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BORN: July 29, 1966, Sharon, KS


“I’m always surprised when I find out that people outside of country music know who I am,” she says. “I kind of walk in assuming that they don’t.” Teen-pop sensation Britney Spears declared herself a devotee at this year’s American Music Awards. Professed fan Bob Seger eagerly agreed to duet with her on the multi-million selling soundtrack of the Sandra Bullock movie Hope Floats. And Martina McBride was the first country artist chosen for the landmark, all-female “Lilith Fair” pop tour of 1998.

“That was a life-changing experience for me. I never knew a tour could have that much camaraderie. The whole vibe was really cool, and I wanted to have that again.”

Earlier this year, she and her idol Reba McEntire discussed creating something similar for country performers. The result was “Girls Night Out,” an all-female country blockbuster tour, which teamed Martina with Reba, Sara Evans, Jamie O’Neal and Carolyn Dawn Johnson. Both Delaney and daughter Emma, 3, were along, as were other singers’ children. Martina says she’d like to continue the concept in years to come. And since her close friends range from Faith Hill to Loretta Lynn, casting the tours shouldn’t be hard. The noteworthy thing is perhaps the evolution of the woman who spearheads them, for Martina McBride has grown remarkably from rural ingenue to principled leader during the time period her first Greatest Hits album surveys.

“There are times I feel like a ‘star,’” she says. “But more often, I just feel like I’m successful and happy. I don’t have a desire to be on the cover of every magazine. I want to be able to raise my kids in a way that’s sane and normal. That’s my priority. And as long as I have that, whatever else I accomplish is icing on the cake.”

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