Martina McBride Has New Album...And New Label...On Tap

Wondering what Martina McBride has been up to this holiday season? Well, her fans will definitely consider this a satisfying Christmas present: She's finishing up a new album, which she plans to release in 2014 on her own label.

The set, titled Everlasting, will drop March 4 and contains a unique theme: McBride covers 14 classic songs on it, including gems from various genres. She teams up with Gavin DeGraw for Sam Cooke's "Bring It on Home to Me," as well as puts her own spin on R&B staples "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man," "If You Don't Know Me by Now," and "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted"; plus songs made famous by Elvis Presley, Van Morrison, and the Supremes.

Additionally, the new album will feature production from the legendary Don Was. The project will be put out on her newly created label through Kobalt label services. A full tracklisting hasn't been announced yet.

"These songs have beautiful melodies and emotional lyrics, which is basically all you can ask for as a singer." McBride explained of her choice to cover the classics. "While this is a bit of a departure for me song-wise, stylistically I approached these songs the way I always have which is singing with as much soul and emotion as I possibly can."

Producer Was is in total agreement: "Martina is a singer's singer. She brings a richness, soul and vulnerability to these songs that no one else could," he noted. "It's also testimony to both Martina's vocal prowess and her strong vision as an artist that she is able to step into these well-worn, classic songs and completely make them her own."

"I think my fans will love this record because they are some of the best songs of all time done in a very classic style," McBride said. "I'm so excited for them to hear it and to take this record, complete with a horn section, on the road in the spring."