It's not the emotion she puts into it, it's the song she gets out of it that distinguishes the music of Martina McBride. So, it comes as no surprise, the time has come for the world to know the face of one of the prettiest voices to grace Nashville charts in many a moonbeam.

On the cusp of her induction into the Grand Ole Opry, McBride's cruising a wave of popularity that recently crested with three Grammy nominations: Best Female Vocal Performance for her top-five hit, "Safe In The Arms Of Love," Best Southern/Country/Bluegrass/Gospel Album for her contribution to the Amazing Grace compilation on "How Great Thou Art," and, Best Country Vocal Collaboration for "On My Own" with Reba McEntire, Trisha Yearwood, and Linda Davis.

Currently cross-country touring (with Jason McCoy and John Berry) in support of her third disc, Wild Angels, the recipient of the Country Music Association's Video-of-the-Year and Song-of-the-Year Awards for "Independence Day" (from 1993's sophomore release, The Way That I Am), McBride admits "it sounds funny saying this about your own work; but, I love the new CD, you know?

"I had to love it or I wouldn't have felt comfortable putting it out there. I worked on it for two years; it was a long, intense, emotional, and exhilarating process, a great experience, a complete joy. I feel very proud of it; I think it's innovative and it moves forward."

According to the five-foot-two eyes o' blue Kansas Kid, the intimidation factor didn't enter the equation when she went to work on Wild Angels.

"No, I wasn't frightened by the fact 'Independence Day' did so well. God, no! We try to make each album different and unique in itself. We didn't draw any comparisons between the previous discs and the new one. We picked songs that are unique or say something in a different way. Personally, I really listen to song lyrics; I don't like to sing songs with any throw-away lines; I think each and every word should matter. I'm attracted to songs that count and, you know, I'm not at all interested in the same ol' same ol' mediocrity.

"That's why I thought – and still think – 'Independence Day' was so wonderful. To have your career song with the video be a song you're so crazy and passionate about – well, that's a wonderful feeling.

"It's great to have a song that you love get this recognition rather than a song that you just like, you know? It's really an additional gift. I just feel really blessed and lucky; it's a song that I will always really care about, a song I thought could and would affect lives; but, I wasn't really prepared for the kind of response it received. I thought there would be some reluctance to play it because of the subject matter so, when I recorded it, I wasn't even thinking about whether it would be a single or a hit. I just recorded it because it was something I wanted on my album, something I felt I had to say; so, I hoped it would do well. I'm glad it was successful and did what it did. On the other hand, I'd hate to think I'd get stuck in any kind of rut, especially since we worked so hard on Wild Angels."

McBride (who co-produces her discs with Paul Worley and Ed Seay) literally grew up in the country milieu: At seven, she joined voices with her father in his weekend outfit; when she reached high school, she spent most of her free time working and singing in various ensembles; and, in 1990, she headed for Music City as a natural extension of her drive and passion. Two years later, RCA released The Time Has Come, a moderately successful debut signalling the emergence of a talent worth watching, a fairly remarkable accomplishment at the that time, particularly since Billy Ray Beautiful's rising-star status tended to eclipse most everybody and everything during the height of his heady achy-breaky daze (and dance craze), especially because McBride's production expertise – even then – played an integral role in her rookie release.

"I think," she explains, "I'd feel disconnected from my music if I weren't there for the whole process. I'd feel very uncomfortable going in, doing the singing, coming back, sitting back, and listening to the tracks to see what's been done with them. I think it's important the albums have my own individual sound; so, I have always had lots of input in making sure that happens. I'm very involved. It's creative and I don't think I'd have much fun doing it any other way."

Although she enjoys and appreciates the attention she's received from the industry, McBride points out she's never hit The Big One on the charts, a fact that doesn't faze her in the slightest.

"As long as my songs sell some records and people like them, I'm happy. It's funny. I can't tell you what the number-one song was two months ago. The most important thing is that people like the songs. I mean, 'Independence Day' only reached No. 10; but, a lot of people think, because it was Song of the Year, it hit No. 1. So, go figure."

According to the latest figures, McBride's second single, the title-track from Wild Angels, looks poised to go the distance, particularly after the strong performance of its lead-off, "Safe In The Arms Of Love," a song Canadian listeners quite naturally associate with La Belle Michelle Wright.

McBride confesses she hadn't heard Wright's version when she recorded hers and, for the record, she hadn't heard Patricia Conroy's version of "My Baby Loves Me" either.

"I don't feel like I'm re-recording anybody's songs. I'd never heard Patricia Conroy's version and I didn't even know it was a hit in Canada. I was just completely ignorant of that. My manager, Bruce Allen (Anne Murray, Bryan Adams), didn't tell me until after I'd recorded it. Both versions are different and that makes both different songs.

"Who knows? Maybe Michelle or Pat will take a song off one of my early albums and have a big hit with it someday in Canada?"

In the meantime, several cuts from McBride's Wild Angels, most notably the Matraca Berg/Tim Krekel ballad ("Cry On The Shoulder Of The Road"), the rompin' stompin' re-recording of Delbert McClinton's "Two More Bottles Of Wine," or "Swingin' Doors" (with its stellar guitar support from Biff Watson and Larry Byrom), might well turn the continental-chart trick for McBride herself.

Unlike many contemporary country singers, the mother of one youngster does "sing along with the radio and records around the house; that's the only practising I really do. I really just love this music."

Sounds like.

By Judith Fitzgerald