Artist: Martina McBride
Date: 07.13.2007
Venue: Ford Center
Location: Oklahoma City, Ok

Country, perhaps more so than any other genre of contemporary music today, respects vocal chops. The nearly sold-out crowd Friday night at Ford Center witnessed five superb country voices. Headliner Martina McBride remains one of the most potent singing forces on the scene, and opening act Little Big Town consists of two men and two women with vocals that were only matched by McBride.
 
It's no surprise that Ms. McBride has four Country Music Association Awards for female vocalist of the year on her mantle. More often than not, her pipes are simply astounding. How such perfect pitch, glass-shattering power and emotional conviction come out of such a small body will forever be an industry mystery. Backed by a seven-piece band, the Kansas-born singer offered 90 minutes of flawless deliveries, even when the material was merely mediocre. She doesn't misstep much, but every once in a while she'll pick sub par songs such as "This One's for the Girls" and "Cry Cry ('Til the Sun Shines)," a track from her recently released CD, Waking Up Laughing.
 
Those groaners were the exception, though. Her place in the chronicles of country music history is secure thanks to empowering anthems. There's "A Broken Wing," which she performed with effortless fortitude. Man, when she held that final note as the music swelled and the song reached its dramatic crescendo, you could feel the chills coming up your spine. It was that great. And "Independence Day," her signature hit, gained more strength as she slammed the microphone stand on the floor and belted the lyrics with fighting determination. Whew!

Two more vocal tour de forces deserve mention. "Where Would You Be," almost left her breathless. Each time she arrived at the chorus she soared to a new cord-crushing level. Plus, there's "Concrete Angel," the chilling story of child abuse that Ms. McBride sang with heart-wrenching beauty.

Yet she understands nuance. During a segment of the show, where she performed country classics from her 2005 album, Timeless, she revealed her interpretive skills. Taking on Sammi Smith's "Help Me Make It Through the Night" and Loretta Lynn's "You Ain't Woman Enough," allowed her to play both ends of the stylistic spectrum. "Night," had all the desperation and sultriness the song needs. "Woman," had all the fire the tune requires.

Speaking of vocal heat, Little Big Town never let up during its 45-minute set. Karen Fairchild, Phillip Sweet, Kimberly Roads and Jimi Westbrook pulled out one great track after another from its 2005 breakthrough CD, The Road to Here. Particularly special was the warm ballad "Bring It on Home." Mr. Sweet's lead vocals glowed with heart and hearth. "Stay," featuring lead vocals by Ms. Roads and Ms. Fairchild, was a musical slice of acoustic heaven. Extra props go to Ms. Roads, who sang with amazing gusto for being eight months and three weeks pregnant.

Let's also highlight the one fresh song in the stint. "I'm With the Band" – targeted for the group's third album, to be released this fall – went from homespun ballad to pop-rocker underscoring the LBT blueprint. This quartet creates the ideal merger of front-porch purity and big-city urbanity. Those stellar voices lead the way.