by Richard McVey II

It’s in a slightly posh hotel, just outside of Los Angeles, that a smiling but slightly groggy Martina sits down for a morning talk. She looks flawless, with­out a hint that she’s been touring heavily and just gave birth to her second daughter, Emma Justine, in late March. Her older daughter, Delaney Katharine, turns four on December 22.

Martina sports black pants with small, white stripes and a black shirt. Her eyes are a deep, radiating blue that beam with pride when she discusses her family, her music, or the small town of Sharon, Kansas, (pop. 200) where she grew up.

When did you record the Christmas album?

We started recording that in June.

Is it difficult to sing Christmas songs in June?

Not really. It wasn’t that bad. We strung up some lights and put a little Christmas tree up (in the studio).

You’re performing two dates with the Nashville Symphony (Nov. 27-28) this year. Have you worked with a symphony before?

No, this will be my first time.

Is that intimidating at all?

No, I think it will be really a lot of fun. We are doing a couple of dates in Nashville, and the only thing about it is that you only have one dress rehearsal. It will be amaz­ing. The only time I’ve ever sung with a string section or symphony is on a record. The power of the symphony is amazing. I can’t imagine standing on stage with that live. It’s going to be awesome.

There was a show on Celine Dion last year that showed the rigors she went through to keep her voice in shape. What do you do?

Actually, I don’t do much. I saw the same thing, and I got the number of a vocal coach. I’m going to give him a call and see if he can give me some vocal exercises or something, because I really don’t do much, I have a pretty hardy voice.

When it came time to do the Christmas album, how did you decide whether you wanted to do classical songs or record some new songs?

We had started with the idea of record­ing 10 classic songs and a couple of new songs. But when I got into this project it was so classic that I felt to put new songs on it would really not lit.

Are there a lot of songwriters writing new Christmas music?

Not really.

What drives you to do what you do?

Well, I’ve always loved to perform. I started performing when I was a kid, and I was fortunate to have a set of parents that noticed that I love to sing and really nur­tured that. I can remember from a very young age feeling that this is what I was put here to do. I had something that I could do that not everybody could do. Which, as a kid, gives you a great sense of self-esteem. So, I really never questioned it... .This career satisfies every aspect of my personal­ity. I love making records because it’s very creative. I love the business - that satisfies the intellectual part of me. I love the trying to do better all of the time.

How do you like touring?

It’s great. I can combine my family with my career, so it’s also the perfect career for that. I realize how lucky I am that I can kind of make the decisions so that I can bring my family with me.

What does your husband, John, do? (Married May 15. 1988.)

He’s the production manager for Garth Brooks. He comes out and travels a lot with us on the road.

Do you bring a nanny on the road to help out?

Yeah, I have an assistant that helps me.. That watch­es the kids when I’m on stage and doing interviews. I spend more time with my kids than probably most peo­ple do being at home and working regular jobs. I’m not saying that in any way other than I realize how lucky I am. .It’s a great balance because you come off of the stage from doing a great show and people are yelling and clapping, and you walk on the bus and that pretty much comes to a screeching halt. The kids are there going, “Mommy, I’m hungry!” or “Read me a story.” It just puts everything into perspective.

What advice did your parents give you about life?

I can remember getting the feeling, whether they ever said it specific in words or not, that you had to work hard for what you get. In the Midwest there’s a very strong work ethic. There was just definitely a mes­sage conveyed of “be true to yourself” and have a sense of self-respect. My mom, I can remember her saying when I was in high school, “Now, you have to watch your reputation.”

What were you like in high school?

My high school was very small. There were 35 kids in four grades of high school. I had 10 people in my graduating class. I was always involved in the music program. I wasn’t really involved in sports very much. I liked school a lot. I was a good student.

You were heavy into music eyen back then?

In high school when other kids were practicing sports and stuff, I would close myself up in my room and put on stacks of records and just sing. I would have kids over from school and they were like, “Yeah, enough with the music already. Let’s go outside and play or do something fun.” And I’m like, “Listen to this song!”

What music outside of country did you listen to?

Where I grew up, I didn’t know there was any other kind of music but country music. Then I got old enough to realize there was Top 40 radio - Kasey Kasem. I lis­tened to all of that pop music in the ‘70s and ‘80s. I’m a subscriber to “Sounds of the Eighties,” I must admit. I get the CD every month. They’re running out of songs.

Are you worried that your kids won’t have that small town experience?

The other day we were coming back to the hotel after haying dinner and Delaney was up ahead of me. She was with my road manager and another guy on the tour‚ and they had her and were holding her hands and swinging her back and forth. She was loving it. I thought, “This is her childhood. These will be her mem­ories.” I’m very conscious of trying to provide a child­hood that is as stable as possible.

Delaney will be four in December, what advice will you give her as she gets older?

That she can do anything she wants to do.

You co-produced the Christmas album and your last album, Evolution. What does that entail?

It’s every musical decision. It starts with the basic choosing of material. Choosing which musicians you want to use. What kind of instrumentation? What kind of microphone do you use? How do you want your vocal to sound? What do you want it to feel like? What studio do you record in? You oversee the budget. You are responsible for every aspect.

When can we expect an album of new material?

We’ll start recording in March, April and May. It will probably come out in August or September, which will be a little over two years when they release it (since my last album, Evolution).

Do you ever see yourself slowing down?

With a family you have to slow down. I think I’ve slowed down. What we have right now is a really good balance of being on the road and being at home. .And would I ever like to have six months off with nothing to do? Of course, I would! Yeah! (Laughs.)

Have you had a moment when you thought to yourself, “How did I get here?”

Yeah. It happened at the CMAs this year. We did the (current hit) song “Wrong Again.” They had set up this really cool production with a beautiful set and I was supposed to walk down these stairs. I was sitting on this couch and thinking, “You know, I stood out in the audience for so many years and on TV and watched Reba do these very dramatic performances on the CMA, and now I’m doing that! That is so wild.”

You’re 32, but how old do you feel?

I would say about early twenties. I was so looking for­ward to turning 30 because I had this weird feeling that I would have it all figured out. It was like I would be wise with age. Of course, it didn’t happen at all. (Laughs.)

One of the biggest hits off your album, Evolution, was Broken Wing.” What does that song mean to you?

That song to me talks about the triumph of the human spirit. I just love that story.... A lot of people have come up to me and thought it was about suicide. But it isn’t. To me it isn’t anyway. I went to the writers and said, “People are coming up to me and saying, ‘Why does this woman jump out of the window?’” They’re like, “No, no, no.” I think they just used that as a metaphor. It’s symbolism for her leav­ing and moving on.

You’ve said before that you don’t set goals. But do you have a direction you would like your personal and professional life to take?

I’m so happy where I am. I’ve had a slow, steady build. I’ve made music that I’m really proud of. And also a fan­tastic personal life. If I could just keep it going like it’s going now, I would be happy.

Lastly, have you finished your Christmas shopping yet?

No, but I’ve got a very organized plan this year. I’m actually going to go and spend three days and do it all at once.  I used to be a Christmas Eye shopper. Having a child changed all of that. (Laughs.)