, singing the Star Spangled Banner will be Martina McBride!

After that, she has ten tour dates booked in May and June, setting up a very busy summer.

The Joy Of A Great Concert Review

Martina McBride (click to read her recap of her family Christmas at home) wrapped up her Holiday show schedule in Chicago on 12/22 and Tribune writer Chrissie Dickinson liked what she saw:

Like Bing Crosby and Andy Williams before her, Martina McBride understands what it takes to deliver a Christmas show. You have to have an authentic touch. The mood must be warm as a fireplace. Most of all, you have to create the elusive magic of the holiday.

McBride delivered on all counts Friday night at the Chicago Theatre, the final stop on her "Joy of Christmas" tour.

The members of her stellar 12-piece co-ed band were clad in tuxes and evening gowns. The stage was decked out with evergreens frosted in white. The singer herself went through a handful of wardrobe changes including a snappy red satin dress, glitter pants and floor-length gowns.

Martina To Sing National Anthem At '500'

GRAMMY®-winning country superstar Martina McBride will sing the national anthem during pre-race ceremonies at the 96th Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, May 27 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

“I am extremely excited that the Indianapolis Motor Speedway has invited me to this year’s Indy 500,” McBride said. “It is a huge honor to sing the national anthem at what is known as ‘The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.’”

Jeff Belskus, Indianapolis Motor Speedway Corporation president and chief executive officer: “We welcome Martina McBride to IMS to perform ‘The Star Spangled Banner’ shortly before the engines fire for the 96th Indianapolis 500. Her unforgettable voice and stage presence will add special meaning to this tribute to our country and the veterans who have served it with great dedication and sacrifice.”

Having completed a winter arena tour with fellow country music superstar George Strait, McBride recently embarked on an intimate theater tour across the country. The theater tour will give fans a memorable and unique experience that also highlights her multitude of hit songs and fan-favorites.

Watch Martina Fans' ACM Marriage From Behind The Scenes

You saw it on TV.
Now, here's what happened back stage. (click to watch the video)

"It was Martina's idea."

Nashville's Big Machine Spearheads "Outnumber Hunger"

Label group artists Rascal Flatts, Reba, Martina McBride, The Band Perry, Eli Young Band, Justin Moore, Brantley Gilbert, Sunny Sweeney, Edens Edge, Ella Mae Bowen and Thomas Rhett are banding together to help fight America’s hunger problem.

They have teamed up with General Mills and Feeding America to create the Outnumber Hunger campaign. The Outnumber Hunger initiative officially kicked off on Friday (March 30th) with a press conference in Las Vegas.

Family More Important Than Awards Now For Martina McBride

Republic Nashville's McBride released her first album 20 years ago, she's had number one songs and platinum albums, headlined her own tours and she's won just about every major award she can win, including the ACM Female Vocalist Award, which she's won three times and is nominated for again this year.

With all of that already under her belt what are her hopes for the future?

Martina says, “That's a complicated question. I mean the first thing that comes to mind is that I just hope that I get to keep doing this for a long time. I love to perform, I love to sing and make records and make music.” But anyone who knows Martina knows that her family is her top priority, so she says on a personal level, “As my daughters get older, my oldest daughter's going to be going into college in a couple of years. So I just hope I'm able to be there for them and help them anyway I can.”

Martina McBride Calls Blake Shelton Both "Ornery" And A Friend

Martina and Blake (who just signed up for season three of "The Voice") might seem like unlikely friends at first glance, but they’re actually very good friends thanks to her ability to look beyond the surface.

“He's so ornery. And he has so much charisma. And so much talent,” says Martina, but, “underneath all that craziness is a really good person and, you know, I'm really drawn to that.”

Martina actually shares a great friendship with Blake and his wife, Miranda Lambert. “They're just both sweet as could be. I mean, I love Miranda (Lambert) too. So, it's really cool to have that friendship.”

Martina is currently enjoying the success of her latest top ten song, “I’m Gonna Love You Through It,” and spending some time with another good friend, George Strait, opening for him on his winter tour.

Martina McBride hosts and performs on the 13th annual "A HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS"

The entertainment special will be broadcast Wednesday, Dec. 21 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. It will include performances by McBride, Justin Bieber, Mary J. Blige and other luminaries.

Martina grew up in Kansas with her three siblings, Martina, Steve and Gina, and she remembers one tradition that happened every morning in their household on Christmas morning. “When we were growing up, one of our traditions was, well, it’s really Santa Claus’s tradition, but Santa Claus would cover the presents with a blanket. A white blanket. So when we’d come down on Christmas morning or come in on Christmas morning, we couldn’t just see it immediately. And so we had to wait for my dad to do the big reveal of all the presents that Santa brought.”

Nowadays Martina enjoys her own family traditions and celebrating the holidays with her husband John and their three daughters, Delaney, who will be 17 on December 22nd, Emma who is 13 and 6-year-old Ava.

Cruise With Martina

Royal Caribbean International has invited guests to a special, live performance by Martina McBride. 

McBride is scheduled to perform aboard Royal Caribbean’s Voyager of the Seas, the largest and most innovative cruise ship ever to homeport in New Orleans, on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2011. 

The Martina concert for invited guests will take place in Voyager of the Seas’ Lyric Theatre before the ship departs on its Western Caribbean Thanksgiving cruise. 

Vacation With the Country Stars

If you are planning a vacation in the near future, here are a couple you might want to consider.

This November, Royal Caribbean International has invited guests to a special, live performance by Martina McBride. 

McBride is scheduled to perform aboard Royal Caribbean’s Voyager of the Seas, the largest and most innovative cruise ship ever to homeport in New Orleans, on Saturday, November 19.

The Martina concert for invited guests will take place in Voyager of the Seas’ Lyric Theatre before the ship departs on its Western Caribbean Thanksgiving cruise.  

If that's not your speed, both Tim and Faith will be headlining the CMC Rocks the Hunter 2012 festival at Hope Estate in Australia next year. 

This will be a return trip for Tim who performed in Aussie Land just last year in 2010 for his Southern Voice tour. 

Now in its fifth year, CMC Rocks the Hunter festival has established itself as the biggest International Country & Roots Festival outside of North America.  The festival is March 16-18, 2012. 

Martina's Eleven

Martina McBride is doing a cross-country train ride to promote her album ‘Eleven’ release. The four-day west coast to the east, from Los Angeles to New York will make 11 stops in between, in keeping with the whole “11″ pattern. The tour is being dubbed “‘Eleven’ Across America Powered by Amtrak.’ Martina will perform intimate shows for fans in Albuquerque, Chicago and New York. 

The Associated Press reports will get up and close and personal with her fans, all the while taking in the sights and sounds of America on a train. Throughout October, National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Martina will ride the Pink Together Express. They will contribute $1,000 to each of the local Susan G. Komen Affiliates along the tour, for a total of $11,000. More details at PinkTogether.com. Martina was recently named the most played female artist on country radio for the past 11 years.

Martina Caps NFL Breast Cancer Weekend

Martina McBride performed the National Anthem before the October 2 NFL game between the Baltimore Ravens and the New York Jets.

The Oct 2 game is the first of several NFL Breast Cancer Awareness games during the month of October.

Beginning October 2 and continuing throughout the month, NFL Breast Cancer Awareness games will feature game balls with pink ribbon decals used for every down, pink equipment worn by the players, pink coins used for the coin toss, pink goal post padding in the end zones and breast cancer awareness track jackets for cheerleaders.

Martina’s upcoming album titled ELEVEN will be released on October 11th.

Martina Fans Fight Cancer

Martina McBride fans inspired by her newly released song about cancer entitled, “I’m Gonna Love You Through It” will gather in Nashville, TN, on October 15th to walk for cancer research causes.

McBride fan club members from across the country will join cancer survivors featured in the song’s video to participate in The American Cancer Society’s “Making Strides Against Breast Cancer 5 Mile Walk” at LP Field in downtown Nashville. Last year this event drew 18,000 walkers and raised $500,000 to help the society’s breast cancer research program.

The team, gathering from 6 states, estimates they will walk over 700 miles while in training for this event and aims to raise $11,000 for breast cancer research. A female team member will shave her head in honor of those fighting breast cancer if the goal is met.

Donations may be made to the team online by going to: http://www.teammartina.com 

CMT Invites Blake, Trace, and Martina

Trace Adkins, Martina McBride, and Blake Shelton are all slated to be featured in upcoming episodes of the CMT series "Invitation Only." 

The series provides a showcase for performers to present their music in an intimate setting and discuss their songs, sharing the inspiration behind certain tracks. 

They often talk about other aspects of their lives and careers as well, and field questions from the audience.

The next installment of "Invitation Only" will feature Adkins with a debut on CMT on Sunday, September 25th. 

Air dates for Martina and Blake's episodes haven't been announced yet.

Eleven For Martina

It's the eleventh studio album for Martina McBride, so don't be surprised at the name, "Eleven". The CD will be released October 11. It's too bad there's not a release on November 11 (11-11-11). Teenage Daughters was the first hit from the CD, which will feature 11 tracks.

It's Martina's first CD at her new label home, Republic Nashville.

TRACK LIST

1. One Night

2. Always Be This Way

3. I’m Gonna Love You Through It

4. Marry Me

5. Broken Umbrella

6. You Can Get Your Lovin’ Right Here

7. Whatcha Gonna Do

8. Teenage Daughters

9. Summer of Love

10. When You Love A Sinner

11. Long Distance Lullaby

Got Teenagers? Need A Drink?

martinamcbride.com

Martina McBride sings about needing the drink on her song ‘Teenage Daughters.’ Does she do what she sings?

"Well, it depends on the occasion," Martina tells The Boot. "I do love tequila, but usually the easiest thing to do is a glass of wine." Red or white? "Again, it depends," she laughs. "I like it all. I'm not picky."

Martina understands parents don't always know best.

"None of us are perfect," she tells The Boot. "There are days when I'm a really fantastic mother, [laughs] where I wish the cameras were rolling. It's 'I've really got it all together today.' And there are times when I don't get it right. That's the thing -- you don't have a handbook, you're just kind of winging it and trying to figure it out as you go along."

Martina hits the road in July in support of her upcoming album that will release on October 18th, her first for new label home Republic Nashville.

Martina As A Blackbird

Martina McBride appears on rocker Dave Stewart's new album Blackbird Diaries which is available now.  Click the link to get a sample. 

Martina sings with the former Eurythmics guitarist on the song "All Messed Up." Stevie Nicks, Colbie Caillat and The Secret Sisters also appear on Dave's new album. 

It was mixed recorded and mixed by Martina's husband John McBride at their Blackbird Studio in Nashville.

Martina Gets The Beeb

Martina McBride understands. Her middle daughter, Emma, met Justin Bieber during the recent CMT Awards.


"I was really into Linda Ronstadt and Pat Benatar," Martina tells The Boot of her own idols as a teen. "I think that if I would have met them when I was 18 or 15, I was so enamored with them that I would have freaked out."


Martina has actually had the opportunity to perform with Pat Benatar, but hasn't met Linda Ronstadt, yet. "I'd love to, though," she reveals.


Martina understands her daughter's excitement. "The best part is seeing my kids grow and become individuals, and the fact that they're happy and well-adjusted," Martina told The Boot. "When I see how they handle situations, I feel really proud of them, and that pride is such a great thing."


Martina's next album will be released August 23, and it will include her current single 'Teenage Daughters.'

Country Will Represent At MDA Telethon

Martina McBride, Lady Antebellum and Darius Rucker will be a part of the 2011 Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon on Sunday September 4th and Monday September 5th.  The Grand Ole Opry performances June 7th weres were taped livewith the MDA Logo featured on the large screen at the Grand Ole Opry.


At the end of the Lady Antebellum performance Hillary Scott invited the Opry crowd to “Make A Muscle For MDA” Darius Rucker invited Abbey Umali, MDA's National Goodwill Ambassador, on to the stage where she helped him sing ‘Come Back Song’ saying that it was her favorite.  After the performance she received a 2 minute standing ovation and encouraged the Opry crowd to “Make A Muscle” for MDA.


The Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Telethon first began in New York City in 1954. 2011 marks the 46th Annual Labor Day Telethon - with a bevy of stars and featured performances - lasting more than 21 hours beginning at 9PM ET on Sunday, September 4 and lasting through Monday evening on Labor Day, September 5, 2011.


Last year the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon raised $58,919,838 in contributions and pledges to advance the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s lifesaving mission. This year also marks the last time 85-year-old comedian Jerry Lewis hosts the telethon as he retires after 46 years of hosting the show.