Her backing core, which has been playing with her for two decades, slid from country-pop to blues to soul and back with ease.Įveryone onstage was obviously having a blast, which is likely why the tour has lasted much longer than expected. McBride’s voice was in fine form throughout the show, although she tended to sound the strongest during her own material, such as the full-throated finales to “Anyway” and “Where Would You Be.” We won’t get into the fact that country radio stations tend to be among the most regimented, but her sentiments were nice.Ĭovers from “Everlasting” made up approximately half of the 23-song set, with the remainder composed of McBride’s biggest hits, including “Wild Angels,” “Whatever You Say,” “This One’s For the Girls” and show-closer “Independence Day.” A cover of “Suspicious Minds” rubbed shoulders with her own “Blessed,” the Supremes’ “Come See About Me” followed her huge hit “Anyway,” the tender “In My Daughter’s Eyes” featuring only vocals and piano led into the loping guitar-and-vocals blues of Fred Neil’s “Little Bit of Rain.” That back-and-forth continued for much of the show. The basic combo of guitar, drums, bass and piano was joined by a four-piece horn section and three female backing singers.Ĭlad in a snug, black-and-white pantsuit, McBride took the stage to “When God-Fearin’ Women Get the Blues.” Despite its title, the song didn’t continue the mood of the show opener her 2001 hit single was more in the spirit of her usual country-pop sound. The 100-minute set immediately showed its hand with a bluesy instrumental showcasing the expanded backing band. McBride brought her altered sound to the Santander Performing Arts Center on Sunday night for a well-attended show more Muscle Shoals than muscle truck. “Everlasting,” helmed by uber-producer Don Was, took a different path down memory lane, one with stops in Motown, Chicago and Memphis. She reprised the idea last year, with a notable twist. Ten years ago Martina McBride had one of the biggest successes of her 25-year career with “Timeless,” a collection of classic and traditional country songs.

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