Martina McBride’s New Covers Record Is Not Karaoke

Martina McBride is eager to get her latest album, 'Everlasting,' into the hands of her fans. The new record, which she is releasing on her own label, is a collection of 14 songs by some of her favorite singers, including Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin and Etta James.

But while 'Everlasting' includes all songs that have been previously recorded, McBride says she worked hard to put her on spin on each of the tunes.

"It's an instinct thing," she tells Nashville's Tennessean. "You don't want to make a karaoke record. You don't want it to sound exactly like the original and then you don't also want to make it so different that it's unrecognizable because these songs are sacred to a lot of people."

The Kansas native, best known for her soaring vocals on hits like 'Broken Wing' and 'Anyway,' was ready to reach outside her comfort zone with 'Everlasting.'

"It seemed interesting," McBride explains. "And as a singer, really challenging and fun, too, to push my boundaries a little bit and tackle some of these classic songs and performances."

The songstress called on veteran producer Don Was -- whose credits include Bonnie Raitt, the Rolling Stones, Jackson Browne, John Mayer and Barenaked Ladies -- to helm the project.

“Working with Don was a dream come true,” she says. “He is so musical and really helped me focus on how to do these songs in a way that not only features the vocal, but also connects this music with what I’ve done in the past in a really honest and organic way."

'Everlasting' will be released on March 4. Pre-order a copy here.

McBride is continuing serving as the opening act for select dates on George Strait's farewell the Cowboy Rides Away Tour, as well as performing several of her own shows in support of the new album. See all of her upcoming shows here.