Intro:

Brian Mansfield: "Martina sounds like she has no fear. A blue-eyed angel in a leaather jacket."

Marty Schiff: "And the crowds.. I... I have always loved her, even when nobody knew who she was."

Tom Douglas: "Her family is out here, which is really cool. Actually (...) herself, how to be able to pull this off."

Greg Foresman: "I think she'd give her career up, if she had to make a choice. I know she would."

If you ask anyone who knows Martina McBride, they'll probably tell you that she's not only the greatest singer they know, but also a woman with great faith and a fierce dedication to her family. She grew up on a farm in a small Kansas town where she learned about being non-judgemental, working hard, caring for others and living her life with integrity.

Martina: "I think there is something still in me about working hard, hard work pays off and if you want something, you need to work for it."

Goerge Flanigen: "I think one of the reasons the video's turned out so well is that we go through a process of weeding out the bad ideas or the things that don't have integrity or the things that don't really mean something and really bring it down to what it's best."

"To do things with integrity and decency is very important to me. It's the only way I really want to do things. And, and it's not always easy."

Joe Gelante: "She inspires the company. And I think that if (...) is watching this tape, the one thing I can tell you is that it's very important that you understand that your company is an extension of you. And the more you (...) motivate them, the harder they are gonna work. Because this is not about being (...). This is about a team. And when you get a team, nobody can (...). When you get a team really workin' and this team is workin'. We are all in the same place and there's harmony and that's a great place to be in."

Paul Worley: "I've said this before and Ireally mean it - she makes me be the best me that I can be. She challenges me to really dig deep and to do great work."

Martina and Paul Worley co-produced Emotion, as they did her last five CDs.

Tom Douglas: "They worked as hard on this album as any two people probably ever have. I mean it was bordering on and (...) and hours that they put in... and they're both probably very perfectionist... Perfectionistic in their approach. But it, it comes through.")

Paul Worley: "She works me to death. (laughs) I mean nobody works harder (...) than Martina does."

Martina: "I think we help each other grow. I think each album that we've made together sounds different from the one before. And we try, we're not afraid to try new things and we can try crazy ideas and, you know.... So it's fun, it's... the most fun it's makin' an album, you know, that I have probably in my career."

Joe Gelante: "And they understand one another. So they (...) on one another. They try different things and Paul also being around her, can sometimes push her when she doesn't know she needs to be pushed. Because being your own boss sometimes, you don't know you can grade your performance. That's why people have trainers, coaches, you know 'Come on, you can do this." And that's where Paul comes in and conversely he knows when she can't go any further. And step back (...)"

Paul Worley: "Martina's a tireless worker. And a tireless person. She has a very active, very busy life. So really my only challenge is to try and... is to get her... to back her into those quiet, secret creative spaces."

The new CD is different from Martina's other CDs in its sparse instrumentation and in its sound.

Paul Worley: "The most interesting thing about Emotion is that there are hardly any overdubs. We elected to cut with the small rhythm section and the idea was to then layear on the other musical (...). And we tried and tried and tried to overdub other players and none of the overdubs would stay."

Martina: "Ninety percent of stuff that we tried to put on just would not stick. It sounded extra, it sounded like... extra, like id didn't need to be there. So we were, you know,  enlightened enough to realize that and just say 'Well, we tried, it didn't work.' But it was an interesting creative experience, I think for both, you know me and Paul Worley, my co-producer, because we're used to be able to add a whole bunch of stuff on and when nothing would really stick, it was just... it was kind of like the music made itself."

Buzz Cason: "The secret to production is knowing what picture to paint with each individual song, which Paul and Martina evidently knew what to do on this album. And whatever the producer knows, what instrument enhances the sound, he doesn't worrry about 'Well, is this gonna be too country (...) pop.' He tries to match the artist with the song and what would make this song come across better self. They evidently knew what to do on this and thy're... they didn't, as Tom said, didn't go overboard on production and has the certain (...) to it when needed. And then it has the smoothness. (...) That's what makes great production.")

Paul Worley: "Having just finished her album, I've started on a couple other ptojects and I found myself looking around the room goin 'Where is my buddy?' You know, where is... What do I do now?"

When we come back, Martina talks about family life on the road.

***

A lot of artists claim to experience nervousness and intimidation in a live setting. But Martina walks out on a concert stage like she owns it, immediately capturing the attention and admiration of the crowd.

Greg Foresman: "I've never seen her in a lack of confidence, you know. So that's been pretty steady, as long as I've been with her."

John McBride: "She's so strong and should have all the confidence in the whole world, which she does now. But one time she didn't and now she does. And it shows. And I'm so glad to see it all happen."

Martina: "With every song that does well, with every album that you sell, you get a little more confident, you know. Go get confidence from your career, you get confidence from your life, you get confidence from just two more years of being you and feeling like you did OK."

The crowds are always there for Martina.

Chuck Fields (drums player):"Night in and night out. It's just amazing. You know, she's getting ovations after ovations throughout the show, you know. And it's pretty incredible.")

Brian Mansfield: "It's just overwhelming sometimes when she gets one of the songs that she just lets lose on, cause that's what she does the best. She just dives right into the song and she can do anything she wants with it. And that's, that's what's really exciting. And you know you... you know she can do that from hearin' the records but seing her is just... it's just a wonderful experience.")

John McBride: "And also one of the things I love about her she sings in the microphone. When she sings at a show, she is not around there, she sings in the mike (...) You know, if she doesn't sing in the mike, we have problems. And she can (...) around 'That's OK' but... No, I don't know, take that out. (lughs)

Behing her music, her confidence and her happiness, is Martina's support system, faith and family.

Joe Gelante: "Those are deep issues for her. They are both personal. They are both... they are religious at the same time. It's from her upbringing."

Martina: "I have a very spiritual side to me. I have a great faith in God. John and I are both Christians. When I say (..) we've been given, they come from the Lord, you know. Everything good comes from the Lord."

Friends who know them well continue to be astounded at John and Martina's natural ability to keep things running smooth on the raod.

Greg Foresman: "I think a lot people don't see her interact with her children. I mean, her children come out on the road with her and her husband. Her whole family is out there on the road together, which.... which is... You know, I don't see how they do it."

Joe Gelante: "I wish a had the composure that she does. I know I sound like the fanclub, but I admire what she's able to do, because it's a tough gig. You've got two young kids and they're out there with you. And she is one minute changing a diper on Emma and the next minute she's on stage in front of twenty thousand people like it didn't happen."

John McBride: "She and i both feel the same way - the kids first, the marriage second and the career third."

Martina: "You see, the most imprtant thing to me is that we're together as a family. And I think that's the most important thing for the kids. And I think that wherever you are, is your home, as long as you're with your family. And I know that my kids are happier being with me ona tourbus then being without me in Nashville."

Joe Gelante: "It's a very physically difficult thing to do in my opinion. I don't know how they do it, but they make it work. And they do it well. Because you can see those kids around their dad and their mom and you see what happens with Martina when she's with Emma and Delaney. I mean we've been at show and as Delaney is runnin' 'Mama, mama!' you know. And it's just, it's great."

Paul Worley: "John is a very joyfilled person and everywhere he goes, he spreads joy. And so when things can get a little tense, John can just role in there like an (...) and just kind of everybody off their serious kick and then to be light and fun."

John McBride: "The fact that we are together as a family, I think, it's a real pressure off of her, but her schedule... Sometimes I sit back and think 'We'd better find a night off together somewhere just to help reground everything, because I know it gets hard."

Martina: "You know, you just kind of have to take a deep breath and... We have good communication in our house, you know. I'll tell Delaney 'Delaney, I'm losin' it, OK? You just... Let's all just back down for just a couple of seconds, take a deep breath.... She totally gets it. She's like 'OK, mom, OK.' Because she has her monets, you know. She has a... We're very... This... In our family, you know, the... we're allowed to communicate. Delaney's allowed to tell me how she's feeling and... and feel those feelings and express them. And I'm really into that so we all kind of just talk about it. We go to our quiet places (laughs) and chill out."

Joe Gelante: "They are a couple. They are a family. They are support system. They breathe the same air and they need that breath in order to live."

When asked about the messages she tries to get across, Martina states that she doesn't really try to rely messages as much as touch people with her music. She teaches not by preaching but by example.

Paul Worley: "She's one of the most non-judgemental people I've ever met and does not waste much of her time approving or disaproving of other people's things. She spends most of her time worrying about what she's gonna do."

George Flanigen: "She's an 'all-around' artist but not so much an artist as she is really even a family person. And I think that is really one of the most important things about her is that she walks at ten lines so well and with John and the kids it's like, you know, she... she... it really is the most important thing to her. And that really balances her life. And I think that's why she is so good at what she does."

Gretchen Peters: "She's just true to who she is. And that's... I wish that weren't so unique, I wish there were more people like that, but it's a very... it's a rare thing."

Joe Gelante: "She is really one of a kind and if people will emulate her in the future, as they aspire to be a singer in this format, it's not just about being a singer from the technical standpoint or even an emotional standpoint. It's all the things that make her a star and a member of the country music community.")

Greg Foresman: "She's somebody who has a gift and not only have a gift but have the (...) and is smart to nurture that gift."

Marty Schiff: "She's a great person. I... I've known her all my life and so she is just as real... She's a country girl so she is real as real can be. And what she does on stage, the way she treats her fans... I mean that's the way she is. And she's great to work for. And I'd always tell her that I wouldn't work for anybody else. I wouldn't be out here playing guitar for anybody else. If she ever fired me or... or... I'd do something else, I wouldn't play for anybody else."

Episode 1 *** Episode 2 *** Episode 3 *** Episode 4

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